# Won't turn left.



## CountryGirlAtHeart (May 2, 2013)

I am "training" a 6yr old standardbred to saddle (with help). He has an issue with turning left. He will turn right perfectly with only the slightest bit of pressure, but when asked to turn left, he will flex his neck to the left and crab-step to the right or forwards and get cranky. He will eventually go left with A LOT of leg, then refuses to walk on. I have recently learned that he also had this problem on the track. Any ideas why left would be a problem? At first I thought he was just being stubborn, but I'm baffled as to why it's always the same direction.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Sounds to me like it could be a pain or discomfort issue. Has he been cheched out by a vet or chiropractor?

If its not a pain issue, patience and practice. Reward the smallest try. Work that side more than his good side. Just like us, horses do have favorite side.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## CountryGirlAtHeart (May 2, 2013)

We haven't had the vet check him, I'd like to get him looked at asap but I have to go with what the owner wants because unfortunately he's not my horse yet. 
I also thought it might be the saddle - it's not the best fit in the world but does the job. So I rode him bareback today, but still had the same result. Then I found out he used to do it on the track too. They never found out why :/


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

If he has a pulled or kinked muscle or his back is out of align, it may not hurt to go one way but it does the other. He should get checked first. Otherwise, if you try to work him through it, he may get worse with refusing.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

It could be a pain thing, but 'over-bending' or 'rubber-necking' is much less likely to be a pain issue than stiffness is.

I would guess that he has never been taught to properly 'follow his nose'. People inadvertently teach this to a horse when they try to turn the horse, the horse does not turn but moves the opposite direction into his outside shoulder and the rider / driver just 'pulls harder' teaching the horse to just bend more resulting in a horse that soon refuses to follow its nose.

When driving a horse like this (including ground driving), you ask the horse to turn only pulling hard enough to barely see the corner of his inside eye. If he does not follow his nose, instead of pulling harder, whip is used to tap the horse on the outside ribs and hip to demand that it follows its nose. 

When riding, just as soon as you can see the inside corner of the horse's eye, STOP PULLING and use a whip behind your leg, a spur or some other form of reinforcing the request by using pressure and 'pushing' the horse away from that pressure.

The reins only control the horse's response from the neck forward. If the horse does not willingly turn, pressure must be put on the outside to actually get the correct response.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Do you see him bend to the left when he's out on pasture? Can you get him to bend nicely when leading him? Are you able to try lunging him to the left? If he's running with his pasture mates will he turn to the left gracefully?

If he did this on the track, I'd go with Cherie's guess. He may have even been one-sided enough that he was raced with a pole (common piece of equipment rigged from a pole halter to a ring on the surcingle. It's used to keep a horse from over bending their neck when racing, which can throw them off balance and be dangerous. 

Sometimes, if I get a horse who is one-sided, I will use natural obstacles to add a visual cue to get the bend and follow through that I want while riding at slow speeds. Rocks, trees, whatever is around. I suppose bending around a gate post would work, too, if you don't have anything else


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

> when asked to turn left, he will flex his neck to the left and crab-step to the right


From this description, it sounds like he just over-bends and rubber-necks. I would guess that his stiff side is his right side.

Once a horse starts rubber-necking, it just becomes a habit and they get worse and worse about it until someone steps in and stops pulling on the rein and starts pushing them into the turn -- sometimes with a LOT of pressure. I've had horses that would run off with their head folded all the way around to the rider's knee. I've seen spoiled barrel horses run out the gate or into the fence when they 'blow out' on a barrel and rubber-neck all the way back to the parking lot.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Mental stiffness. He's never been taught to yield to the left. As soon as you ask, he locks up his poll which results in tension running along his back to his hoof. You need to start this is groundwork. Stand by his shoulder facing his shoulder. Take hold of the halter ring with one finger, your pinky and draw his head around in an arc toward your hip. I bet you get about two inches and he yanks his head back. That's ok, just do it over and over until he will bring his nose around and hold it there. Occasionally pop a treat in his mouth to provide incentive. This work is just the beginning because he is bringing his nose around. Next you want to work on having his nose vertical and bringing it around. The reason the pinky finger is used is so you can't out muscle him. You are trying to work him thro a mental issue. Once he's giving a little be sure to push his jaw back to straight alignment before he demands it back. If he won't even give a little, hold a carrot so he can smell it then bring it in the arc and when he's half way to your hip he gets a bite. If he'll follow the carrot that's a good sign he doesn't need a chiro. Do this many times. When you have success with this, and it may take weeks of daily work, there are other exercises to free up his poll.


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