Stiff on the right rein

[Daffy Dilly]

After my lesson today my instructor said that Daffy is stiff on his right rein, so I want a few things to do to correct this.

So far I have:
- Twice as much work on the right rein as the left when schooling
- Lots of circles on the right rein
- Carrot stretches or similar

Anything else? We can't do lateral work yet, and only just getting the hang of bending to look the way we're going.

[raggydoll]

bim is stiff on the right rein but i was told to do everything evenly on both reins, not to work on one side more than the other even if they are stiff.

[Cheeky]

Hey there,

I wouldn't do double as much on the right rein just because he is stiff. Do everything evenly. Even if they are stiff.

Cheek is stiff on his right shoulder, which makes cantering an artform .. he simpley needs a REALLY good warm up session.

Instead of the borirng, normal, warm up .. of walk, trot, canter, circles, diagonals etc .. try this:

Start off with some GOOD lunging. Preferabley using the Pessoa or something simular to ask for them to begin to lower their head down, work from behind, and begin to stretch while warming. No more than 5 mins each way to start with.

Then, when mounted, do some stretches and simple exercises to stretch the body. At a halt, ask with one rein for his nose to come to your toe .. aka one rein stop or 'nose to toe'. Hold, then release. Repeate on BOTH sides 3-5 times :) As the weeks go on, you will see him becoming MUCH more suppler.

Also get the hind quaters moving - just because your not doing lateral, doesn't mean he can't do a simple request of a turn on the forehand - you want that bum out the way. IF he is capable and trained, ask for a turn on the haunches.

Also backing up, and leg yeilding. Doesn't need to be any thing fancey or perfect - you just want him to move and stretch in different directions.

When in the canter/trot - do some 2 point positioning (leaning forwards) and let him warm up for a few laps and alow him to stretch his back out. By doing this, he may or may not buck (Cheek bucks .. its nothing hard to sit to, and this supples him for dressage).

You can also get him to relax before mounting by playing with his tail - gently take the tail in one hand, and gently lift it up. If he is stiff to move his tail, or clamps - he's not relaxed. This can send a horse into a dreamland if done for a certin amount of time :P Move the tail GENTLY and slowly up and down, and around in large circles .. when the tail is relaxed and floppy .. he is relaxed himself.

Mounted: Circles help - small AND large .. but be gentle. Start with large circles and slowly decrease. Dont forget - just because you ask for a smaller circle, doesn't mean he gets an excuse to go slow .. keep him moving at an EVEN pace, and if he slows, give him a nudge or a tap and keep him moving.

Where abouts is he stiff? Shoulder? Back? Rump? Hind area? Flexion?

[Daffy Dilly]

Schooling session today highlighted to me that he was stiff. I was specifically working on making him look where we were going, and he did struggle a bit on the right rein. It's his neck that's stiff, perhaps a little through his shoulder too. I tried bringing his head round to my leg, and he could do it reasonably well to the left, but only about 35-40 degrees to the right before he tensed and started shifting around.

He doesn't leg yield at all in the school, couldn't get a stride of it today. He did some good turns on the forehand though, and we did a bit of weaving in and out of crates.

I can't lunge him to warm him up, have to hack to the menage so taking the stuff with me is a bit difficult! I wouldn't trust him to free school, he would just want to roll in the sand. :rolleyes:

[Cheeky]

hey there,

hmm .. yeah taking that stuff with you may be a bit hard :p

As for the nose-to-toe .. if he shuffles, hold your rein at the same pressure, not askin for more of a turn, but not letting go either. He may just need his balance - which is cool. Just ask him again .. a few times .. progressing just a tiny bit - then hold until he relaxes just a bit, then release :)

[Wally]

Don't do more work on the stiff side, it won't help in the long run. Keep it even and gentle.

[Frances]

Porky Pig went through a phase when he actually refused to turn left. You would tell him left and he would answer ok, and you would set your body for a left turn, and he would start to turn and then whip round and go right!

So, now when we went out and about on treks, if we got further ahead of all the slow ones, I would practice shallow loops and small circles in every direction on a single track road because they are very narrow. He is fine and flexible now.

BTW, he nearly has me off with his bullfighting turns in any direction now!

[Mehitabel]

yep - keep it even, and don't do more on the good side than he can manage on the stiff side, otherwise the stiff side will not catch up. lots and lots of changes of rein - so don't do 10 minutes one rein and then one change and 10 minutes on the other, change rein every couple of circuits do you incorporate lots of changes of bend.

keep the work he finds hard slow, so you and he have time ot think and correctg tiny fallings in and keep the quality of the work. so mainly in wlak to begin with, then a trot that is steady, not working to begin with.