Posted 2014-06-01 2:40 PM Subject: horses better on one side than the other
Expert
Posts: 2685
I know that all/most horses have one side better than the other but to what extent? My mare is broke- broke but is dumb on the right side compared to the left. She can flex, side pass, counter arc, spin on her haunches, walk with her hip overly under her, yada yada all on the left side and can do it on the right but only about 1/2 as good. To the left I just have to tell her with a light bump of my foot or rein but to the right I have to constantly bump/ ask her for what I want. Its harder for her to process mentally and do physically. I did just have a lameness issue resolved April 1 and it made a world of difference to the right and I feel like she is getting better slowly but not where I feel she should be.
Do you think this is just her being better on the left mentally or do you think she needs to gain that muscle and know- how to the right now that she is 100% sound?
Basically I ask because her lameness issue caused her to not turn/ launch from the 1st barrel properly and she now turns and finishes it beautifully but I don't trust her to RUN at it because she doesn't rate it very well at that speed but we have also NEVER ran to the first barrel and turned it properly due to her not being finished and having that prior issue. We are currently high loping/ cruising to the 1st barrel at the jackpot and I am working on her at home about shortening her stride, collecting and rating when my body language says to do so. I want to gradually get up to a run where she will do those things on the pattern at the first barrel going a faster speed. To the left (2 & 3) it was much easier for her to learn and she didn't have the lameness issue on that side to worry about.
horses better on one side than the other
