bending issues...

Hi. My horse is so much better at bending to the left, but during poles, when he has to turn right at the last pole, it adds about 2 seconds on our time. How can I help him bend faster/sharper to the right??

Why are you making another thread when we've already given you advice in your original thread?

Because I never asked this question in the other thread. But now I am.

In your other post, you asked originally:

How is that NOT the exact same question? (Because it is.)

Creampuff showed you this link: Pole Bending Help - Horsemanship, Technique and Advice with Ken Smith Did you look at it? Lots of information on bending and how it incorporates into the pole run.

HJracer stressed that you work on leg cues and not rely so much on your hands. Have you tried starting to work on that? Using your legs is critical to getting a nice bend from a horse. And critical for a good pole run.

The book I recommended has tons of bending exercises in it: Wayne Sandberg "19 second pole bending". Did you look for a cheap used copy of it on Amazon?

And the number one things we all stressed is to take your time and pattern your horse first. He is not going to learn to bend better to the right overnight, nor is he going to perfect any other part of the pattern in a month.

You DID ask that question and we DID give you advice. Read it carefully. After you do that, here's more resources for you. But take the time to review them before you just continue to ask the same question. No matter how much you ask and ask, your horse is not going to magically do it better on his own, as much as you may wish. You have to teach him properly.

Bending and Softening Exercises for Stiff Horses

Here's even one specifically for gaited horses. Exercises at The Walk



Good training videos from Expert Village. Notice how they start everything slow and correct, taking their time.










Nice bending exercises here. Again, notice how they are going slow!!!! You can't do something galloping right off the bat. Always start new concepts at the walk.

I agree you must learn how to do it going slow then adding speed later. Just do a lot of bending exercise 10-15 minutes a day and then start doing poles slow and work your way up from walk, trot, canter. My trainer told me, if you do something right going slow, you'll do it much better and right going fast .
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Set 5 poles up and take out the middle one start in the middle go right and weave back and forth working on the ends
That's what Ken Smith told me to do

Like beau159 said Ken Smith's book 19 second pole run is a good book