hes 16.1, deep girthed and seven years old. prior to me owning him he was a bit of a paddock basher. i'm trying to turn him into an eventer, so dressage is needed. i can get him to stretch down and go into a prep frame, but as soon as i try to go to a prelim frame he leans. SO MUCH. i don't have heavy hands, and i ride him reasonably forwardly. any exercises to stop it?:) x.
When he falls on the forehand give him a little "bump" in the mouth and see if he lifts back up. Also you can try walking and then trotting next to a fence and turning him into it. This will usually lighten the forehand.
Keep him moving foreward-but balance him up with his forehand with your outside rein. Half Halt is what its called-Idk what level rider you are, but the Half-Halt is a quick squeeze and release of your outside rein. Squeeze AKA sqeeze your fingers and hand tight-which is also called closing your outside rein-bend him with your inside rein by opening your inside rein (moving it out-away from his neck. not back, not foreward, but out.)
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Then half halt-that will bring his headset up, stop him from leaning, and help him lift his forehand and lighten his front end.
If you get NO response from your squeeze release. Give a jab on his mouth. Say HEY common I meen it!
Then always go back to being nice again. Next time you half halt-make it soft squeeze release. Slowly you are teaching him to respond to the squeeze. As for now-you will have to get tough and say do you hear me?? Then go back to being quiet and soft.
If he's leaning on the forehand, it means that you need to get the hind end moving and working more. Lateral work and many, many transitions will help with that.
try :
-Cavalettis in a bounce. He'll have to pick himself up
-Half halt HARD
-Pick up your inside hand and sit up
