One Sided Horse

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One Sided Horse

Posted : 3/9/2010 4:44:10 PM

So I have a coming 4 year old, Calli, that I have been extremely slowly been breaking (due to weather/lack of facilities). She is doing wonderful, never had her buck or rear and very willing to work etc. However she is VERY one sided. Bending to the right is smooth and relaxed, but going to the left is like trying to bend a brick. She braces against me and sticks her shoulder or butt out and does everything but bend. Any suggestions for loosening her up and getting her to relax and bend to the left? I lunge her with side reins and do lots of circles and it seems by the end of the ride she loosens up a bit but the next ride is exactly the same as the last. Also, as a side note, how do you teach a horse to neck rein? I've always ridden english but would like her to be able to neck rein as well as she will be an all around horse.
Thanks!
Lindsey

hunterseat

Posted : 3/9/2010 10:25:57 PM

Welcome and I'm sure your questions will be answered soon by someone who knows what they're talking about - not me. [ ':)'

] I do know I practice neck reining Zag with leg cues involved. It all sorta works together for him. AND I've seen some ground work that paves the way for neck reining. Lay the lead rope along the neck where the reins would be and use fingertips to move the horse over/getting them to yield to the pressure.
Hope we get to see some pictures!!

wundahoss

Posted : 3/11/2010 1:23:32 AM

Hi,

I would first get her assessed/treated by a bodyworker to be sure it's not a physical problem. While horses, as with people, generally find one side easier than the other, physical difficulties are also common causes & if you've been consistent in your training & she has such a hard time, I think physical probs are a fair bet. If you find she does OK with you on the ground &/or in a halter, consider it may be the saddle, your riding, the bit or her teeth that are possible causes.

Re training, once ruling out or treating physical probs, I'd just keep on keeping on. Make sure you do lots more on the 'bad' side, but do it in short, easy increments - ie. don't ask her to bend far or work for long unless she's finding less & shorter easy.