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Discussion on Not Listening to My Leg
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 6, 2007 - 10:02 am:
I am having trouble getting my horse to listen to my leg when turning. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't. He moves forward nicely but when we go into a circle, he will pop his outside shoulder out and push as if he wants to keep going straight. My response is to use my leg lightly to ask for the turn, if no response then I press hard with my boot, then I take the reins and basically end up pulling him around.
Can you give me some better ideas of how to handle this situation? He moves forward nicely and sometimes turns with just the touch of my leg. I would like to get him more responsive and less resistant so I think some exercises might help. Can you give me some ideas of different exercises that help a horse learn to get off my leg?
Thanks,
Linda
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Member:
ekaufman
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 6, 2007 - 4:15 pm:
Hi Linda,
I think we ride different sports, so may be off base. A couple of comments--
A horse responds to the release of an aid, not its application. So if you are applying steady pressure with your leg and not releasing, you are training him to ignore the leg rather than respond to it.
Popping the outside shoulder on a circle is common (in English riding, anyhow) with a horse that is on the forehand, or crooked heading into the circle, or unable to balance on that size circle, or all the above. Pulling around with the reins will make all of these things worse, so avoid that if you can.
Try larger figures and different figures-- serpentines with many changes of gait and direction. Use your leg quick and then take it off. Repeat louder if necessary but make sure with any aid (rein, leg, even seat) that you release.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck!
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 6, 2007 - 7:42 pm:
Also check to make sure that your shoulders are turning as well and that you haven't weighted the wrong seat bone. It's not uncommon for the rider to keep his/her shoulders going straight while trying to turn, so the horse is following the weight aids.
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Member:
dtranch
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 6, 2007 - 8:28 pm:
Linda ... Both Elizabeth and Fran make good points. I would second the opinion that your body must be asking for turn as well. I like to make sure I am turning a bit at the waist to look in the direction I want the horse to go. This puts my leg and seat bone in the proper position.
I however try not to release the pressure until I get at least a little try in the right direction, then release immediately. When I have a horse that needs a refresher, I will walk him toward a fence and ask for the turn with my aids. I start with my waist turn, then leg, then rein, etc. At the first sign of the proper response, I release all immediately and reward.
For your transitions, I would also recommend the larger circles and serpentines. Just remember to apply your aids in the proper order, and reward the slightest try until you can build on it. Also, if you can't get it at the walk, you won't get it at the trot or lope. Get both you and your horse solid on the basics, then move forward.
Don't get frustrated ... enjoy the journey.
DT
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 6, 2007 - 11:47 pm:
When I was having that problem it turned out I had too much contact on the outside rein...took me a whole summer to figure that out.
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Member:
dove2
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 6:28 am:
Diane, Since I sometimes have this problem too, I want to really understand this. Your horse would pop his outside shoulder due to too much contact on the outside rein? Was he simultaneously stepping towards the inside of the ring?
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007 - 8:03 am:
Yes, why I couldn't tell you, I do know he wouldn't... bend correctly (because he couldn't). That was the year of my infatuation with the outside rein and was using it way too much.
Poor fella wasn't able to get his nose into the bend and out the shoulder would go. I didn't think I had that much on the outside rein, but must have, once I figured it out and let him get his "nose" on the bend he was fine....something I still have to watch.
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Member:
lindy
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 10:54 am:
Would like to respond if I can figure out how to sign in.
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 11:43 am:
I rode last night and tried your ideas and I do think I am not giving him enough release. I look for him to give me that great circle (like I know he can do), but it helped to reward his slightest try. Each circle became gradually better. I paid particular attention to bending my body and weighting my seat bones properly. All these things helped improve him.
I also took a few minutes before riding to review yielding to pressure on the ground. This helped him lighten to my aids in saddle. So all this put together gives me encouragement we are on the right track.
I had the feeling he gets resistant when I ask for too many circles. Like he just gets bored of doing them, so mixing things up helped too.
Thanks for your help.
Linda
P.S. Lindy, for help in how to post see Help & Information, Welcome to the Horseman's Advisor.
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Member:
lindy
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 11:57 am:
Would like to respond if I can figure out how to sign in.
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Member:
juliem
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 12:14 pm:
Lindy, apparently you are signed in or you wouldn't be able to post. You just write your response the same way you wrote your above post. Responses are posted to each discussion just like you posted yours above.
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Member:
dtranch
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - 12:21 pm:
Great job Linda ...
Just keep at it and mix it in with other work so that neither of you get "sour" on it.
DT
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