When I'm asking him to soften in to my hands -

S

SALLYT

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 January 2008
Messages
432
Visit site
he does so lovely on the outside rein, but seems to not give me his inside rein and I feel a very rigid contact to the inside, how can I help him relax that side of his mouth and give me a softer contact.

My instructer suggests, when schooling rather than fighting him to relax, when I feel that I haven't got an even contact on this rein to introduce a small circle on the left rein and to continue this until he has soften and only once has he done this then to continue the lesson, and repeat when necessary.

Has anyone else any suggestions?
 
I maybe way out, but it sounds to me as if your horse is sitting in your inside hand rather than filling up your outside hand, so therefore his inside hind isn't activated and taking the weight. Could he possibly be slightly quarters in aswell?
What seems to work with my horse is, putting him on a square, riding him very straight on the straight sides (away from the track) and then in the corners asking him either to make the turn with his hindquarters or moving his shoulders. This could take a while and to begin with you may well loose some impulsion but gradually he'll get the idea and it will be a more fluid movement. Then you can gently ask for an inside bend throughout the turns so that you can then make him fill up your outside rein as you begin your straight line.
I find this very good for separating out the two ends of the horse, so that you can talk to either or both.
Good luck!
 
Thanks Ifield I will try that, we are working on his suppleness as well, when I have got it , it feels wonderful, its just keeping it that I seem to be struggling with at the moment.
 
I meant to say, after you've worked on the square for a while then turn the square into a circle and gradually spiral in, once he is soft through his body and around your inside leg (not just a bend in his neck, but his body truely following the shape of the circle) then ask for tiny amount of leg yield out to make the circle progressively bigger but keeping the same amount of bend as you had before. This will encourage you, as well as him to push him into your outside rein.
Do let him have a certain amount of sit in your outside rein as he needs to work out that is where you want him!
 
I agree with both your instructor and Ifield - what happens on the inside rein reflects what the inside hind leg is doing - you need to engage it more to lighten the inside fore, and thus your contact.
Circles and squares are both really good ideas - and maybe leg yielding (or shoulder in depending on your horse's level of schooling) would also help to engage his hindquarters and supple him.
Oh, and neck flexion can help.
S
grin.gif
 
A few weeks ago I asked for some advise for my youngster as she was beginning to go quite well on one rein, but still a total plank of wood on the other and I was beginning to despair of ever getting a permanant improvement (it would take 1/2 hour schooling, then she would lighten and then next time it was back to square one).... anyway, for the last 4 hacks/schoolings she is suddenly light in the hand
shocked.gif
I almost feel like holding my breath in case it doesnt last!

Have you had your horses back checked? About 4 months ago the back lady found some locked muscles in one shoulder and one hind which could have been causing my mare's problem. The improvement has taken a lot of time so it wasnt an instant fix, but might be worth checking.

We also did things like bend her head round in halt (peppermint works a treat held down at foot level), leg yielding, lots circles, opening your hand out wide when asking for bend, giving with the rein she is stiff on etc.

To be honest I dont know if any of these has caused the improvement, or even if it will last, but I guess my point is that its taken me a year so dont lose heart like I was!
 
Oldmare -thanks, yes I have had his back checked all now ok, he has also had a new saddle.I guess alot of patience on my part is needed, will try all you suggest.

Shilasdair thanks also, we have just started to shoulder in, he can do it, I'm afraid its me who needs the lessons, I want to be able to "feel" when I've got it right , rather than do it automatically cos I know he can do it. (hope that makes sense).
So yes lots of circles, squares and bends.
 
I second getting a physio out. My mare suddenly went very stiff on one rein and physio said she had some stiffness problems down that side, so didn't want to bend at all. He did lots of work loosening her up and I've been given home work to help keep her supple.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top