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The Ming and I

Like most training, to teach a horse how to neck rein is very repetitive. Start with pushing with the right rein across the neck and using your right leg to get them to turn to the right. If they don't respond, reach down and gently tug the left rein with your free hand to make them turn. and repeat. Eventually, they'll figure it out. Hope this helps!

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The Ming and I

 

I am confused about leg commands. Can you tell me, when you want to turn to the right you obviously rein to the right, but is it correct to place pressure on the left side with your leg to cue them to go right? I took lessons from one gal who told me that you place pressure on the opposite side of which you wish to turn. Another trainer didn't mention anything about that. When I asked her she said that when you are in a round pen, you place pressure on the side of the horse of which you want him to lead on. So, when he would proceed into a lope the leg which will lead is the one which from which side I placed leg pressure.

 I am very curious to hear what you all have to say about it. I appreciate your responses.

Karen

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First you have to understand what the cue actually is asking for... then you will inderstand which leg to use when. 

I think of there being 3 distinct spots on the horses side for cues.  It actually isn't that cut and dry but for now lets think of it that way.  They are in fact very clost together but horses are very sensitive and know the difference.  I define the 3 spots as 1)slightly forward of where your leg normally lays, 2)where your leg lays, and 3)slightly behind where your leg lays.  A horse should be taught to move AWAY from the pressure of your leg. 

Spot 1 controls the front part of the horse... the shoulder/front legs.

Spot 2 controls the middle part.... the barrel/rib cage

spot 3 controls the hind part.... haunch/hind legs

Spot 1 controls the direction of the horse.  Most people think of the bit as doing most of the control but in fact it should be your leg doing most of the control with the bit as a reinforcement of the leg cue.  Horses that are well trained can be controlled almost exclusively from your leg.  So when you want your horse to turn you would put pressure on spot 1 to get your horse to move his shoulders away.... ie if you want to turn to the right then you would use your left leg to "push" his shoulders away from your leg in the right direction

Spot 2 controls lateral movement.  Think of it as a kind of combination of 1 & 3.  This is what you would use to ask your horse to side pass.  If your horse is in an arena or round pen and is not staying on the rail... drifting into the center... you can apply pressure with your inside leg to "push" him back to the rail without actually turning.

Spot 3 controls the driving force... the hind end.  The most important time to control the driving force is when its being used the most... at the lope.  If the driving force is not going in the correct direction then you end up with the front end in the wrong direction and an incorrect lead.  As you prepare your horse to lope ask his hind end to take half a step in the direction of the lead you want, then ask for the lope.  For example, if you want the left lead, ask for half a step to the left using your right leg to push his hind end where you want it. 

 Of course horses never make it that easy.  Just because you ask for one part of the horse to move doesnt mean the other parts stay where they are supposed to.  So when I start a young horse I teach them to move all the peices independently without moveing the other parts.  They learn to pivot (like reiners who spin).. they are keeping their hind end stationary while moving their shoulder.  Then they learn a turn on the forehand... keeping their front legs stationary while moving their hind end and lastly how to move them together laterally. 

You then teach them the same basic ideas at the walk jog and lope.  Horses that learn to do that slow western pleasure lope have complete control of all their parts and are able to slow themselves down because of that control..

Hope that helps you some

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karenshorse wrote:

 

The horse is to move away from the pressure so yes, if you want the horse to move right, you push with the left leg.  You cue your canter (lope) lead with the outside leg because the horse needs to move his hips to the inside to pick up the correct lead - again, moving away from the pressure.

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On Earth as it is in Texas

 

That helps clear up some confusion. To teach these commands to the horse, you use repetition? How do you teach them the correct lead in say for instance in a round pen when you go from a walk/trot into a lope? If you are moving to your right in the round pen you would want them to lead on the outside leg, or the left leg and visa versa..? How do you teach them to change leads? Some horses I heard have their favored side to lead.

(I appreciate your advice)....

Karen

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You always want the inside leg to lead.  If your horse is going counter clockwise then you want the left leg to lead and vice versa. 

I do use repetition but its more than that.  Its teaching them how to control the different parts of their body.  You can't just ask and ask and ask and hope they get the picture one day.  Its like teaching a kid to read.  You start at the very begining and build up to what you want.  So to teach a horse to neck rein I start with teaching them to back up and give to the bit, then moving the shoulder, hip and rib cage seperately at the standstill and jog.  Then teaching them to keep their spine from pole to tail aligned.  Once all those key steps are gained then you can ask for neck reining because they have all the tools to understand how to do it. 

Its the same for picking up the correct lead.  Some horses do have a favorite side but it shouldnt be a problem if the horse is worked both ways correctly.  Dont think of it as teaching the end product (correct lead) think of it as teaching  the horse all the tools they will need to know how to pick up the correct lead.  As I stated above the horse will have to know how to keep his spine alligned and move his hip without moving his shoulder.  Once he knows that you can ask for the lope and the horse is in the perfect possition to take the correct lead. 

I wish there was a video that showed all these steps clearly.  So far I havent seen one.  If you know what your asking its all very simple.... which is why you can have a 2 yr old futurity horse look so good (even though I dont really agree with starting them so early)

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