Hi, thanks for your help. I will check out your site.

She is not lame or showing any signs of lameness, she doesn't seem to be in any pain.

I don't know if maybe she is just screwed in the head - that she was in pain after her accident and moved funny/stiff to avoid/ease the pain and now that she is all better her head hasn't got round the fact that she isn't in pain any more.

She used to crouch right down on her back end when the saddle was put on or when anyone mounted - this never happened when my mum went to try her and she was ridden in an ancient rock hard saddle. It was because of the crouching that the vet came out and then she was sent to Dick Vet - they recommended rolled toes on hind shoes and shod every 5-6wks which I do and has been done for past 7yrs. The crouching has improved 90% and it has only happened once this year.

I am willing to try almost anything but I am, personally, a bit wary of chiropractors (both human and equine) as spines can't be manipulated or moved and would a physio not be the best bet for stimulating the muscles? I would really like to find out more though. Thank you again for your help. J x

Hello again! got on to the page you put a link to but unfortunately didn't see pics as took too long to load (our internet connection at work is dreadful!). She sounds lovely though, and at 19 just coming in to her prime!!
Does sound as though she is very stiff and could do with a lot of suppling exercises to help her. This is one of the things I like about western riding, that so much time is spent on suppling before anything else is asked. When I first started I had a horse that was 'as rigid as my kitchen table but not half as balanced'! - my instructor got us doing suppling exercises but I didn't really fully understand the importance until years later. Provided there is no underlying problem if you can get someone to show you the basics you can work on them; if you get her bending and stretching for a few weeks you will help her and certainly notice a difference. If she is stiff and unable to give to you, she is going to want to brace herself and run through your hands, especially given her ridden history and her age. She has probably got into a bit of a habit when you ride her of going on the forehand, leaning into your hand and pulling herself along. They say they learn the wrong things just as quick as the good things!! She needs to be taught to soften, but you will need to spend plenty of time doing it and be very consistent! Personally I'd be inclined to work on that a great deal before even trying to do canter work. Again, providing there is no serious underlying problem, the extra stiffness on one side will be helped enormously by this kind of slow stretching. The suggestion of a visit by the chiropracter is good; together with the exercises it should help.
Are there any western trainers not too far away, that you can get to come to you? Maybe hook up with a few other riders and book a trainer for a days' clinic or something?

The nice thing about western training is that it breaks away from rigid schooling plan rules to what is right for horse and rider.
I' m inclined to agree with amanda - forget about canter and concentrate on suppling for a while. Ideally some sessions with a trainer would put you on the right track - and it doesn't HAVE to be a western trainer as long as they're thinking along the same lines. Alternatively, the one video that's enormously helpful is Bob Mayhew's training video - it's quite old now, but still available in tack shops, and I've seen it on Ebay.

We've got a young quarter horse who's quite lightly built and was a bit weak when we got her. I'm fairly experienced, ride english and have worked hard on fitness and impulsion to help her develop muscle; hubby is more novice but has a fabulous western trainer who gives him work plans which I help him follow.
sometimes we'll literally canter a circuit on each rein to give impulsion and then work on suppleness for the entire session; sometimes we don't canter at all.
Sometimes we stand over a ground pole for 20 mins chatting to other people and then do a couple of steps of side pass.
sometimes, these days I'll do quite a lot of canter work, using counter canter for suppleness while keeping the engine running.
There are no rules, just systems that work for how your horse feels on the day. and as you know, with a mare that can change like the wind!
Good luck - hope you find someone to give you a bit of help and then it's up to you!