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Post by nightwish on Apr 7, 2012 21:33:53 GMT
hi all..  i need some advice and tips on getting my 4 year old to bend correctly on the right rein i can manage in walk to get her to bend her head slighty so she bends round my legs instead of looking the other way. i struggle in trot and canter...canter is the worse...bent comeplety wrong. any suggestions advice would be great..as i dont want her trained wrong. thanks if you want any other info let me know thanks |
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Post by desktop on Apr 8, 2012 5:02:54 GMT
It is difficult to advise without knowing how long this horse has been backed and ridden away etc I woud get an instructor and have a few lessons, they will be able to advise you and ensure that you are doing things correctly  |
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Post by LucyHebditch on Apr 8, 2012 8:40:51 GMT
Have you had back and teeth checked? Wolf teeth removed etc?
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Apr 8, 2012 9:10:39 GMT
You could first check to see if she bends to the right OK with you off her by doing "carrot stretches" in the box - can she bend round to take a carrot from your hand when it is held at her girth, and then much further back, without swinging her quarters out but by bending her neck and then her body too? If she can't, she needs a physio, if fine, dentist and riding instructor, could be saddle of course. But it would give you a first indication.
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Post by shellywell on Apr 8, 2012 13:08:24 GMT
Hello, W
Well done for seeking advice, alot of people wouldn't notice!
Donlt despair too much, most young horses find bending to the right hard work, especially if they have been well handled from a foal or shown. Reason being they are always led from the left and if they want to go faster than the handler, they tip their heads towards you, throw the right shoulder out and move along, consequently when they come to be broken alot of ground work needs to be done to "straighten" them up.
And this is what I'd advise, ground work, bending in hand allowing her to stretch throughout her body - carrot exercises - great tip! lunging - SLOW LONG AND LOW, not ness with any gadgets, just side reins fairly loose, there is no quick fix.
Continue working her in walk when riding to improve her muscles, it is a case of re-programming, so although boring for you, you will be helping her out, to trot and canter and improve her your reactions need to be alot quicker, so for now, given your comments, stick to walk with a few bursts of trot to self assess your progress.
Get her checked out, get your tack checked out (flocking level, how does it sit on her back, you can chalk the underneath and place it on her back and see what the pattern looks like etc.) Get her teeth checked, has she ever had them done, wolf teeth errupt at this age along with molar changes. And get yourself checked out - so many people are crooked when they walk, let alone when they ride!!
If she were mine, I would be doing 5-10 mins massage behind the poll twice a day aswell, if you are unsure how to or which muscles, google horse muscle massage you'll be well away.
Hope that helps.
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Post by nightwish on Apr 8, 2012 17:40:06 GMT
Hi thanks all she's had her teeth done about 2 weeks ago as they are good now and she's due a back check end of this month And the saddler came on wed and is ordering my new Saddle so all is good and thanks shellywell for the advice brilliant Will let you know how she gets on |
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