# Running me into the wall



## lid7239 (Jul 28, 2010)

For a few months now I have been riding a 12yr old 15.3hh Mustang mare (who has some noticeable draft in her). I would not consider her green, she is a very intelligent horse, but so much so that she likes to test her riders.

This is why my riding instructor put me on her...

She had a lot of training when she was younger but had not been ridden consistently since then because of her sheer power. She is VERY forward and always wants to go, go, go. She also knows when she has someone on her back that she can take advantage of, and she will do just that.

Since I have been riding her, we have made a lot of progress at slowing her paces down. She has her bad days where she just does not want to listen, but then she has her good days when we can actually do some crossrails.

She is normally pretty good going to the left at w/t/c, but her biggest issue is going to the right at a canter. She is constantly trying to run me into the walls around the corners. Even when I try to take the corner early, she just completely ignores me. I don't think she is trying to be mean, or hurt me in any way because she has never actually ran me into the wall... she just gets really close. The ferrier and vet have both looked at her, and agree she does not have any lameness issues.

Any advice about how I can stop this bad habit?


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Have you tried to canter in smaller circles to the right with her instead of going around the whole arena?


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## lid7239 (Jul 28, 2010)

Yes, we have tried to canter in circle, but she still seems to drift outward...

She used to try to run me into the mounting block, and she seems to have gotten past that. I'm hoping she just decides that it is not worth it anymore like she did with the mounting block. 

It cannot be comfortable for her to fight the bit like that.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

lid7239 said:


> Yes, we have tried to canter in circle, but she still seems to drift outward...
> 
> She used to try to run me into the mounting block, and she seems to have gotten past that. I'm hoping she just decides that it is not worth it anymore like she did with the mounting block.
> 
> It cannot be comfortable for her to fight the bit like that.


Sorry for asking, but how much riding experience do you have? Does she do the trick with the very experienced riders as well?


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## lid7239 (Jul 28, 2010)

I've been riding for about 7 years.

One of the trainers has ridden her a few times, and she seems to have the same problem.


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## AngelWithoutWings54 (May 24, 2010)

Hm. My gelding has his bad steering days sometimes. I've been run into the wall several times. I know that it sounds mean, but if you've tried EVERYTHNIG else (tight outside leg, closed outside rein, open inside rein,) let her run into the wall. She'll get the point that if you turn, you dont get hurt by running into the wall. Also, make sure that she is strong enough physically to canter on the right lead. She may have a weak left hind pastern which is causing her to not be able to turn as well or do tight turns. Lots of left rein trotting and hill work will help to strengthen her left hind. 

Hope I helped!


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## Fluffy Pony (May 2, 2010)

My gelding used to run me into the wall also, mostly a dominate thing though when I started riding him with him testing me. So what did I do? I pushed him into the wall if he started to move that way and was heading for it. Basicly it was telling him "Hey if you wana run into the wall... we are going to go right ahead and do it... but harder!" No it won't hurt him... it will just make him realize that running into the wall will result in a temporary bump by himself off of it ;-). 

After about two rounds of him trying it he stopped all together with me. The key is to keep him going at the same pace when you originally started.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

The other day, I put my mum on my horse, who is schooling Prix. St. Georges dressage. My mum could not for the life of her get him to canter to the left, he just kept bringing his haunches in and drifting into the circle. Now we can argue about how well trained he is, but one thing is for sure, he can canter from a relatively small aid. The reason she couldn't get the canter is because her aids on the right side of her body were too strong, and on the left side of her body were too weak. As soon as she backed off on the right side, the horse cantered.

So instead of saying "my horse runs me into the wall", say "I ride my horse into the wall and he's so good natured and wants to do what I say that he runs me into it". 

Soften your right leg, sit up straight, open your right rein to the inside, let go of your left rein and keep your elbows on your sides. If you are balanced and asking for the turn properly, the horse will turn.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Anabel has a very good point. 

My left hip is very weak, this causes Soda and I issues because I am inadvertently pushing him left with my stronger right leg. He's really just doing what I'm telling him to do. To fix it I concentrate on USING my left leg and also backing off a little bit on my right leg.


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## herdbound (Aug 30, 2010)

Does the horse have an eyesight issue??? There are horses that are more left sided than right sided of course and vice versa. I would say start working more on the right and see if she comes around at all...and I would also say have her eyes checked out. Check the physical side first to see if there is a problem and then move over to the behavioral aspect of her showing less respect for the rider on the right.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

I am another in total agreement with Anebel. 
Herdbound, if this horse has eyesight problems that are causing it do drift to the wall, I will eat my own hand.


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## sandsarita (Jan 20, 2008)

Does your horse know how to bend properly, or is he throwing his shoulder out in one direction? Does he try to do this at the trot? My own mare (very green) used to run me into the wall/fence all the time. The reason - one part of her body, namely her barrel or shoulder, was sticking out in that direction and I couldn't get it back in. Then, she didn't have the fine tuned body control to fix it. Now, she knows the cues to bring those body parts back into alignment but she will sometimes still have issues, mainly in the same direction your horse does as well. Why? Because she likes to drop/lean on her left shouder, and when she leans on her left shoulder while cantering to the right, we go right to the wall. 

To correct it, look in the direction you are going, have an opening right rein, strong left leg driving to the right, and a balancing left rein. I often go back to work at the walk, trot, then canter and do spiral in's with her to the right, thinking about closing the circle down by using my outside aids to bring her in. You still keep the slight rightward bend, though. Then you spiral back out, driving them off the inside leg with a slight leg yield and concentraing on the bend, but keeping that balancing outside rein to prevent them from over bending. I have been known to ask for a leg yield at the canter is she is getting nasty about throwing that shoulder/barrel out to get them off that side. 

Let me know if this doesn't make sense.


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## horseservant (Jul 29, 2010)

I'm confused. It this horse going straight into the wall or just dragging your leg on the rail. When I ride a young horse that drags my leg on the wall I kick my foot out of ths stirrup and push my foot off the wall. The horse staggers over a bit to the center of the ring and then doesn't work so close to the wall anymore. If your seat is secure you should be ablt to do this. 
If the horse keeps just walking or trotting directly into things then I don't know what to say
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## herdbound (Aug 30, 2010)

The only reason I suggested an eyesight problem is we had an Arabian who had a problem and was blind in one eye. She often scraped the blind side of her body into things...it is probably just an issue of an unbalanced horse. One that has been worked primarily on one side rather than equally on both but I am a firm beliver of always making sure there isn't a physical problem causing the issue before assuming it is a dominace or training problem.


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## lid7239 (Jul 28, 2010)

Thank you everyone for your replies!

I just rode her again on Sunday, and my instructor doesn't seem to think it is anything that I'm doing (or not doing). She thinks that the horse is just not strong enough on her right side and it is throwing her off balance.

We are going to really start focusing on trotting and cantering to the right and hope that we can build her up a bit so that she feels more comfortable.

Thanks again for all your opinions!


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## prudog (Apr 26, 2011)

If the mare continually puts you into a wall you should move onto a more gentle and kinder one. I'm sure the horse loves you despite it all and would love to ride off into the sunset with you. I'm currently looking for a horsetrainer in the Salt Lake area to join my new stables in California. Lid7239 you were recommended as the only person who could do this task. Please respond soon, thank you


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## skittlesfirehawk (Mar 5, 2011)

I used to ride a horse that didnt want to stop my trainer had me literally run the horse into the wall until its nose was touching and then turn the horse in a circle and try again.After a while the horse learned to stop.


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## back again (Mar 29, 2011)

I would agree that the horse is probably stiff in one side making it harder for him to work on that direction. The horse I ride is a lot stiffer on one side and prefers to drift out or puts his shoulder out. Make sure your outside aids are strong enough and work on getting him to use himself properly on that rein. (at a trot before canter) 


_Posted via Mobile Device_


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