From: Deb
Hi Jessica!
I'm sure you know by now how wonderful we all think you are, but just in case- you're wonderful!
I have a problem that stems from a few years back when my Arabian gelding and I took lessons. My trainer always emphasized lateral work and we did lots of it! Unfortunately, my gelding got the idea that everytime we come back to walk it must mean we're going to do lateral work! I've since trained him to jump by myself and brought my 5 year old filly along on my own from a yearling. I couldn't be happier with the way things are going for the three of us, but this one problem keeps plaguing my gelding and I. He'll walk along fine as long as we're on a loose rein, but if I gather up my reins he starts going sideways. I urge him on with my legs, but, even though he was wrongfully taught all this over 3 years ago, he's still convinced that he's supposed to do lateral work (that wonderful Equine memory can be detrimental at times!). I can eventually get him to walk forward, but it takes a few minutes. You can imagine the problems this causes in the showring! I've done very little lateral work with him over the past couple of years to try and get it out of his mind, but to no avail. How can I re-educate him in this area? He's wonderful at everything else he does and he tries SO hard. I think he tries TOO hard.
Thank you for the great advice you give us. What would we do without you?
Yours very truly,
Debbie :)
Hi Debbie! Thank you very much; I hope I can live up to this reputation! ;-)
Your gelding IS trying too hard. He isn't sure what he's expected to do, so he's offering the behaviour that he learned in the past. When he is unsure or anxious, he does what's been successful before -- all that lateral work...
This is going to be one of those "good news, bad news" situations. The good news is that you can certainly teach him to do things differently. The bad news is that it will take some time and effort and a lot of patience! Plan to work through the winter and have fun at the shows next season. You're going to need to reschool this horse and keep him happy while you do it -- and that can't be done overnight.
First, before you begin, check your horse's mouth, tongue, and teeth, and check the condition, fit, and adjustment of his bit. Some horses worry a great deal about going from NO contact to contact, because that first moment when the rider picks up the reins can cause the horse pain if something is wrong with the bit, the mouth, or the teeth.
If there's no physical pain, then I suspect that the underlying problem is quite simple -- your horse isn't properly trained to the leg. I say this because a horse that begins to move crabwise when the rider picks up the reins is very much like a horse that moves off as soon as the rider begins to mount! The problem, in both cases, has nothing whatsoever to do with the reins, and everything to do with the fact that the horse is NOT listening to the rider's leg. When you get on your horse, you should be able to shift around, adjust your stirrups, stretch, yawn, look to both sides, and pick up your reins -- and ADJUST those reins -- without your horse moving at all. He should wait until you give him the signal to move off. Similarly, when you are walking on a loose rein, you should be able to pick up the reins and adjust your contact while your horse continues to walk forward calmly.
The way to teach him what you want him to do is simple: begin again, from the beginning. Practice mounting (use a mounting block for the sake of your back, your horse's back, and your saddle), sitting, adjusting your reins, and then asking the horse to move off. If he moves before you want him to, tell him "Stand" -- he can learn this word, and it's a very useful one. ;-) Then start again. As soon as he gives ANY indication that he's getting the idea, praise him and put him away. He'll figure it out.
Be very careful while you do this -- don't get angry, or frustrated, or tense, because this will communicate itself to your horse instantly, and he will become anxious... and offer the sideways movement that is exactly what you DON'T want. Instead, breathe deeply and slowly, MOVE slowly, and pay attention to your own position.
Do the same thing when you are walking -- work on straight lines and wide turns, and practice going from firm contact to light contact to loose rein and back, while maintaining the rhythm of the walk. When you go from a walk on loose reins to a walk on long reins to a walk on shorter reins, be sure that you aren't inadvertently shifting your weight to one side, or pressing harder with one leg. Check to be sure that you don't have one leg slightly ahead of the other leg -- any unevenness of weight, pressure, or contact will be interpreted by your horse as YOUR wish to go sideways. And even LOOKING in one direction or the other will shift your balance and may indicate sideways movement. Be extra-precise, and extra-clear. If you look down, or off to one side, or stop breathing or lean forward for an instant while you pick up your reins, you're telling your horse something, but it isn't "Keep going forward in the same rhythm." ;-)
Don't avoid lateral work! It shouldn't be your main focus, but you NEED to do some lateral work, quietly and calmly and giving your aids VERY clearly, so that your horse knows (a) that sometimes you DO want him to move sideways, and (b) that when you do, you tell him quite clearly with your leg pressure and your weight, perhaps even with a slight opening rein in the direction of movement! If you're very clear when you ask him to step over, it will be much easier for him to understand the difference between the times when you want him to step sideways (e.g., stepping over to the right: your left leg slightly back, pressing against his side, right leg resting very lightly on him, more weigh in your RIGHT seatbone, and possibly even a slight opening rein to the right), and those times when you want him to continue straight ahead (weight balanced evenly on both seatbones, legs evenly stretched and draped softly against the horse's sides, acting together with even pressure, rider's back straight, hands even, eyes looking straight ahead).
Give it a try, be patient, and let me know how it works out.
Jessica
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