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  Discussion on Balance, right lead problems
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 23, 2000 - 8:22 am:

Hi, I have an 9 y.o mare who raced 11 times in her career. She has not raced in two years. She has had plenty of time and training to figure things out but we still have problem with her right side. When I ride her to the left I find I can pick up the correct diagnol and she will pick up the left lead. When I ride her to the right I always have to sit a diagnol to get on the correct one. She picks up the right lead on the circle but will lose it and switch leads going long down the side of the ring. My trainer thinks that the reason she picks up the right lead and stays on it in a circle is because she is so unbalanced that she can't hold herself there even if she wanted to on the left lead. When I take her x country and trot down a country road she always throws me on the the left diagnol. She has had more than enough time to figure things out and I'm concerned that this might be a back problem. My question is how do I tell what the physical problem is because it appears by the way she handles herself that she is in some sort of pain. Is it a Knee problem, shoeing, back? Do you inject, use accupuncture or chiropractor..is there a way to correct this or will the horse always be plagued by this pain. I'm at wit's end. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks Sue Mc

Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2000 - 8:28 am:

Hello Sue,
I recommend the first step is have an experienced equine veterinarian examine the horse for unsoundness or possible back pain. The diagnosis of low grade back pain can be a difficult diagnosis, see: The Horseman's Advisor: Equine Diseases: Lameness: Back Pain for more information on this difficult to define problem.
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 23, 2000 - 11:03 am:

Hi Sue,

besides the difficulty with the diagonal and lead what else would lead you to think that she is pain? Horses frequently have a favourite lead/diagnonal and it has a lot to do with there stiff and soft side. Try doing a lot of suppling exercises to get her to stretch both sides equally. Also, it sounds like your horse may not be carrying herself truly straight when she travels. The indicators for this are:
1. a tendency to carry the head to one side when travelling on a straight line
2. more weight in one rein then another
3. difficulty changing bends when asked
4.frequently picking up the wrong lead

When you are going on the right rein keep repeating the signals for her to carry herself equally on both reins. To do this use repeated inside leg aids, flexing of the inside rein while keeping the outside rein and shoulder straight.

My horse has a tendency to carry himself with his head bent to the left and his body to the inside. I've been working on exercises like these for a couple months and am seeing real progress. One of the signs I see is that when he is free and picks up the wrong lead (i.e, the left one) he will do a flying change to dcorrect it. He never used to do this. Also, his lead pick-ups are smoother and he is lighter off the leg. A horse cannot carry themself balanced or in frame if they are not straight.

Also, Jane Savoie has a number of exercises to help you teach a horse to go straight. Her book is called cross-training your horse.

Forgive my rambling answer and good luck

TeresaA

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 23, 2000 - 11:40 am:

I think you should perhaps have everything tested - teeth/feet/back/neck etc. Get a dentist, a farrier - tell them his problems - then get an equine chiropractor/physiotherapist, and see what he/she finds. It can only help, and won't hurt, and you should get many more answers. One of them will find out where the pain is and be able to correct it. Then you can start anew.

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 23, 2000 - 1:40 pm:

Dear Sue and everyone:


I had an unbalanced horse that I used to lease a few years ago. He did the same things that you describe, but he also kicked out and laid his ears back. He really wanted me to know it HURT!

The vet came out and checked everything and suggested body work was needed. We (myself and the owner) ended up hiring a chiropracter and a massage therapist. IT WORKED!
He felt a lot better and was able to move freely, but it did take a few treatments (3 or more.) However, after treatment he was much more trainable and much happier!!

Also, with my new horse, I found out that the saddle was pinching him - but only on the right side. So, you may want to have the saddle checked too.

Those are my only suggestions, I can only tell you what worked for me. I hope you find the one that works best for you and your horse!!

good luck
Liz.

Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2000 - 7:33 am:

Hi Sue,
I'm a race horse trainer. The problem with your horse could be very simple. In the states most of the race tracks are left handed. Now your mare was trained and raced for 6-7years left handed. This means the muscle on the right hand of the quarters(biceps, semitendinosus, gluteal & tensor fasciae) will be a little weaker. Also along the right side of the rib cage(latissimusand, external intercostals). You may just have to take a little more time working on these muscles.
A very good aid that I have found is the "Abbot Davies Balance Rein". This will get your horse working both sides equaly. Just take your time and give her chance to get the idea. Sorry to say , most race horse trainers don't take time to do solid ground work with their charges. Hope she works out for you.
Allan.

Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2000 - 11:18 am:

Sue, If you have the vet out have them run a couple nuro tests. some Nurological problems can manifest this way as well. I think your on the rigth track haveing a vet out. Good luck and let us know what comes of it.

Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2000 - 7:34 pm:

Thank you all for responding. I did not mention that she has been vetted; last August one vet did injections in hocks, right knee, stifle and the back..cost over $1,000. I was deeply disappointed that there was some improvement, but not $1,000 worth. I had another vet look at her for a second opinion, he said have her teeth done and change your blacksmith! I did that and she started going great. I was able to get her to move from my leg to my hand. I also had a bone scan done on her hind quarters. Some mild signs of arthritis in the hocks, but , nothing uncommon for a horse her age. I am still having this problem with the right lead. She doesn't feel right..not necessary lame...but she feels uncomfortable. I would really like to think that she is just stiff on that side. My vet suggested putting her on adequan once a month or cosequin. Which I am going to start doing. I have been concerned about getting a chiropractor because it is my understanding(and please correct me if I am wrong)that a chiropractor will work out some kinks and it will be good for a week and then you have to keep having them out to treat. Same with accupuncture? I really don't want to go that route. I am interested in the balance reins..Can you let me know where I might find them? Once again, Thank you all for your responses. Sue

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 29, 2000 - 2:53 pm:

I thought Teresa's "symptoms of one-handed horses" was excellent. Would you give us some more detail on that book you mentioned, Teresa? I need it...

The only thing you did not mention which I've tried and which does work is "shoulder-in to the outside" if you get what I mean. My horse is stiff on the left rein. So I put her on a fairly small (10m) circle left but I bend her head and shoulders to the outside to ease the pain of stretching the muscles on her right hand side which is what she hates. Then let her go normally on the left circle - the head comes down, softer, works better, responds more to the inside leg/outside rein.

After some "normal" work on the hated left rein, back to the "shoulder-in to the outside" to rest the stiff muscles temporarily. Obviously you don't just stay on the left rein all the time but I must say I find this a good exercise to alternate with the others suggested by Teresa especially if the horse is being sassy.

Imogen

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 29, 2000 - 3:14 pm:

Today i lunged my mare on the left and then the right on the circle, wtc. I had 4 ground poles down set at 12 oclock, 3 oclock 6 & 9. She did fine at the canter on the left over the ground poles..however on the right she initially kicked out her left hind each time she went over a pole. It appeared like she had a kink or something. I let her canter on several times, brought her down to a walk and asked her to do it again. This time she did not kick, but she used her left lead which I let her use. I brought her back to a walk, asked for the right lead and she cantered quickly, eventually she slowed down because she was getting tired. When I did get on her to ride, once again I would be on my left diagnol going to the right and she felt so uncomfortable that I found her gait switching me to the right diagnol. Is this a balance problem or possibly a hock problem? I am going to continue to work on the lunge all this week. Someone please help! Sue Mc

Posted on Thursday, Mar 2, 2000 - 9:28 pm:

Hi Sue,

It's never easy is it? I would still try to get my horse checked out by someone who can really analyze the movements to make sure nothing is being missed. Be careful of too much lunge work as it can strain the joints (no more then 20min). However, rebalancing can take a long time. For example, I rode my horse tonight (it was a good ride by the way), and I had to straighten him every 3-5 strides as he likes to carry himself to the left. Ah, but the wonderful feel of when he carries himself straight and forward *sigh*.

The books I was talking about are by Jane Savoie there are 2:
1. Cross-Training your horse
2. More cross-training your horse

The first is basic and the second builds on the first. I bought the first at a tack shop and the second over the internet.

Imogen's idea is a good one but I wouldn't start on a 10 metre circle, it might put more strain on a weak leg. First walk a 20m circle to the right. Ask her to bend to the outside around your outside leg. This will ask her to shift her weight inward and put more on the inside leg (building up the strength). Initially only ask for 1/4 of the circle then allow her to straighten. Gradually (over weeks) increase to 1/2, 3/4 and the whole circle. I only do this exercise when my horse is nicely warmed up. I would do it at a walk and trot and not the canter for a while. In fact, if you're having trouble at the canter why not forget it for a while and focus on improving the walk and trot. when you come back to it you'll be surprised at the improvement. I've done this with my horse with no ill-effects.

Make sure your horse warms up well and then begin to do suppling exercises. There are a number of them but here are a few:
1. ride a figure 8 changing the bend of the rib cage with each change of rein.
2. ride a bending line along the quarter line (m-x-f & k-x-h). For the m-x-f line leave the rail at M ride straight a few pace, shift the bend to left, until you pass X, straighten as you approach F and then shift the bend to right as you come back to the rail. I hope this is clear!!!:)
3. Ride a 3-loop serpentine.
4. Ride around the ring changing direction every couple strides of so and ask her to turn off the shoulder, keeping straight. Do this to the right and left.
5. leg yield.

Do these at a walk and trot.The key is making sure that your horse shifts her ribcage over but keeps her shoulder straight. A good cue for this is to maintain even pressure on the outside rein and leg, pulse the inside leg and vibrate the inside rein. You should feel a definite shift of her ribcage to the outside leg.

Another thing to try is lots of up and down transitions to balance her on the hind end, as well as lots of half-halts. If you feel yourself wanting to change the diagonal-DON'T. Instead, pulse the inside leg and do a half-halt on the outside rein only to tell her to straighten herself. This will likely only work for a couple strides at first.

Until you get her straight and connected to your hand & leg do not ask for a perfect frame. A horse needs time to build up the muscles for this. It's too easy to force a horse into a "frame" (e.g., by using draw reings)but it's better if they can develop it themselves.

Sue, I also have a couple questions:
1. does she tend to lean in on the canter?
2. does she feel unequal in the reins?

I hope this helps

Teresa
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