Hanging on Inside Rein

[KandC]

Looking for some advice to help with my 6 year old WB gelding.

Full background: purchased a year ago with approx. a year under saddle, had 6ish months off due to an injury, and only returned to w/t/c in April with jumping again starting in May/June. He grew up and out during the last year.

He will hang on my right inside rein mostly at the canter, but occasionally at the trot as well. He is pretty lovely going left and light in the bridle. He’ll have moments going right, but they are less frequent. So far, I’ve tried (with decent inside leg): wiggling/sponging him off the inside rein, counter bending him into the outside rein, lifting the inside rein then dropping it, dropping it without lifting, and riding him more forward (which is hit or miss about dropping him totally onto his forehand). Does it with myself and my trainer, although I fully acknowledge I sit heavier in my left seat bone than my right as a general rule.

He has some soreness in his right lumbar area so I’m trying to talk myself off a ledge of digging deeper into that. Saddle fit has been checked- might be a touch snug through the shoulders but no pain where the saddle itself fits.

Is it just a time and fitness question or should I have the vet out now? If it is just a time and fitness question, what exercises would help the most?

[Demerara_Stables]

@KandC

Is it just a time and fitness question or should I have the vet out now? If it is just a time and fitness question, what exercises would help the most?

Yes and yes. If it were me, I’d start with a good body worker or acupuncturist/chiropractor to see if the lumbar soreness is just that - soreness from work. If the body work fixes it, great! If not, and he has been in consistent work for at least a month with no change in soreness, I’d have the vet out. With young horses I’m always extra careful to be sure there isn’t anything going on because 1) they should have fewer aches and pains than older horses, and 2) I don’t ever want them to start resenting work because they hurt.

If body work and vet don’t find anything, I would find a good dressage instructor to lesson with and start teaching him lateral work and teaching him to be light off your leg. 9/10 times this is a fitness/lameness issue, but remember it takes two to tango. If you’re heavy in your right hand, he will be too. Teach him to leg yield and shoulder in off a light leg. When he gets heavy in your hand it’s probably because he’s not bending off your leg, so that should fix it.

[findeight]

@KandC

…6ish months off due to an injury, and only returned to w/t/c in April with jumping again starting in May/June.

He was off for 6 months and jumping his 2nd month back? What was the injury?

Most horses off for 6 months would get a more gradual return to full work with careful, patient conditioning and more time.

[KandC]

We incorporate a lot of lateral work currently into his routine.

He got his first acupuncture treatment this past week and is getting another on Saturday; if he’s still same level sore, I’ll work him up further.

Basically doxxing myself- he got a stick through his coronary band down to the coffin bone.

He’s been doing walk trot since January, then cleared for full work in the spring. In terms of jumping, it’s currently 2-2’3” with a rare 2’6 thrown in about 2 times a week in lessons. I did talk with my trainer about doing one lessons as poles and cavalettis and one over fences until he’s stronger.

[Xanthoria]

@KandC

So far, I’ve tried (with decent inside leg): wiggling/sponging him off the inside rein, counter bending him into the outside rein, lifting the inside rein then dropping it, dropping it without lifting, and riding him more forward (which is hit or miss about dropping him totally onto his forehand).

Health issues aside, it’s the inside leg that not actually decent - it’s deficient! Make him listen to the inside leg and all your inside rein issues go away.

[Demerara_Stables]

@KandC

We incorporate a lot of lateral work currently into his routine.

Doing lateral work without it being correct and off a light leg isn’t going to help with this problem. To put it in perspective, you should be able to flex your calf muscle and get a lateral response from him. No, not a full on half pass, but something. A good dressage instructor, or h/j instructor with a dressage background, will be able to help you with this.

[Showbizz]

Xanthoria is probably right. You are likely trying to create bend by using the inside rein, when it needs to come from your inside leg.

[endlessclimb]

Stop thinking about lightening the inside rein, and start thinking about weighting the outside rein. The outside rein is empty. Push the weight back over there.

Thinking about it this way gets you to stop riding his mouth. Use your legs, push the weight over to the outside.

[TatteredDaydreamer]

This is a great analogy.

[Bogey2]

Take a dressage lesson from a legitimate trainer in your area!

[Jackie_Cochran]

I do not know if this will help you with your horse, but it really helps with the lesson horses I ride when they give me uneven contact when turning/in circles.

I use my inside leg differently. When I press inward with my inside upper thigh when it feels the horse’s spine bulging out against it the horse’s spine tends to even out under me and my contact improves. Alternating this upper thigh aid will can also straighten the horse.

The timing is opposite of when I use my lower leg for a turn. At first the horses do not seem to think it is a valid aid but with patience, rewarding the slightest improvement with lavish praise, and light contact the horses end up understanding. I can do turns on the hindquarters using this aid alone with no rein aids. I can turn the horse in a gradual turn by using this aid lighter than I would for a TOH. It may take a few rides to get both you and the horse on the same page but the transformation is worth it as the horse stretches its head and neck into contact willingly without me having to fiddle with the reins at all.