Steering - help needed!

[Sarah1]

Please help - I need to teach my horse the principles of steering and straightness! I know that seems like a silly statement but we're having extreme difficulty staying in a straight line, most of the time I feel like I'm riding a snake!
My soon to be instructor has advised me that while I'm out hacking I should keep my hands low and wide and play with his mouth, flexing etc. to encourage him to take the rein down & forwards. Tried this last night and everytime I opened my hands he'd veer right! I know he was trying to evade but I could not keep him in a straight line while I was doing this unless I rode with more weight in my left seat bone and my right leg constantly behind the girth - this was really uncomfortable after a while!
I need to teach him steering with just my seat and legs so that when I do anything with the reins he doesn't see it as a change of direction or steering related!
Can anyone help? Suggestions welcome!

 

[jumpthemoon]

Hmm...I don't know you and your horse obviously, but I would be keeping my hands still and offering a contact whilst pushing the horse through from behind with my legs and seat. It sounds to me like you need to be using more leg to get him to accept the contact. It is easy to look at the horses neck and concentrate on flexing it or straightening it, but you need to remember that most of the horse is behind you - what is the rest of his body doing? Maybe some lateral work would help, but it depends on the horse really.

 

[pottamus]

Also when working in the school practice turning in to do a straight line down the school. Keep an even contact and use your legs to correct where necessary but you need to fix your eyes on something ahead of you that is slightly above the line of your horses ears and keep fixed on it...you will be amazed how this helps and keeps you and your horse straight. I am not one for all this 'playing' with the horses mouth...it just confuses the issue but if it works for you then fine!

 

[Sarah1]

Well most of the time he's very lazy behind and not engaged at all - he's very on the forehand but I think what the instructor was getting at is that I can get him going forward out on a hack, he comes off the leg ok but then it all goes out the front door! I can't seem to ride him forward into a contact for love nor money!
So if anyone can suggest something that has worked for them in the past I'd appreciate it - I'm willing to try anything at this stage!

 

[OrangeEmpire]

sounds to me like he/you are using the reins for balance so now you are trying to change things he is wobbling off course.
Rather than just 'playing' with the reins which can teach them to fidget, bring your right hand out and back (towards your thigh) with a gentle steady pull on the rein while using A LOT of the corresponding leg until his head moves slightly that way. If he turns give a little 'No' tug and release on the left rein. Then gently release and try the same thing the other way. Lots and lots of leg is the key. It will just take him some time to understand but will lots of practice it will eventually click.

 

[Sarah1]

That's the thing, my instructor always rides the horse forwards into the bridle without messing but Bailey & I seem to be having extreme difficulty with this! I think he was trying to offer some alternatives as I've said how much I'm struggling!
What do you do to ride the horse into a contact and make sure he's working from behind if you don't play with the mouth, flex etc.?
I've had him in the school on a longer rein and just pushed him forwards but when it comes to taking up a contact he just throws his head in the air and/or backs off the leg! I've tried riding on a shorter rein and taking more of a contact from the off, this doesn't seem to work either!
He's still learning so maybe I'm not asking right but I've tried to do what has been suggested and so far no luck!!!!!!
ETS: thanks for the tip on fixing on a point to keep him straight, I'll give that a go later!

 

[Sarah1]

Thank you, I'll give that a go later! I mentioned to my instructor that I don't think my leg is strong enough but he said that it doesn't need to be strong, a horse can feel a fly land on it, my leg just needs to be in the correct position and be effective - I think maybe it isn't and that's perhaps the root of things!
Practice, practice, practice I suppose as with everything else - I'm so impatient though I want everything yesterday!

 

[OrangeEmpire]

In all honesty straight lines is one of the hardest things to master and takes a long time. You should prepare by teaching your horse to move sideways off your leg which means eventually you will be able to channel him forwards straight down what feels like a corridor between your legs. (sounds like an odd description but that is what it feels like to me!)
start off by asking for simple things like a turn on the forehand at gates and things, then build up to asking him to move away from your leg diagonally across the track/road or wherever you are hacking. Eventually once he has learned that you stear with your legs, you'll be able to introduce leg-yielding and so on.

The contact comes from the feeling of pushing them forwards into the bridle. Rather than pulling back to get the contact push him forwards into your hands. It will take time for him to learn this so try to be patient!! and remember - It is always about legs...!

 

[jumpthemoon]

If you have a school practise loads and loads of transitions. Lots of halt-trot and trot-halt should help to make him more responsive. When I say lots I mean like 3 down each long side! Once he is going forward a little better offer your hands down - think of trying to get him to stretch his head downwards, so his nose is going towards the floor. If you start off doing this once he is relaxed and moving freely you should be able to ask him to raise his head a little and keep the softness, but I would have a few sessions at least of working long and low. I hope that helps

 

[Sarah1]

Thanks guys! Some really helpful suggestions and I'll try really hard to do them as you've said!!!!!!!!
I think I'm beating myself up about this thinking that I can't teach him, I'm not good enough etc. when it actually sounds like quite a common problem with young/green horses!
That's made me feel a lot more positive and I'm going to practice what you've said and try to be very patient in the process and just think that 1 day the penny will drop!

 

[pottamus]

I am all for transitions too...really short and snappy ones between walk, trot and halt so he does not know what is coming next. That will get him sharper off your leg aids so you can use less leg and then concentrate on riding him into a contact. But rather than shortening your reins and having a tight hold you should have flexibility and almost imagine you have a soft ball in your hands so your contact is giving rather than trying to pull him towards you. Difficult to explain!

 

[jumpthemoon]

Don't try too hard though - that can be just as bad

Remember to relax and once he does something well, let him have a walk on a long rein as a reward. Don't get too worried about it - concentrate on going forwards and relaxing/getting him to relax and it will come in the end

Good luck

 

[Sarah1]

Thanks again!
All I can do is give it a whirl and see what happens! I think I sometimes expect too much from him cos he's so genuine and honest - must remember to be fairer on him!
Oh he's going to get a lovely treat tonight thanks to you guys! He'll love you forever!!!!!!!!