Unlevel on a circle - any ideas?

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Toby773

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My girlie has become unlevel when asked to circle on the right rein; she is reluctant to round up correctly and tries to drifts out. She swings her head also. She is fine on the straight, doing shoulder-in, leg yielding, etc. and absolutely ok doing left hand circles - will happily do 10m, canter pirouettes, the full works.

My trainer thinks the mare has just become a bit tight through not enough suppling work of late (being doing jumping - which by the way hasn't caused a worsening of the problem) but despite lots of suppling exercises (including inverted flexion) no improvement.

I am not convinced though.

Any ideas? No swellings or feelings of tightness through the back; it seems to be more the front end - possibly the shoulder? But not sure if it will be a problem on the left side affecting the way of going to the right, or a right side problem!
 
It will be a right side problem. On a circle the inside limbs have to carry more weight, hence why if there is an injury or pain the horse can be lame on a circle but sound in a straight line. If it is a weightbearing lameness it is likely to be lower down, if it is during the swing phase it is more likely to be higher up.

I would get the vet to do a lameness investigation asap so you dont make a problem worse by continuing to work.
 
Personally my first port of call would be a physio or vet. I certainly wouldn't be trying to 'work her through it'.
 
^^^ Ditto above, unlevel is the same as lame and I would get the vet. Try lunging in a small circle on a hard surface and you might get an indication whether she is worse or better than soft which will indicate likely types of problem, ultimately though you need the vet I think there are very few lamenesses which come right with more work.
 
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