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Horse still on one side

1K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  FrostedLilly 
#1 ·
Blitzen is at the trainers for a refresher for 30 days, he had his fourth ride today. I was chatting with the trainer on FB and she was telling me he is remarkably easy to work with, but he isn't flexing as well to the left and is having issues with his left lead departures... He is doing well to the right. We're going to have his teeth checked/floated... My friend is also certified in equine massage therapist and chiro--I'll get her out as well. Any other ideas or input? He's had no injuries in the 6 years I've owned him, he's 11years old.

After a hard day at the office:
 
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#2 ·
i,m going to leave the entire flexing thing alone, not knowing how your trainer is using it, except to say, you can use a carrot stretch to see if there is a physical cause
Far as the left lead, how is she asking for that lead, and also, leads start in the back, not the front, so could be a hock issue
For a left lead, the first beat of that three stride lope or canter, is the outside hind leg (rt), then the inside hind leg (left ) and outside front leg (right ), hitting ground at about the same time. The lead leg (left), is the final beat
 
#3 ·
I can't speak exactly to what she is doing, as I haven't been up there to watch--I go up next week. She doesn't do the whole 'rubber neck' thing, but expects the horse to bend laterally and give to the bit. She has trained/competed in pretty much every western 'sport'.
I know her trained horses work well of the leg to bring the hip in for lead departures-- I'm wondering if he is having a hard time bringing that left hip in. I guess it could be stiffness anywhere, really.

I know I need more info from her, lol. I'm just impatient and she is outside from morning to night--so our conversations are little snippets.
 
#7 ·
Just like humans, horses prefer one side over the other. Think back when you first learned to write----how well would you have done writing with your non-dominant hand after only 4 times using a pencil? If I were working with this horse, I'd be doing some groundwork, such as carrot stretches, circles both directions, spirals, serpentines, etc to work both sides equally, and then start working him undersaddle so he learns to balance a rider on a circle. He's only had 4 rides so he's still trying to figure all this out!
 
#9 ·
If he's had extensive ground work, then it's time to work on that stiffness from the saddle.......However, I question why he is so stiff and would consider having a vet examine him plus schedule a chiro and massage to see if an adjustment is needed. Do you have a BOT sheet----we've fond them to help those horses who tend to be stiff on one side when used before saddling up.
 
#10 ·
All horses will have a good and bad side, even horses who are perfectly aligned chiropractically.

I have had some be very difficult, some very easy. Just depends. I wouldn't worry about it right away. Just get the body work done and see what she says. Carrot stretches are also good for increasing flexibility if it is in fact a physical problem. If it's an attitude problem they won't help though.
 
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#13 ·
Sounds like you're on the right track, ruling out pain or injury first. I'm not a trainer, but have been riding for the better part of 20 years. In my experience, horses always have a side they prefer and a side that is a little more difficult for them. It's always been explained to me that they are like people in a sense in that they have a more dominant side. I'm right handed and do almost everything with my right. If I all of a sudden was asked to become ambidextrous, it would take a lot of working with my left hand to do any kind of quality work. Since he's done mostly trail riding over the last couple of years, he probably hasn't had to really use his less dominant side until now and so it's a little more difficult for him.

I've ridden many horses over the years, who even despite professional training and regular riding on both sides, are always just slightly better going one direction than the other. It may not be visible to someone watching, but as a rider, you can always sense which side they prefer, even if they are fairly adept at both.
 
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