# Turning in at canter on right hand reign



## HunkyDory (12 December 2016)

Hi All,

I've been back riding for 10 months after a break of 30 years, or so.  I am at a great little school with a really good mix of horses and ponies.  I have ridden quite a few different ones and they all have their little unique features.  I've gauged my progress through a 16 2 dark bay gelding who is a bomb proof and cleverly lazy boy.  I could barely get him to trot when I started out but each time I've ridden him since, we achieve more and more together.  I know have him doing some lovely transitions and he's very co-operative, so I know I have improved ten fold. 

Recently I have been riding a cob mare, Mary.  Mary was bought after being a gypsy pony.  She is a very businesslike girl, has a pacy walk and trots up a storm.  When they bought her, she didn't understand canter because she didn't know what she was being asked to do, and when they introduced her to jumping, she would literally plough right through them.  After the staff worked with her she is now a happy girl who is not so keen on bending but she will walk, trot, canter and jump with her usual enthusiasm.

However, cantering on the right hand reign in the school is not her favourite thing.  You can be at rising trot, sit and ask for canter then she falls in and does ever decreasing circles until she reaches the middle of the school.  I have had her cantering and staying out on the track on that reign in the larger arena but it is usually a fight all the way, using leg and reign, without which, she will fall in.  I rode her last week in the smaller arena and again, she hated staying out on the track at canter on that reign.  She would lock her head and become tense and stressed.  She does this whoever is riding her, apparently. 

My instructor suggested distracting her by making her do a 20 metre circle, transitioning down to trot then walk, or changing reign, then to take her around and ask again.  I did all of that but she still fell in at canter.  The instructors are quite flexible and if they think you are competent enough will let you put ideas in to your lesson, so I asked if I could try something.

I put her back on that reign and had her at a lovely contained sitting trot, going large and 20 metre circles, then changing reign and cantering on her preferred side.  My instructor liked what I was doing and said she looked very secure and confident and to keep that up next time and see what happens.  She seemed to like the slight leg contact in sitting trot and her body language was completely different.  I'm hoping that if I can work her like that, then she will be easier take up to canter on that reign and not panic and stress and fall in, if we can make it like she does it without realising she is doing it, if that makes sense.

It also occurred to me that there may be something wrong with her sight.  She is head shy on that side more than the other so I wonder if she has less than good vision in her left eye so going at a slower pace doesn't freak her out but as soon as she is asked to canter, she can't judge the edge of the arena properly and so that's why she falls in. 

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions.  She's a lovely girl who is affectionately nick named 'hairy Mary' as she has the obligatory walrus tache that goes with Cobdom


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## Shay (13 December 2016)

Its always very difficult with RS ponies but if this was a privately owned one I would say she was in pain which is made worse in right canter.  One of my ponies is part sighted on the right side and I don't think it has ever affected his ability to judge the edge of an arena - be that boards, a fence edge or an indoor wall.  He won't travel with a companion to his right because he doesn't like something too close on his blind side, and he is very difficult to lunge right because he hates turning his blind eye to the handler and sow ill turn in to see what you are doing.  But is has never affected him ridden.  Most part sighted ponies are perfectly happy when ridden.  You can see where the arena is after all!


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## HunkyDory (13 December 2016)

Thanks, Shay.  That would make sense, being in pain.  Especially as she is the same with any rider.  Thank you.


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## milliepops (13 December 2016)

it sounds like the pony needs more schooling before being used in the RS tbh.  It's very common for these cob types to struggle to find their balance in canter - falling in and getting tense is pretty classic behaviour for a horse that is finding the canter work hard.  Part of that will be because she is not supple enough (you mention that she finds it hard to bend)

How much work has she done with an experienced rider before being used for lessons, OP? I find it a bit strange that you are being expected to school her on in canter - it can be a difficult pace to improve with these types.  It's great that you are trying  to help her, but it does sound as though she needs some work with an experienced person to show her how to use her body in the canter, so that she can keep her balance and not worry about it.


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## HunkyDory (13 December 2016)

Hi Millipops....they schooled her to canter and jump.  I've watched her and she's quite able round a course.  On the left reign she canters like a dream without falling in.  I've even had her cantering 20 metre circles on the left reign, it's just the right one she can't seem to crack it.  We've been doing figure of 8 and serpentines with just leg aids and no reign to work on her bending.  The instructure said that they would work with her during the week this week and try and bring her one a bit more.   If I'm assigned her this week, I will see where she it up to.


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## Tnavas (20 December 2016)

I would suggest that she is uncomfortable, a good chiropractor would help. Then falling in in canter is generally a sign of stiffness an lack of strength and suppleness. Lots of work in trot, circles, loops, serpentines and changes of rein, along with transitions within the pace and between paces.


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## HunkyDory (21 December 2016)

Thanks Tnavas...I'm riding for an hour tonight, so I'll see where she is up to if I get Mary.


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## HunkyDory (22 December 2016)

Just an update.  I rode Mary last night for an hour in the same arena she struggled with a couple of weeks ago on right hand reign canter.  What a difference!  She did turn in on the first pass but we did some flex and bending, working some serpentines and 20 metre circles on that reign and then went for it again.  She stayed out on the track going large for a circuit and a half and seemed a much happier girly.


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## Tnavas (22 December 2016)

HunkyDory said:



			Just an update.  I rode Mary last night for an hour in the same arena she struggled with a couple of weeks ago on right hand reign canter.  What a difference!  She did turn in on the first pass but we did some flex and bending, working some serpentines and 20 metre circles on that reign and then went for it again.  She stayed out on the track going large for a circuit and a half and seemed a much happier girly.

Click to expand...

Great news


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