Is your horse one sided? Most have
a stiffer side. He may choose one canter lead over the other, have a diagonal
that’s more comfortable or go round corners on one rein with his head stuck to
the outside but whatever it is don’t be so quick to blame him!
Think about the way you’re sat in
the chair right now. Are your legs crossed? Which leg is on top? Is it always
that way? 9 times out of 10 you’ll do one rather than the other. That means one
hip gets more exercise than the other. If you have a drink at the computer
which side is it on? Do you find it more natural to turn to the left or the
right to pick it up? How about if you go upstairs? Or climb over a fence. Which
leg do you lead with? (Chances are it’s the one you’ve got on top if you’re
sitting with your legs crossed!)
How about when you’re riding? Do
you find it easier to turn your body to the left or the right? One way is
always easier. When you warm up which way do you go to start with? Left or
right? Do you go back to that rein for your first canter? Given the choice
would you turn left to a fence or right? These are little things but things
that you can change to help your horse.
Make a conscious effort to change
the way you do things. Cross your legs the other way, put your mug on the wrong
side of the desk for a week and lead with your other leg when you run up the
stairs. By doing that you’ll even out your body and help your horse to even out
the way he uses his.
When you’re out hacking you
probably carry your whip between you and the traffic. Why wouldn’t you? The
problem with that is your horse will naturally bend around that whip putting
him in a permanent right bend. Is it any wonder he’s stiff to the left?
When you ride out try to carry your
whip in the left hand when you’re off road. Use both diagonals too. It’s too
easy to opt for the ‘good’ one but use the uncomfortable one often enough and
you’ll find it hard to tell between the two. You don’t have to be on the bit to
do these things. There’s no need for your horse to even realise you’re
schooling him. Keep it simple and he’ll even out without knowing you’re trying.
How often do you see someone
bending and flexing their horse one way and then the other? It’s OK if you
really understand what you’re trying to achieve but if you’re doing it because
you think it will ‘soften’ your horse’s stiff side you’re unfortunately wasting
your time.
If your body was stiff to the right no amount of neck bending would
loosen it up. You’d need to bend through your waist and stretch the muscles on
the other side which aren’t used to working. So does your horse.
Don’t think you can get rid of your
horse’s stiff side by working on that rein the whole time. Imagine if someone
stood over you and made you write with the wrong hand. You may start off with
good intentions but it would be hard work and uncomfortable - eventually your
enthusiasm would dwindle.
Think about how you’d feel if you
had to write with the wrong hand and you’ll understand why your horse needs to
be schooled in stages on the stiffer side. You can’t just turn his head in that
direction and kick him through the stiffness. He can’t bend because he’s
struggling not because he doesn’t want to! You have to gradually increase the
bend you ask for bit by bit.
In the school use serpentines so
you use both sides. On a three loop serpentine ride it so the first and last
loops are on the easier rein when you start off. When you turn onto the middle
loop keep your horse looking straight forward in his head and neck and concentrate
on pushing his body out. The more he stretches the outside of his body the more
supple his back will be. Bending his neck won’t do that.
Riding your horse straight is more
beneficial than riding with an exceptional bend on one side and stiff and
stilted on the other. Figures of eight using long diagonals are ideal. This way
your focus is on keeping him straight across the school, asking for a slight
bend round the half circle and then straightening him up again. When he’s balanced
you’ll be able to stretch his body from your leg without tension.
The slower your pace the better for
your horse on his stiff side too. Imagine having to write a sentence with the
wrong hand at speed? By concentrating and writing slowly most people could at
least write legibly. Your horse needs you to be understanding and patient.
Little and often will win the day. Change
your ways as much as you want him to change his and you’ll be surprised
what a difference it makes.
Good luck and enjoy your schooling.
