Strengthening the weak rein

[Angua2]

Quick Question...... how would you go about strengthening the weaker rein.?

My little mare has always been weak on the right rein, but we didn't realise how weak until this weekend when we tried to teach her canter. She also tends to trot on the right rein with her nose to the left.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Vicki1986]

i will watch this with interest as my mares right rein is far weaker than her left and she is far more unbalanced, apart from equal work on both reins im unsure what to do!!

 

[kerilli]

i'd first try to find out from a physio, chiro, or whoever, why the horse was particulary weak on that side.
then, gentle carrot stretches to that side, if allowed by chiro.
check tack, teeth, etc etc.
lots of slow patient work in walk to show the horse that it can give comfortably on that side.
lots of gentle lateral work.
absolute exactitude about inside rein contact on both reins, so the horse learns to trust and go to the inside hand.
that'd be a start...

 

[Partoow]

really good work to help you the rider understand the horses weakness is work on a square. Quite often its the loss of the outside shoulder that enables the horse to escape the carrying with the inside leg. Most people find the right side difficult because they are right handed. This tends to make the rider 'tight' through the right side of their body but more so in the hips. You need to have the feeling that you hold the horse on the straight with the inside leg not by turning your shoulders to the left and pulling open the outside rein. The outside rein is squeezed close in the outside finger bringing the hand closer to the elbow feeling. You need to make sure your thumbs are on the top and your knuckles down the reins.This keeps your hand accepting the energy from behind.
The square gives you dirrection and timing of the 'ask' from your leg and her leg. By creating straight, turn [open the shoulders and hips around to the right , keep the hands the same height] straight then this will teach the horse the reaction to the leg connecting it foward to the hand.
The use of transitions in this 'framework of a square' will get her to use his weaker leg and by gradual repetitive work it will develope his co-ordination and the neurological pathways. Its like 're-wiring' the brain so that it understands the ask and is able to react to it . It needs you the rider to really work on yourself too so that you always ask the same question in the same way. Make sure you keep the balance even in both your seat bones as this tells you by 'feel' where the hindleg is. It is also important to understand that you have to keep the left and right shoulders of the horse the same height. She will want to lower the inside but by at the moment of turn keeping contact in the outside and a tap with the inside leg at the girth this will encourage the horse to react with that leg and rather than placing weight on the hand she will understand the need to find her own hind leg. Once you and the horse are able to work evenly between the two reins on the straight and on the turn with the horse infront of you taking you forwrd to the hand then you will be able to dirrect his hindleg and then help him improve his strength and therefore place weight evenly on both hindlegs and therefore have a true eveness inthe hand.
Remeber what you feel in your hand is a symptom of what is happening behind you.