Question on Lateral Flexion and Reset

Cathy sent in a question on lateral flexion. "Hello, I wonder if you could write about some tips for lateral flexion issues in my 4 year old Morgan gelding. The woman who I bought him from tried to start him several times, but had to quit each time due to reoccurring health issues. So I am restarting him from scratch. He is saddle broke so I can ride him around in a arena without any trouble except he is not very responsive when I ask for lateral flexion. After working on this, several days a week over the last 2 months, he still is (most of the time) stiff when I pull on a direct rein to get his head to one side or the other. I understand and use the pressure release concept but as I reach a point where he is stiff I don't feel like I can release because he is not giving. And then very oddly enough, once in a while, or actually more often than not, he will keep his head turned when I release the direct rein and I want to go to the other side. Trying to pull him in the other direction is difficult and I usually have to wait until he brings his head back straight to try again which seems to take a while. Is there anything you can say or suggest that may help?"

I might try starting back on the ground in a halter again as it may help to remove any distractors to your gelding such as you in the saddle. Standing to one side, by the front cinch, or his shoulder if he is not saddled, and try not to ask for a lot at once, but pick up the lead rope, take up the slack and hold just to get a inch or two of lateral flexion. Be aware of your timing. Just as soon as he begins to give lateral flexion, maybe not even giving you anything but just before he does, give him a release. Pet on him, wait 6 or 8 seconds and begin again. This seems like it will take forever, but it will get you to where you want to be faster with the horse understanding how to get the release. You build on how much he gives you.

I think everyone has had these lateral flexion issues. I know I certainly have. Sometimes I have went to bumping a little on the reins for lateral flexion. And bumping is really not the best description, more like a small shake to bring his mind back to the taunt rein asking for that lateral give. If I would get it (the horse giving me lateral flexion) but it wasn't soft, meaning when he does give but remains tense, I would hold and await on him following what I wrote above and it payed off.

What you are describing when your gelding does give you lateral flexion, but still has the brace in there, is like a grudging concession rather than a willing give, if that makes sense. And what you describe being on your horse, once giving to an ask for lateral flexion and him keeping his head turned (basically his nose to your stirrup) after releasing contact of the rein...I have experienced that many times as well. What I used to do is put a little bump or feel in the other rein to the side to direct him back towards the center line. Sometimes I use would put a little bump upwards in the opposite rein to do the same. Neither with good consistent results. But, what works for me these days, and is less confusing to my horses, is that when his head is off to one side and he seems content to keep it there, I'll touch him on the opposite side, usually just behind the front cinch with my spur or inside heel of my boot. And I'm talking about a touch. I am not applying pressure. This will direct his mind to the other side and he will bring his head back to the center. This same thing or concept is also useful during forward momentum when your horse bends his head to the side by moving forward to perhaps look at something. I think most of us want our horses looking where we are going and not to the side. But I am not unrelenting on this. I'll allow a horse to look briefly to one side or another, but it has to be brief and not much of a over bending of his head and neck.

The short video above is my three year old gelding Curly Zeke who is just not that interested in lateral flexion, but what is interesting is that he is good on one side, but less so on the other. I can direct, changing directons, in him moving out, on soft direct rein, its just the standing still lateral flexion asks are not where I would like him to be. In the video I ask him for lateral flexion to the left. His head stays there after the release, so I use my right spur to touch him on the right side, like described in the above paragraph. It serves to bring his mind back to the right with his head and neck moving to the center. I would suggest you play around with this, just remember it's a touch and not a lingering feel on his barrel.