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Post by heather on Oct 15, 2007 20:33:22 GMT 1
Hi Sara,
Yes, he needs to get back to that lightness. If he leans, lift your hands up, quickly, but not roughly, and back it up with the leg immediately. Give the reins, not by shoving your hands forwards, but by opening your fingers just enough to release tension, make sure you keep the reins secured with thumb and first finger, so that dont slip through your fingers!
At the halt first, use your fingers to 'ask' him to relax his lower jaw. I find that a couple of squeezes on the left rein, then the right, never with any backward traction, seems to relax the jaw the quickest. As soon as he 'gives' and lowers his head, give with your fingers as described.
Then ask for it in walk. Rein back is essential to get the horse back on his hocks. Rein back to trot is one of the best exercises going. It is imperative to stop him from leaning- he will never go back to the self carriage if he does!!
Keep us posted!
Heather
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Post by sara on Oct 15, 2007 20:38:01 GMT 1
Thanks Heather, some fab advice, I'll try it out tomorrow. Also, since being in the snaffle he seems to fix on the right side of the bit, and is very reluctant to let go, if you know what I mean. He has had his teeth checked etc, any idea how to get him to let go of the right side?
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Post by sarahfox on Oct 15, 2007 21:05:48 GMT 1
I will be interested to read heathers answer to this,but I was always taught to hold the hollow side ( side he isnt holding) and give on the stiff side.You also need to do work in shoulder in to get him to soften through that side,but do it equally on both sides.
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Post by sara on Oct 15, 2007 21:24:45 GMT 1
interesting Sarah, cheers
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Post by heather on Oct 15, 2007 21:35:37 GMT 1
Most likely answer is his atlas is out, Sara. I would get a good chiro or osteopath to check him first.
Heather
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Post by sara on Oct 15, 2007 21:42:03 GMT 1
sorry to sound really dim, what is an atlas?
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Post by Hannah on Oct 15, 2007 21:46:16 GMT 1
Sara, the atlas is the first vertebra in the neck, just behind the poll
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Post by sarahfox on Oct 15, 2007 22:43:46 GMT 1
Is that common with horses that are stiff to one side then heather?
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Post by heather on Oct 15, 2007 22:56:40 GMT 1
Frequently, Sarah. It can also be due to muscle spasm in the neck further down, at the base. Well worth having a good chiropractor who specialises in deep massage, can help release so much stiffness.
We have a wonderful one, Tim Candy, and he regularly gives my boys the once over, a bit like a physio gives an athlete regular treatment to ensure peak performance
Heather
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Post by sarahfox on Oct 15, 2007 23:08:07 GMT 1
I have read that many horses are born one sided,the same way as humans are,something too do with their placement in the uterus,although Suzie swears that when she swopped horses with a left handed trainer the horses instantly swopped their stiff side! Not totally convinced on that one,but I can certainly see where she is coming from. Would you say that what sara describes is more than 'normal' one sidedness,or do you think that all one sided horses have a problem?
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Post by heather on Oct 15, 2007 23:13:56 GMT 1
I wouldnt know without seeing him first Sarah, but my stallion started to hang on the right rein, and this was solved as soon as Tim sorted out his atlas, and a muscle spasm in his neck, the injuries could well have been caused by him slipping in one of our steeper stallion paddocks.
Heather
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Post by sara on Oct 15, 2007 23:50:06 GMT 1
He is better on his left rein than his right, and I put this down to one-sidedness, but the not wanting to let go of the right rein is more than that I think. It doesn't matter which rein I am on, it still occurs. I have just moved into a new area, so will start askin round, see if anyone can reccommend anyone
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Post by Donnalex on Oct 16, 2007 8:00:56 GMT 1
I had an Irish Connie gelding that would not move when I got him and went round with his head bolt upright all the time. I thought he had been frightened of his mouth. He went lovely after 6 months or so and really jumped. He has been one of the best ponies Ive had to ride. He had damaged his nuchal ligament according to my physio, every 3 months or so she had to come out and manipulate him. The main indicator that he had gone sore/stiff was that he leaned slightly on the left hand.
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Post by sophiews on Oct 16, 2007 9:23:27 GMT 1
Hi Sara, Glad your move went well with Lloyd, I know a fantastic osteo who gets great results - pm me if you want her details!
Sophie
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Post by amelia on Oct 16, 2007 9:35:50 GMT 1
Heather - i tried the rein back in to trot exercise on the long reins last night (still can't ride her until my saddle gets sorted) and wow it really did work - for about the first 3 to 4 strides after coming out of the rein back the trot was fantastic and it also really got her thinking :-)
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