Stiff horse - help!

[Polar Express]

Hello, I am new to the forum, please bear with me while I work out how everything works.
I have taken on my husband's 13 yr old cob gelding. We have had him for five years, but now he is mine.
He is just coming back into work after a break of one year off with a broken pedal bone, and one year of just hacking as we've had no access to a manege until now. I adore this horse, and he hacks out beautifully, and never spooks at anything. The problem comes in the school, as he either cannot, or will not bend his neck to the right. When I go large on the right rein, he stares out of the school to the left. He leaves me with a baggy left rein and fixes his neck to the outside of the school on either rein. It is driving me mad. I have started lungeing him, and it does seem to supple him, but I need advice, as it's driving me mad. I am having a back lady out on June 18th, so we'll see what she says. His straight lines are immaculate, but he throws himself to the outside on turns, even on a 20m circle, so that he can get his inside leg out to move it. I hope that makes sense, I'm sure there's a technical term for this, and you'll know what I'm talking about. I am not capable of getting him to look in the direction he is travelling in. He does it on the lunge with side reins on. What am I doing wrong? It is driving me round the bend (if you'll pardon the pun!) Any help would be gratefully received. And if anyone knows of a good instructor in N.E. Derbyshire, I'd love to hear from you. TIA.

 

[maletto]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Have you had his back/teeth/saddle looked at recently? Although expensive and boring, I'd go down this route first, just to make sure it is actually stiffness rather than pain that's causing his reluctance to bend.

After you have done that and got the all clear, could you try asking him for gentle bend when you are out hacking for a stride or two, just to build his strength and let him get the hang of it.

Do you have the same problem if someone else rides him? If not, you could also get yourself checked out by an osteopath or similar, to ensure that you're not crooked and causing him to be crooked.

Alternatively, you could get a few lessons. I always find my instructor can point out things I'm doing with my riding that I can't notice myself.

 

[Polar Express]

Hi, thanks for the above, I am having a back person out next Friday. She is very good, and helped me with my other horse, so we'll see what she says. I want to give her all the background, but I also want to see what she decides for herself. I am trying to book a lesson with an excellent local instructor. I went to her last time, but I'm hoping now we have a manege, she'll be willing to come to me. I also have a friend who is a chiropractor, so I'm going to let her examine me and see what she thinks. She has dealt with a dressage rider before without even knowing what dressage was, and what the significance was, until the girl explained, and apparently it really improved their riding, so I think I may give it a go.

 

[Hels_Bells]

Welcome!!

My horse was doing a similar thing and I got a McTimoney Physio out to him, so she didn't just do his back but all of him. She worked out all his knots and gave me some exercises etc to do with him and it's really helped, might be worth considering in your case.