My Horse Won’t Turn Right

And Oh Yea He Bucks Too!!

QUESTION:
My horse will not turn right and I am planning to try out for rodeo queen in less than a month. She also bucked me off not too long ago. Please help!
ANSWER:
It sounds like you don't have much time to fix this problem. Unfortunately there is not a real quick fix for the issues you are having with your horse. There are a lot of reasons a horse may not turn right or bucks, but aside from a physical ailment then I would say your horse has some holes in his foundation. These issues are just symptoms of a much bigger communication problem. However, if you work real hard and smart you may have enough time to improve before the competition. First you will need to break the problem down into pieces then fix each piece before putting it all back together.
CAUSE:
It is wise to start with trying to figure out what is causing these issues,
1. Physical: (Is the horse in some kind of pain or lameness? Is he too tired?)
2. Right-Brain: (Is he afraid or misunderstanding what you want?)
3. Left-Brain: Is he argumentative? (Doesn't want to go forward or turn right?)
4. Adrenaline: (Does the horse have too much energy, not paying attention?)
5. Bored: (Does the horse lack motivation, and not see a purpose?)
SOLUTIONS:
Quite often the solutions to many problems you have with a horse involve:
1. Improve ground skills before riding. (Do exercises on the ground which will directly transfer to the saddle)
2. Improve your independent Seat: (Riding with more fluidity by moving with the horse NOT against him. Make sure your weight is level and on your balance point. Check that you are NOT leaning forward and keep your legs loose, NOT gripping, etc.)
3. Improve your Communication. (Have crystal clear intention with a strong focus, soft feel, and timing with release which is meaningful to the horse)
4. Improve your ability to read the horse. (Observe behaviors quickly, assess the situation and provide an immediate and appropriate response before things get out of hand.)
5. Improve the learning frame of mind of both you and your horse. (Think things through and learn how to get and keep your horse’s mind. Let him think and solve problems. Help him find the right way.)
GUIDELINES:
1. First check for any signs of physical lameness or injury, especially on his right side?
Don’t look only at his legs and feet; also look at his rib cage, shoulders, neck, teeth, or even an eye sight problem. If you find anything suspicious then have your vet inspect your horse. You can’t blame a horse for not turning right or bucking if his saddle fits poorly which causes pinching when you ask him to turn right or move out. If there are no signs of physical ailments hindering the horse from performing then it is time to look at your horsemanship skills.
2. Do you really have your horse's attention when you are riding him? When a horse is NOT being attentive to us he is thinking more about the other horses, the barn, the next bite of grass, the wind blowing something in the trees, etc. When this happens you need to stop and bring the horse’s attention back before you ask the horse to do anything. Remember you need to be doing things together.
You can do this many ways, (a shift of your weight, a bend of the head, a step back, a tap of your foot, etc.) If it is really bad you may have to get off and do some ground exercises to get his attentiveness. Sometimes it is easier to gain it back on the ground first then mount back up.
You know your horse is paying attention to you, if he has an ear on you, he is feeling of you, being responsive, and asking you questions like, "What should I do next?" (You can see this in the horse’s expression and feel it when he hesitates for further instructions.) If the horse is not able to stand still and is taking over going where he wants when he wants then he isn't paying any attention to you and you need to get this fixed before you worry about trying to teach him to go to the right.
3. If the horse is scared or worried this would be a sign of lack of trust between you and the horse. It is your job to help your horse feel ok inside with what you are asking him to do on the outside. Your horse may be unconfident about having things on his right side or traveling in that direction, so you need to slow down and help him gain some confidence about doing things on this side. The best way to do that may be starting with some ground work from his right side like: (desensitizing to all kinds of objects, lateral flexion, shoulder yields, HQ yields, side passing, and circling). Until the horse is real confident with you doing things on that side turning may continue to be difficult.
By doing these exercises from the ground you can help your horse be more calm, willing and attentive whenever you ask anything of him while on his right side. After these things are easy to perform on the ground then start to transfer these same kinds of exercises into the saddle. The most important being desensitizing, lateral flexion, and shoulder yields.
4. If your horse is misunderstanding your cues this would be a sign of poor feel on your part or lack of clear communication. You need to learn how to have better feel in your whole body and reins that says, “I'm going to the right. How about you, will you come with me?” Instead of you need to go right even if you don’t understand my cue. The horse needs to give well to the bit, and you need to know the difference between a direct and indirect rein. I would start over riding with two hands until the horse is responding well before I go back to asking with one hand.
If you are NOT crystal clear about how you direct your horse to the right, and if you don't wait patiently for the slightest try releasing him as soon as he makes any effort, then you are creating a situation where you are frustrating the horse even further. Being very soft, patient and consistent with your cues which are progressive adding more support and intensity when needed will go a long way to helping your horse understand what you want. Demanding too much, being too quick and harsh, then quitting before the horse is clear about what you want will cause non-compliance from the horse.
5. If your horse is argumentative even though your cues are clear and you are sure the horse understands this could be a sign of lack of respect. You can't blame the horse for this, because you have to earn respect. If he is used to pushing you around on the ground then it won't change when you get on his back, in fact, it usually gets worse. Or maybe you haven’t earned his respect because you act like a dictator who keeps telling your horse "no don't do this or this and not that either", instead of here let me help you find the right answer to what I am asking you to do, then when you get it I'll reward you.
If your horse is simply unwilling even though he knows what you are asking, then it is your job to figure out a way that motivates him to want to comply with a willing heart. The best way to do this is to help him feel better about what you are asking him to do. I think of releasing the horse into the movement and then rewarding him as quick as possible. (Some rewards may be getting to stand still and do nothing, cantering about if your horse likes to run, a scratch or pet in their favorite place, turning towards the other horses or barn where he wants to go anyway, a treat on a barrel, or a munch of grass with your permission). You have to create a situation where there is something in it for the horse if you want him to be 100% willing. Sometimes when a horse is attentive, there are no physical limitations, he is confident, the cues are clear, he understands exactly what you are asking, and he respects you and wants to please, he may not see any reason in going to the right. Maybe he isn’t willing because he is bored with the, “Same OL’ Same OL’.” You need to become more provocative and interesting to the horse. Help him see a purpose in what you are asking him to do. An obstacle to go around, a gate to go through to the right, a corner to follow, a ball, another horse, or cow to go with or a pattern to perform can give your horse new motivation. Patterns or obstacles give your horse a reason to perform and security about what is expected. But if a pattern is over done it can become drill, well when this happens then it can work against you too. It is all about balancing your act with your horse, according to his point of view.
6. If you are locked up or bracing on one side of your body, you are preventing the horse from turning or may even be causing the bucking. If you are squeezing your thighs together this causes your seat bones to be disconnected from the horse through his back. Bracing in your body can also prevent a good feel in your hands creating a disjointed feeling to the bridle which is your connection to the feet.
It is also important to think about footfall when turning your horse. Asking for a right turn just as the left front foot is hitting the ground and just as the right front foot is leaving the ground will cause the turn to be easier for the horse, because you are actually placing the right front foot to the right as it hits the ground. Asking when the foot is already under the horse makes for big bracing strength against the rider.
CONCLUSION:
Start with getting your horse attentive, calm, and in a learning frame of mind, next get him bending soft laterally and giving to the bit willingly, then make sure you are not bracing in your body and that you are using your core not just your reins to turn the horse and lastly get in time with his feet. Oh and don't forget about impulsion (meaning your horse goes forward real nice). When all these things are in place you will set your horse up for success turning right or doing just about anything else you want him to do and he’ll most likely also stop bucking.

If you don't know how to do the things listed above I suggest you get some professional help for YOU! I don't mean send your horse to a trainer, because it is a mutual learning experience for both you and your horse that will benefit you the most.

PS: Our Friendly Warning: There is always some risk involved in horse training for both you and the horse. Horses can cause serious injury. Be sensible and don’t attempt anything that is outside your comfort level. Any information in this article or that we present through any of our programs are intended to illustrate how we apply our training techniques with success. However you are responsible for using this information wisely. If you don’t feel comfortable with your abilities or an exercise, don’t do it! Seek advice or assistance from a professional before attempting things beyond your skill or confidence level. Stay on the "high side of trouble".
Keep it natural and above all KEEP IT SAFE!
Warmly,
Sherry