Straightness help

[Vicki1986]

Please can anyone suggest exercises to help with straightness.

Ponio has never been particularly good at straight lines but after a schooling break and only doing fast/mad stuff our centre lines last night actually made me laugh out loud

We don't do dressage so its not particularly imperative however we do show so she's got to be as straight as i can get her. She is better on grass than surface for some reason and seems to apply her self more at shows so thats something i guess.

How do i get her to be straight? i'm looking up and im sitting square, riding her forward from leg to hand. I've got a flat work clinic in 2 weeks and want her to be a bit better before then as very wibbly wobbly at the moment!

Thanks!

 

[redski]

An easy way is simply keep riding from point to point, either in an arena or field. Just keep coming down the centre line, A to C and you will find you will get straighter and straighter. It might also highlight if your horse is vereing one way more than the other which would point to possibly right or left hand dominance in the horse (or the rider!) Then its a question of getting the horse more balanced over all four of its legs, especially equally the hinds of course.

Also, visualise a line, either straight or on a circle (imagine its white and 2 inches wide) and ride the horses shoulders on the line - not even 1 inch off it. It makes you pay attention to where the horse's shoulders are and use your outside aids esp to steer with the shoulders, not the head.

 

[fairhill]

Don't work along the fence in the school - keep her on the 3/4 line most of the time.
I sometimes use 2 poles in the centre of the school for me to aim down the middle of them.
I think about riding my girl as if I'm going along a train line, and try not to derail either side.
Mark out a 20m circle with cones or poles, and think about keeping her straight on the circle as well

 

[Oliviax]

Counter canter and, if you have a fence/wall around the school, ride on the 3/4 line for a while. Improves balance for better straightness. Hope it helps. x