# Bending the green horse...



## Hrt4Dressage (May 24, 2008)

I recently broke my 5yo TB mare, and she is doing phenomenally well. She's been under saddle for about 7 weeks, and is walking and trotting, doing some big figure 8's, working on w/t transitions. 
I've started to ask for more consistent circles, rather than the squiggly ones we've been doing  and she's doing well. To the right we're having some trouble getting a bend though. 
Any good exercises anyone uses when teaching the young horse to bend? She either gets it or doesn't get it, hit or miss. typically though she is completely counterbent the first 5 mins, then straight, then I'm able to get a small inside bend. 
I ride dressage, and want to encourage a true bend in the ribcage around my inside leg. I tend to get caught inside my own head at times when I'm working my own horses and hit a mental road block. 
When I flex her to the inside tracking right, she just cuts in and the circle gets smaller, she tends to ignore the inside leg. We don't have this at all to the left, but the bend comes naturally that direction. 

thanks!


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## Doe (Jun 21, 2011)

Hrt4Dressage said:


> I recently broke my 5yo TB mare, and she is doing phenomenally well. She's been under saddle for about 7 weeks, and is walking and trotting, doing some big figure 8's, working on w/t transitions.
> I've started to ask for more consistent circles, rather than the squiggly ones we've been doing  and she's doing well. To the right we're having some trouble getting a bend though.
> Any good exercises anyone uses when teaching the young horse to bend? She either gets it or doesn't get it, hit or miss. typically though she is completely counterbent the first 5 mins, then straight, then I'm able to get a small inside bend.
> I ride dressage, and want to encourage a true bend in the ribcage around my inside leg. I tend to get caught inside my own head at times when I'm working my own horses and hit a mental road block.
> ...


That's entirely natural because of a lack of balance, core stability or muscular preference. I would recommend some in hand groundwork. 

Some basic pole exercises or Sally Swift type work would help specifically for dressage. (some pole exercises in the thread above).

Though not my preference any longer, again for dressage there is a very good book closely focussed on bending for dressage by Oliver Hilberger 'Schooling exercises in Hand' it's the best of those books Ive read for focussing on the detail of the exercises and does have a good attitude towards achieving true flexion vs forced.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

I definitely prefer doing flexion exercises mounted. It is impossible to apply pressure to both the right and the left sides at the same time to achieve true bend as opposed to having a horse move stiffly off of the inside leg and not wrap around it. It takes an outside leg behind the girth to bring the hip in as the ribs are moved out.

I like to explain it as it being not unlike a dance. It is a dance with the inside and outside reins and the inside and outside legs. A little push here and little pull there and little release here and a total release there.

Nothing stays the same and pressure is increased and released as the horse responds. It requires great deal of 'timing and feel' on the part of the rider.

This things cannot be done on the ground. If that is all you are after, a horse's head can be checked around to the back girth on a western saddle. The head can be checked to a bunge cord or a rubber band made from cutting a ring out of an old tire inner tube. This is a short cut and poor replacement for a good rider with good timing and feel.

Instead of cantering endless circles, may I suggest riding 'squares' out in an big open field. This helps develop straightness (more difficult to attain than bend) and puts in bend at each corner. 

Ride a straight line of about 40 meters on the inside lead, at the point you have decided is your corner, canter a 20 meter circle (1 1/4 circle) and continue on in a straight line another 40 meters. Do the same thing all the way around the square.

Then, ride another square on the outside lead. At the corners, make a 20 meter circle to the outside and continue on the square. You will have a 20 meter circle to the outside at the end of each leg of the square. 

When you can make straight line exactly where you want it, make round circle to the inside and outside of your square exactly where you want them you will have a 'really broke horse'. 

First, you have to convince your horse that you mean for him to get off of your inside leg on his stiff side. I suggest going back to the most basic and simple lateral exercise, the leg yielding exercise to get him started. Then, as he complies better, you can add the outside leg behind the girth to keep his hip in. This will prove much harder, but will be necessary to get an 'even and equal' horse that works well both directions. 

You may not realize it, but your horse is probably over-bending or pushing a shoulder out on his limber side. Horses with one stiff and one limber side, usually do this. They will both get better at the same time as you get your horse to better stay between your reins and your legs.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I like that square with circle corner exersize. Need a big place to do it, though.
I would like to try sometime.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

You would not believe how much you can get done riding squares. It is about 100X more effective in getting a horse between your reins and your legs than loping mindless, endless circles.

A 1 acre field is ideal. I start out new students with an orange cone at each corner because they cannot keep it equal and square without them. 

I love to take 'know-it-alls' that think they are really great riders and see how long it takes them to actually get a straight line and a round circle. It is a very 'humbling' exercise.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Hrt4Dressage said:


> I recently broke my 5yo TB mare, and she is doing phenomenally well. She's been under saddle for about 7 weeks, and is walking and trotting, doing some big figure 8's, working on w/t transitions.
> I've started to ask for more consistent circles, rather than the squiggly ones we've been doing  and she's doing well. To the right we're having some trouble getting a bend though.
> Any good exercises anyone uses when teaching the young horse to bend? She either gets it or doesn't get it, hit or miss. typically though she is completely counterbent the first 5 mins, then straight, then I'm able to get a small inside bend.
> I ride dressage, and want to encourage a true bend in the ribcage around my inside leg. I tend to get caught inside my own head at times when I'm working my own horses and hit a mental road block.
> ...


The bend is not the issue but the lack muscle balance and flexibility on your horse.

She cannot comply to your seat/legs because in part she cannot understand what you want and has not developed the muscle memory she needs to understand.

You need to try simple exercises like leg yields and shoulder ins so she understand that you are asking specific things. Any movement that asks her to move her legs to balance herself will help.

She falls in when you do circles because she is crooked ( natural on a green horse) and hasn't the strength to align each hind leg evenly forward in her striding. You need to build her up by getting her to know where her legs are and what to do with them to make it easier for her to do as you ask.


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