some advice please...

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Megibo

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found out my pony was tight down the left side of her spine after having a physiotherapist out and that is why she would hold her head to the left side and come in on the right rein. the physiotherapist has fixed the problem however i spoke to her today and i said i notice my mare still does it unmounted.
she said that it is a learned behaviour and despite the discomfort being gone it's a little bit like phantom pain and it will take a few months to get her out of the habit and fully realise she can bend that way without discomfort under saddle.

what exercises could i do with her to get her to bend correctly on the right rein and not carry it to the left side as she turns. been doing carrot stretches etc on the ground
don't know if it's relevant but i wont be riding her as physiotherapist gave her a weight limit and until i'm under it i wont be on board. however, will be asking the little jockeys up the yard to ride her about with me leading.
 
I found longreining on a circle very helpful for a horse with that kind of problem. You can use the reins just as you would if you were on board to encourage correct bend and it's a lot more subtle than lunging. Requires a bit of dexterity, though.
 
Magnetic Sparrow said:
I found longreining on a circle very helpful for a horse with that kind of problem. You can use the reins just as you would if you were on board to encourage correct bend and it's a lot more subtle than lunging. Requires a bit of dexterity, though.
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hmm, she isn't well behaved on lunge/lunge lines. can't get anything done! thanks for your input though :D
 
If you can't ride your pony at the moment, and it doesn't lunge well, it is probably a good opportunity to teach her to be better at lunging. It may be that you aren't giving her good signals, so get someone who is experienced at lunging to help you. I hate lunging, but I have a young horse who is quite naughty, so we have had to go back a few steps in her training, and we are both getting better at lunging each day.
 
BigRed said:
If you can't ride your pony at the moment, and it doesn't lunge well, it is probably a good opportunity to teach her to be better at lunging. It may be that you aren't giving her good signals, so get someone who is experienced at lunging to help you. I hate lunging, but I have a young horse who is quite naughty, so we have had to go back a few steps in her training, and we are both getting better at lunging each day.
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it isn't that she can't lunge but the fact is she bucks, kicks out and turns her bum in regardless of sending her forward with the whip and can get dangerous hence freeschooling her. she responds so much better without the lungeline but carries her head to the outside as a result of the 'learned behaviour'.
 
I would ask your back person for exercises, as she knows what's exactly wrong with your little mare and can prescribe the best course of action- ours always leaves us with things to do which is very helpful.
 
Lolo said:
I would ask your back person for exercises, as she knows what's exactly wrong with your little mare and can prescribe the best course of action- ours always leaves us with things to do which is very helpful.
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yep-the apple stretches she gave us.

i asked her in passing about mares head carriage after she'd finished another mare at the yard. however i got some helpful advice on another thread that i wrote up much more clearly :rolleyes:
 
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