Straightness Exercises

[Shoei]

Evening All,
I finally entered my 1st dressage test. Just an intro. One of the comments is that I need to work on straightness as he bends too much to the right. I have looked at the video and he is bending in the neck coming down the c line. His teeth have been checked recently, so I don't think it's his teeth.

Does anyone have any hints, tips or training advice? My instructor is on holiday at the minute, so I want to be getting on with it whilst she's away.

Thanks

 

[rachk89]

Lots of practice. Use the quarter lines and centre lines more than the walls as its easy to be straight against the walls. Make sure you are keeping your hands level as well as you may be causing it. Maybe put some poles out to help you keep on a straight line as well, you can create a tunnel with them and ride through it.

 

[xgemmax]

Make sure you are riding forwards and have even contact in both reins, if the horse starts to fall out correct them with your leg not hand. Also you might find it helpful to set up some poles like a channel and ride through them and ride away from the track when you school so the horse doesn't depend on the fence to stay straight

 

[Skewbaldbow]

Lots of squares and diamonds. Mine has straightness issues as well and we spent a couple of weeks working away from the track (so he can't hide the lack of straightness by using the wall) and lots of square turns and diamond shapes. Definitely seen a massive improvement in his straightness. And like the others said correct with leg not hands.

 

[scats]

My mare had major straightness issues when I got her, it was like riding a patchy banana. The issue actually came from her I active left hind, which tilted her pelvis, which threw her shoulders out of line. So it was like riding 3 horses stuck together.

I solved it by activating the left hind, lightening that seat bone etc, and getting her to step into the right rein slightly, so she came off her left shoulder. In simple terms, I straightened her pelvis and then picked the shoulders up and put them in front of her hips. Last years dressage sheets all commented on how straight she was, which, if they'd seen her 12 months previously, they would not have said.

She naturally reverts back to being slightly out of line, so every warm up session involves a gentle re-configuring of her really frame which I do by-

Making sure she is not loading onto one shoulder- this is the type of problem that if it's ignored, it comes back to bite you later.

Make sure she is turning from the outside aid and not overflexing to the inside on her 'better' rein- this is another small issue that can escalate throughout a session if not fixed.

The less you use your hand, the more you'll learn to use your leg - alter your leg position in order to manipulate shoulders and quarters. Don't be afraid to bring a lower leg forward a little to support a shoulder or give one a reminder to move over!

You might have realised that i am hugely into biomechanics. Once I learnt to understand this, everything became so much simpler to me and I found it much easier to communicate this to my horses.

 

[PorkChop]

Are you sure he is not actually just popping out his left shoulder?

I always think about riding the shoulders, I'm old school so I ride inside leg to outside hand.

The more lateral work and transitions you can do the straighter he will get, and obviously get the best instructor you can

 

[scats]

Are you sure he is not actually just popping out his left shoulder?

I always think about riding the shoulders, I'm old school so I ride inside leg to outside hand.

The more lateral work and transitions you can do the straighter he will get, and obviously get the best instructor you can

Totally agree with this. Loaded shoulders are the devil when it comes to causing training issues, but actually very easy to fix and suddenly horses seem straight and no longer fall in/out.