Side Reins

[MaverickMD]

Can you help?

If I lunge my horse with the side reins down between front legs and attached to girth to encourage long and low and use of back - will this automatically put it on the forehand?

If I lunge with the side reins up on the top of the roller and push the horse forward - will this stop her going on the forehand - but will it make the horses back sore?

I am wanting to encourage her to stretch and work her "lower back" - but I dont want her on the forehand in canter as I need to get her "up" at the front and make her light - she is a show cob.

Any ideas / suggestions would be most welcome.

Thanks

 

[hellybelly6]

Hi
I think the first option will def put her on the forehand.
The second option, could be like the old bearing reins used on carriage horses and could well make her back sore.

Have you thought of a Chambon or lungie bungie? This might help.

Is she fit? as this may have a bearing on her being on the forehand too. Conformation can also make some horses more on the forehand than others. My horse is on the forehand because of the way he is built.

 

[jesterfaerie]

I agree with hb6 however if you use half haults and transitions fromm paces and within paces it will encourage her to use her back end and lighten her forehand. I won't make her back sore if you use them from the bit to the roller but if she is not used to carrying her head high but remaining in an outine then she may struggle and hollow so I wouldn't make a sudden jump from in between the legs to the top of the roller, make it gradual.

As I said before, lots of transitions will help get her up and off her forehand.

 

[spottybotty]

you could try trotting poles on the circle when you lunge with the side-reins from bit to in between the legs, this does encourage the long low position but they have to use the back end and stops tipping onto the forehand so much.

 

[CBAnglo]

I use a bungie rein from bit over poll and attached to girth buckles on roller/saddle. You need to get her working well from behind - do smaller circles moving out and then back in to activate the inside leg, lots of transitions and work on extended and collected paces. Once you have her working well in walk and trot then do constant transitions into and from canter etc.