Hey DQs I want your best straightness exercises! Over in hunterland my horse and I are having issues with straightness in the right lead canter, specifically his haunches constantly want to swing left. This was always an issue but now that we’re stepping up his training (just turned 7) we really need to address this head on since its causing a couple issues. We do turn on the forehand a couple times each direction between trot and canter work and its obvious its much harder for his haunches to go to the right than the left. Should I continue to work both sides evenly or concentrate on the right more until it gets stronger? Any tips and exercises much appreciated!
Lateral work. Shoulder in, half pass. Then move on to renvers and travers.
Some horse resent too much work on the short, stiff side. I would think stretching on that side more than working.
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Agree on the lateral work, probably starting with “head-to-the-wall leg yield,” and some questions:
What is his head/neck position when cantering right?
What happens when you counter-canter?
Can you move his shoulders to the rail when cantering right?
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Well the issue doesn’t really present itself until we canter the quarterline or head across the diagonal. I didn’t realize how crooked we were until my lesson on Sunday when we tried to jump an x on the quarerline and I had a REALLY hard time keeping his body straight. Which is also why I have a really hard time getting a lead change from left to right. I just started working on counter canter last week. He’s pretty good at it though picking it up presented a few challenges as he was sure that was the wrong lead and he wasn’t supposed to do that. He’s starting to get the hang of haunches out = counter canter. His head maybe has a little too much inside bend? Did a lot of counter bend on circles in the lesson
It seems to me that if you had two things in particular, it would help. First, as CFF implied, your horse will benefit from suppling and strengthening exercises to balance him on the two sides and make it easier for him to be straight. Second, you both will benefit from you as a rider gaining independent control of his shoulders and his hindquarters so that you can move his shoulders over in front of his haunches when he needs help being straight. You can start all of these exercises at slower gaits and make real progress with less stress.
I have found counter canter on the weaker lead (right in your case) to help because as the turns get tighter the horse will seek a better balance on his own (after he has tried everything else, like flying changes, break to trot, become disunited, . . . ). Once he is cantering comfortably around the full arena begin making large circles on the counter lead with his head straight on the line you’re riding. Give him a break by turning away into a true circle of the same or slightly smaller diameter. Often the first few steps on this new circle will be really straight. If you get that, it is a good time to stop and praise him liberally and let him walk on a long rein and consider what he did right.
None of this is going to fix the problem in a few days. It takes time because you are reconditioning his body and his habitual movement. The lateral exercises are really the key because they work on his body and balance and your fine controls. The counter canter, used sparingly, can help him “find” straight on his own to some extent. Eyes on the ground to guide you especially in the lateral work are a huge help.
Counter bending would not be on my list, based on what you’ve described.
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As CF Farm said. Shoulder/In and Haunches/In are your best tools, done at the trot.
However, it is extremely important that they be done correctly, even if this means dropping back to the walk, to establish correct muscle memory. Remember these exercises have nothing to do with the head, but they both, S/I, and H/I, require control of the shoulders and haunches.
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I like all the above suggestions. I would add that it sounds to me as though your left leg is your weak leg. A good way to test this is see how well he can do haunches in right (in walk and trot). The issue is rarely the horse. That he doesn’t do it when you are on the rail in right lead canter is very telling - he’s using the wall to “hold himself up” in the absence of a clear outside leg from you.
You mentioned a lesson - can your trainer get on him and see if they can produce the same result that you are getting? If not, then you might want to work on getting your left leg more effective.
Good luck.
Yes thats exactly what he’s doing. I’m not sure my left leg is necessarily weaker I think I’m just “heavier” with the right side of my body meaning stronger leg and stronger hand. I’ve worked really hard on not overpowering with my right hand but I think I need to think about the left side of my body more. Its good to know its most likely me and less so him - makes it easier to fix I think. I was definitely able to get him straight by the end of the lesson but it took a lot of effort on both our parts. We can do it just need to take the time to really work on it and stay off the rail more so I can feel if we’re straight or not
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My first thoughts for the horse are counter canter and being able to move the shoulders and haunches, turn on the forehand, leg yield, shoulder in, haunches in.
For you: everyone has a weaker side and a stronger side, unless you’re totally ambidextrous. Assuming you’re right handed/legged, a tip I’ve gotten from a few different people is to focus on making yourself equal. Doing simple things, like brushing your teeth or a little bit of writing with your left hand, leading with your left foot going up stairs etc, will make you aware of your weaknesses and start to help you even up in the saddle.
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I like this idea! Thanks
“I was definitely able to get him straight by the end of the lesson but it took a lot of effort on both our parts. We can do it just need to take the time to really work on it and stay off the rail more so I can feel if we’re straight or not.”
That sounds like you are on the right track (pun intended) with him, then! Keep on keeping on! That’s where the fun of dressage lies - in the experimenting and finding what works for you and your horse. 
During my ride this morning I worked on going over a ground pole on the quarterline and he definitely fought me for a bit until he realized what I was asking of him and then he was just like “oh…straight…got it mom” so we’ll just keep staying off the rail and doing our lateral work and I think things will really start to fall into place! I don’t take a ton of lessons as I keep my horse at home and sometimes doing things on your own you forget those simple things like staying off the rail!
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