Leg yielding........

[Gwenllian]

I have aproblem with the horse I ride at the RDA.He is sweet cobby type, not particularly athletic, but willing to give it a go.He will leg yield out to the right beautifully, but I cannot get him to go left.My right leg is the one that works properly....well almost! I wonder if I'm doing something odd when I shift my seat over in the saddle.He's just al over the place.He tries to avoid it at all costs, as if he really doesn't understand what I want from him.The instructors all say it is much harder to get him to move over to the left.I'm running out of ideas. He is horse who likes to put his head down and snatch the reins from you when he doesn't want to play ball with you, my hands are sore today from his doing that.He wears a breast plate for me to grab because he does this..usually only towards the end of the lesson if I've worked him quite hard. Today he was doing it like crazy when I was trying to move him off my right leg.What am I doing wrong?

[Sue Carnell]

Hi Gwen,

I see you mention you collapse to one side, so it could easily be that preventing him from leg-yielding. If the instructors have problems with him too though, I think it's a bit unfair to expect you, their student, to manage it and he probably needs more suppling and schooling. I don' t know that you should be shifting across the saddle either, I'm not sure what you mean by that? Are your instructors getting to you to actually move from one side of the saddle to the other? That wouldn't really help either. Sorry I can't be more helpful Gwen. It also sounds as though he might not be getting enough opportunity to stretch. An unfit or young horse will need to stretch every couple of minutes and even an older fitter horses will need plenty of opportunity to stretch, particularly if they're working hard, or doing something new. It sounds as though he's not very comfortable and something physical is preventing the leg-yield. It's unlikely he's doing this deliberately and if your instructors have a problem, it's unlikely to be entirely your fault too.

Sue Carnell
sue@eclipse.co.uk

[Gwenllian]

I don't think I put that very well did I,Sue?? What I mean is...no I don't actually get asked to shift in the saddle,I mean I wonder if I'm doing something odd when I try to put my weight over onto my left seat bone. I do collapse at the waist on the left side, but that is a problem which shows when I go around corners on the left rein...I motorbike around. The RDA physiotherapist and my consultant both say it is physiologically impossible for me to turn my shoulders to the left without collapsing at the waist, because of muscle wasting at my waist and sides, ultimately due to the fact that I have a very short leg on the left, and walk so asymmetrically.Sorry to get so 'orthopaedic' on you.Can you make any sense of it?? I still can't work out what I'm getting wrong on this leg yield though.I don't feel that I'm doing it right either.I don't think it's all Monty. Thanks for your input though.Please tell me if you think of anything else.

[Sue Carnell]

Hi Gwen,

If you collapse at the waist on the left side, then that would shift your weight to the right, which would block the leg-yield and make it more difficult to leg-yield to the left. If you're already lighter on your left side, then that would add to the problem. If the horse already finds it difficult, it wouldn't help too, so it could be that. Perhaps forget about weighting your left seat-bone and think of sitting straight instead, that might help, I don't know. What's happening with your hands too? It could be that you're taking your right hand in towards his neck, which would also block the leg-yield. To be honest, it might be better if you could sort out your weight aids and your leg-yield on a horse who finds it easier and then go back to Monty?

For turning, try not to turn your shoulders. Leave your left shoulder back when turning right, and vice-versa. Your shoulders will turn up with you eventually. :)

Good luck and sorry I can't be of more help.

Sue Carnell
sue@eclipse.co.uk