January
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Riding english/ dressage, how do I get my horse to straighten his canter?
Just completed 30 days training to get rid of bucking & shying. Departs are getting better, but are still a bit rough. When he does canter, he tends to contort himself, especially to the right, by popping his shoulder in and almost counterbending. However, the crookedness starts at his poll, with his head in the opposite direction of his neck, which is opposite of his shoulder, and his haunches are bulging outward. He CAN hold a decently round canter for the short side of the arena, and for part of a 20meter circle… Any advice please?
FYI, he’s had lots of difficulty with canter in the recent past, and though his upward transitions are clean, he does anticipate and has considerable tension. Once we canter, he’s very unbalanced front to back as well as laterally.. For now, we’re focusing on cantering a circle, then trotting one, then walking, then catering one again, etc.
Saddle fit’s been checked, chiro & complete vettwork done. All’s well; I’ve got the okay to push on.
It’s great that you had a chiro take a look at him, but now it is time for an animal massage therapist.
In canter he is using his brachiocephalicus muscle more plus the pectorals. These will pull and cause pain at the poll (where the brachiocephalicus attaches) which will radiate further to the shoulder/arm. The chiro won’t see these when the horse is stationary, it is a kinesiology thing – the animal in motion using the muscles. Don’t know where you are, but find yourself a good horse massage therapist. When the muscles are loose, the movements are fluid.
January 1st, 2010 at 3:25 pm
have you tried holding the reins a little tighter against him? my mare has a very similar problem and if you hold the reins a little tighter to her, she usually straightens out.
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January 1st, 2010 at 3:32 pm
my horse was like this, cept he had a sist in his ear, but there was lots of training to fix it. try riding him from your leg, and not so much with the reins, but bend his head in the direction you want him to go. if he is doing this at the trot to work him like this first at the trot until he is comfortable with that. But at the canter work him in large or tight circles but riding with your legs can make a world of wonders. Just with the side hes contorting on ride him in circles walk troting and cantering. The two things u should remeber (yes i know im repeating myself) are: Legs, and riding in circles
good luck
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January 1st, 2010 at 4:07 pm
It’s great that you had a chiro take a look at him, but now it is time for an animal massage therapist.
In canter he is using his brachiocephalicus muscle more plus the pectorals. These will pull and cause pain at the poll (where the brachiocephalicus attaches) which will radiate further to the shoulder/arm. The chiro won’t see these when the horse is stationary, it is a kinesiology thing – the animal in motion using the muscles. Don’t know where you are, but find yourself a good horse massage therapist. When the muscles are loose, the movements are fluid.
References :
I’m an animal massage therapist who works with dressage horses.
January 1st, 2010 at 4:20 pm
I owned a dutch warmblood mare that i recently sold because I never could get her to keep from cross leading. She would maybe pick the correct lead up then suddenly she would loose her concentration and the back legs would switch. I had teeth floated and chiro work done and sent her to a trainer 4 30 days and still the problem. Sent her to a dressage trainer for two months and still same problem. She was 14 when i sold her a few months back for a trail horse but before i did that i bred her to a son of bey shaw and she gave me an awesome filly that gives me chills when i watch her move. So 7 frustrating years with the mare was so worth it. By the way, Your answer to the horse master was absolutely a joy to read.
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January 1st, 2010 at 4:54 pm
my gelding has this problem what usually helps is when you hold the outside rein towords the outside so his nose is towords the outside also keep your inside leg up against him
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