Straightening Exercises

[dianchi]

Hi Guys,

So baby pony was on three tracks on my centre lines yesterday, lovely! NOT

So she is weaker on Right side and its right hind that swings out.

Suggestions to help, in hindsight i probably should have entered off left rein to try and help rather than right when she was bent that way anyway.
I'm thinking leg yield to the left to take more weight onto that leg?

Any other suggestions/ helpful exercises?

 

[nato]

My DI gave me a useful tip - "straightening is not done on a straight line".

I do a lot of circle work, on her weak side asking for overexaggerated bend to the inside (almost thinking leg yield) for a few strides, then letting her stretch out, then picking her up again. Spiralling circles with leg yield outwards will help her to put that inside hind leg underneath her.

Serpentines and shallow loops help, along with counter flexion for a few strides and back to true inside flexion.

 

[EQUIDAE]

I swear by counter shoulder in for straightening

 

[dianchi]

Ok but my circles are fine, got 9's for those!
I think I've thought about it so much I'm now confused!!!

 

[nato]

Ok but my circles are fine, got 9's for those!
I think I've thought about it so much I'm now confused!!!

Yes but circles in a test vs circles for straightening aren't the same Using circles to create straightness, thinking of it like a balance beam, is an invaluable exercise, along with spiralling circles. Can she do 15m and 10m circles in good balance? If not start making things harder for her and ask her to do it, then moving back out to 20m circles.

Test movements and training exercises are quite separate

I love the Straightness Training website, this article on circles is great http://straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/circle/

 

[PorkChop]

You see I swear by squares! Really turning the shoulders and then make sure you ride forward and straight - for me it works best if I take my legs away from my mares sides on the straight bits so that she has to go straight by herself.

Counter canter serpentines are also great however maybe too much for baby pony.

 

[nato]

You see I swear by squares! Really turning the shoulders and then make sure you ride forward and straight - for me it works best if I take my legs away from my mares sides on the straight bits so that she has to go straight by herself.

Counter canter serpentines are also great however maybe too much for baby pony.

Amazing how different things work for different people and horses

I do like squares as an exercise, but more for transitions and getting her sitting back on her hocks. I slow right down in the corners and push out of them on the sides

 

[NZJenny]

Ride a teaspoon of shoulder-in the other way.