Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Teena, he has built up lots of muscle on the right side from you posting on that diagonal, and the left shoulder is weak.  I bet if you stood him square and knelt down in front of him, his right shoulder/wither area would be much larger.  I had the same problem when I started this sport 6 or 7 years ago and didn't know to change posting diagonals.  My mare liked me on her right diagonal, so I didn't think about it and always posted there.  One day the farrier mentioned it, and wow, was she lopsided!  

What was recommended to me, and it worked great, was to start posting for brief periods on the weak (left) diagonal as we conditioned.  My mare felt dead lame when I did, and she'd take little skip steps to bounce me back to the right diagonal.  <G>  I'd switch right back.  At first I kept the sessions on the left brief - a few hundred yards - then give her a break by going back to the right for a few minutes.  Then back to the left, back to the right, etc.  As she developed strength on the left, I lengthened the time I'd post on the left.  Within about 2 months, she was balanced in terms of her muscling, and felt the same posting on either diagonal.  She still had her preference for me posting on the left, but I always made sure to spend approx. equal time on each diagonal when riding.  I still make sure to do that with whatever horse I'm riding.

Good luck,
Dawn in East Texas