Youngster riding crooked

[Hormonal Filly]

So I’ve got a 4yr old ISH mare that’s been backed 4 months. Shes being hacking a few of times a week, with the odd short session in the school. She recently had a few weeks off. She’s really genuine, responsive but safe.

I’ve noticed she rides ‘crooked’ with her neck/head over to the left slightly, even hacking she tries to do this. She will ride on the right rein on a surface, but it takes more encouragement to get her bending right. Where as left she finds so easy. I’ve been working on straightness training and asking her to go straight when hacking.

She can canter on both reins and has already picked up on which leg I’m asking for even in a open field. It’s obvious she is left handed/prefers the left rein. I’m right handed, so my other horses always went better on the right rein.

She’s had physio 3 times this year (as I’m paranoid in general) who has said she is weaker on the right side funnily enough, but nothing noticeable pointed out.

I know youngsters especially, have a weaker side.. but would it concern you she tries to ride crooked even on a hack?

To add, saddle was last checked a couple of weeks ago and fits her really well, back isn’t sore. Her left shoulder is slightly larger than her right oddly, but I’m told no horse is symmetrical.

 

[paddi22]

has she had her teeth checked? could be a tooth issue.

 

[tristar]

sounds pretty normal !, at that age some are straight then go crooked, some are crooked after a break, some find crookedness a way of making life easier for themselves

lots of patience, time, giving the horse the chance to gradually adapt to travelling straight with a rider on board by building muscle and fitness and understanding what is required

further down the road shoulder in, although i use leg yield without a wrong bend pretty early on

thing is not to do too much in the school if it stops her going forwards, cause they always seem easier to straighten with the momentum of forwardness

i have a 6 yr old who was backed last year and was pretty straight to start with, after a winter break he is crooked, i make sure i am sitting straight and go gently when he crooked, then when he straightens i encourage him forwards and work him a bit, but i am working on regaining his fitness after his break so allow for that and not pressurize, he only had a break because we were building a new surface

 

[Hormonal Filly]

has she had her teeth checked? could be a tooth issue.

Yes, last done 3 months ago but she still had so many caps (one has recently come off) funnily enough the dentist is back today.

 

[tristar]

mine is having the dentist today as well

also this time of year they can be growing, mine is although he is six, so treading lightly to allow for this phase

 

[sbloom]

We generally do too little straightening and postural work with babies, IMO, before we get on them. You're loading what is already a compensatory movement pattern, posture and balance is so critical. I personally would back off riding and do some groundwork, stuff aimed at posture/thoracic sling especially. If she's very croup high currently then I would do only groundwork while she slightly levels up.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

sounds pretty normal !, at that age some are straight then go crooked, some are crooked after a break, some find crookedness a way of making life easier for themselves

lots of patience, time, giving the horse the chance to gradually adapt to travelling straight with a rider on board by building muscle and fitness and understanding what is required

further down the road shoulder in, although i use leg yield without a wrong bend pretty early on

thing is not to do too much in the school if it stops her going forwards, cause they always seem easier to straighten with the momentum of forwardness

i have a 6 yr old who was backed last year and was pretty straight to start with, after a winter break he is crooked, i make sure i am sitting straight and go gently when he crooked, then when he straightens i encourage him forwards and work him a bit, but i am working on regaining his fitness after his break so allow for that and not pressurize, he only had a break because we were building a new surface

Thank you Tristar. That’s exactly what she does, looses forwardness and momentum in the school which is why I’ve not used it much, probably 3 times. Would you ask her to go straight on a hack? Or let her do her own thing? As in, neck to the left. I don’t know if asking for her to go straight will make things worse.
She’s very forward hacking along and in company

 

[Hormonal Filly]

We generally do too little straightening and postural work with babies, IMO, before we get on them. You're loading what is already a compensatory movement pattern, posture and balance is so critical. I personally would back off riding and do some groundwork, stuff aimed at posture/thoracic sling especially. If she's very croup high currently then I would do only groundwork while she slightly levels up.

I’ve done lots of groundwork since end of summer last year. No circles just all straight in hand work. Long lining, leading, training good manners type thing. She was definitely ready for a rider and I think that’s why she’s done so well. On the long lines she goes nice and straight it’s just with me on her, I’m wondering if part of it is looking at me and looking behind.

Haven’t done much pole work so I’ll do that on the ground!

 

[Leandy]

When was the last time your straightness as a rider was looked at? Do you know how straight you are? Small rider adjustments to counteract asymmetries many riders are unaware of can have a surprising impact on horse straightness. Horses are good mirrors of the rider.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

When was the last time your straightness as a rider was looked at? Do you know how straight you are? Small rider adjustments to counteract asymmetries many riders are unaware of can have a surprising impact on horse straightness. Horses are good mirrors of the rider.

That’s really interesting. Thank you.. is this something a physio does or a instructor? I haven’t ever had that mentioned to me, haven’t had a lesson for about a year since I sold my previous horse!

 

[southerncomfort]

Mine went through a phase like this.

Physio and vet both recommended carrot stretches. If you imagine standing with your back to the horse's neck/shoulder and asking him to bend around you for a bit of carrot.

It actually rectified itself very quickly with carrot stretches and he's been fine ever since.

 

[tristar]

oh yes i do the carrot stretches with one of ours

one of the problems is not being able to do circles when green, but circles go a way towards straightening , difficult really, i usually lunge before riding if they are crooked, big circles slow if they want to go slow, a little canter on either rein, not much, but being loosened and the straightening effect of the circles gives them a start before getting on, removes some of the associated tension of crookedness

if they cant cope in the school i would hack trying keep them straight so they learn to walk straight, and up the fitness during the walking, perhaps in a field when the horse is going nicely i might do a big curve on either rein, or big circle if its going well, but until they will take the difficult rein in a little contact and baby bend i just walk in eggshells, but the hacking will pump up the forwardness, i also try to have a nice rhythm with regularity starting on the straight lines hacking

 

[Hormonal Filly]

oh yes i do the carrot stretches with one of ours

one of the problems is not being able to do circles when green, but circles go a way towards straightening , difficult really, i usually lunge before riding if they are crooked, big circles slow if they want to go slow, a little canter on either rein, not much, but being loosened and the straightening effect of the circles gives them a start before getting on, removes some of the associated tension of crookedness

if they cant cope in the school i would hack trying keep them straight so they learn to walk straight, and up the fitness during the walking, perhaps in a field when the horse is going nicely i might do a big curve on either rein, or big circle if its going well, but until they will take the difficult rein in a little contact and baby bend i just walk in eggshells, but the hacking will pump up the forwardness, i also try to have a nice rhythm with regularity starting on the straight lines hacking

I also do lots of carrot stretches, probably to many if that’s possible. She will do the same carrot stretch on both sides but can see the right bend is slightly more stiff, always better after exercise though.

That’s really helpful, thank you. I hacked a few hours ago, she was really forward but kept asking (softly) for straightness with my seat and slightly with the reins. She also tries to go to the right side of a track and bend left because she knows I’ll let her do it.. but eventually it paid off because on the way back she rode really straight in the centre of the private track. She also started stretching down, which is great.

I’ve always been a little worried to ‘correct’ the crookedness but I think everytime I ride I’ll use my legs a bit more and ask her to straight. Thank you

 

[SEL]

That’s really interesting. Thank you.. is this something a physio does or a instructor? I haven’t ever had that mentioned to me, haven’t had a lesson for about a year since I sold my previous horse!

Can you get someone to video you from behind? I followed a rider down the road yesterday on a horse I know (I think this is a new sharer) and it was obvious that the rider had their weight to one side. The horse was pretty much moving laterally as a result and she kept pulling its head to straighten it. I've seen this horse with its regular rider on board and it definitely doesn't move like that!

I had schoolmaster lessons pre covid and every time I asked for shoulder in on the left rein he offered me everything apart from shoulder in. I am crooked due to an old injury and no matter how convinced I was that I was straight the horse was telling me otherwise. If your saddle is ok and the horse moves straight without you on board then see if its you. For me my left hip rotates forward slightly (you can see it in the mirror) and for a sensitive horse that's asking it to bend.

 

[tristar]

I also do lots of carrot stretches, probably to many if that’s possible. She will do the same carrot stretch on both sides but can see the right bend is slightly more stiff, always better after exercise though.

That’s really helpful, thank you. I hacked a few hours ago, she was really forward but kept asking (softly) for straightness with my seat and slightly with the reins. She also tries to go to the right side of a track and bend left because she knows I’ll let her do it.. but eventually it paid off because on the way back she rode really straight in the centre of the private track. She also started stretching down, which is great.

I’ve always been a little worried to ‘correct’ the crookedness but I think everytime I ride I’ll use my legs a bit more and ask her to straight. Thank you

oh yes i was going to say i find that they can be twisted to start with on a hack, then gradually relax and come straight, i think its the de contraction and total relaxation that can come on a hack that sorts it


really they are just walking forwards using both hinds equally in that case

 

[sbloom]

That’s really interesting. Thank you.. is this something a physio does or a instructor? I haven’t ever had that mentioned to me, haven’t had a lesson for about a year since I sold my previous horse!

Work on both of your straightness separately, SO much easier than together. First bodyworker for both of you, a good human osteo is generally my fave but see who's recommended locally. Then I recommend to many of my customers Rider Reboot on Facebook, he gets to the root of why our bodies are doing what we need or want them to do, all off-horse.

Once you're both straighter then a session or five with a Ride With Your Mind, Equipilates etc coach would be a great idea.

Imagine carrying a toddler on your back, and that you're as sensitive as a horse, able to flick a fly off your skin...imagine said toddler leaning slightly to one side for a period, can you imagine how you'd end up with lower back pain, possible hip pain etc? Horses are prey animals so commonly don't show they're lame until it's pretty bad, if they don't put up with their aches and pains caused by these compensations then they're literally lunch as they'll be picked out by a predator.

So so important.

 

[Leandy]

That’s really interesting. Thank you.. is this something a physio does or a instructor? I haven’t ever had that mentioned to me, haven’t had a lesson for about a year since I sold my previous horse!

There are an increasing array of people who will help with rider alignment specifically with varying backgrounds but often qualified both as physios or pilates or similar and as coaches or instructors. Some additional props whether it is electronic with videos etc, Franklin balls, bands and tape etc often show up asymmetries and allow you to experiment with exercises to remedy them. Have a look at who is in your area. Always a good idea to have a tune up with a focus on alignment. It is amazing how we can think we are balanced and straight or that we compensate well for our known weaknesses when we really are not.

 

[BronsonNutter]

My young TB was crooked also, really hard to get her to bend to the left. I thought at first it was just me, as I am weaker down my left side, but I don't have this issue on any other horse I ride... Eventually she'd give and begin bending a bit, but it was a constant issue at the start of any ride, and never as nice on the left rein as on the right. She was very stop-start due to a number of issues (hers and mine). I rode her on bute once and my god, she was wonderful, and gave to me on the left rein straight away! Then when she built up into more work she went lame on her left fore (and left hind and right hind...) - I think she'd been guarding it the entire time, as it wasn't a 'new injury'. With the benefit of hindsight there are moments I can spot it on previous videos of her being ridden. Hopefully yours is a much more fixable issue!

 

[Spotherisk]

I see you’re in Devon, Kate Sandel is an excellent trainer (Soft and Sound in FB) she helped me with my youngster although I’ve attended more unridden clinics - she teaches Légèreté.