[saraa]

how do u do this .. i my horse wont do it unless i hall as hard as i possible can any advise >??

[tn walker]

I like to teach a horse to back from the ground first. Start by using pressure on the reins/halter and pressure on the horse's chest to get them to back, while taking steps towards them. Eventually do this without pushing on the chest. Once they can do this easily from the ground, try it from the saddle. If your horse is not responding still, then have a helper on the ground put pressure on the horse's chest as you GENTLY sponge the reins while applying a bit of leg. When your horse does take even the tiniest step backward, stop all pressure from leg and rein and reward him with a rub.

[Simon Says]

if you run your hand down your horses neck, it indents in where the vein is, if you push on that , the horse will back up. ok sorry i thought you ment on the ground, on there back i wrap my legs around thier neck and apply pressure and pull lightly on the reins, when he gives in i let go say whoa and praise!!

[belle4]

on there back i wrap my legs around thier neck and apply pressure and pull lightly on the reins, when he gives in i let go say whoa and praise!!

This has to be a typo or a joke?

[Simon Says]

no i am serious!!!!!!! crazy i knw, but i was playing around on my mare i she just sated to back up, so i tried it on other horses it sometimes it worked!!!

[Shotgun93]

Simonsays - I use this method too, but first we work on it from the ground as tn walker said, but then when I am riding, I put my legs forward, way up by the neck. eventually all I have to do is put my legs slightly forward and he backs up. It looks a lot better to the judges then me hauling back on his head to get him to back.

[belle4]

Come on you two. That is the silliest thing I have ever heard. Cueing the horse on its neck with your feet. I bet you would not find that type of training in any horsemanship book. Here is how I teach to back up. I start just like tn walker:

I like to teach a horse to back from the ground first. Start by using pressure on the reins/halter and pressure on the horse's chest to get them to back, while taking steps towards them. Eventually do this without pushing on the chest. Once they can do this easily from the ground, try it from the saddle. If your horse is not responding still, then have a helper on the ground put pressure on the horse's chest as you GENTLY sponge the reins while applying a bit of leg. When your horse does take even the tiniest step backward, stop all pressure from leg and rein and reward him with a rub.

In addition, your seat makes a huge difference in the way your horse responds. While mounted you have to adjust your seat so to encourage your horse to move backwards. This is going to be really hard to explain, but here goes. You want to push your butt bone out behind you and sort of roll your thighs forward. Think of pushing the horses spine out behind you with your body. I will have to get some pictures of what I am talking about.


When my horses feel me in this position, they will back up with no rein at all. They would back up in the pasture with no tack, completely free. This is how the western pleasure riders get that perfect, draped rein back up in the line up as the judge is walking by.

Always use the body language, ask for one step and then relax your body. Use the rein at this point just to discourage forward motion. Then have your goal be more than one step, but release the rein after one step. If the horse quits backing, use the rein again. The goal would be to pick your hand up as little as possible and still have the horse moving backwards. Your seat will provide the direction, your leg the speed.

[Simon Says]

you are right!! you will never find any of that in a book, that is something i stubbled across on my own, i dind't say it is a sure thing, i said i tried it and i had SOME sucess.

[Super_Trooper]

OMG, I could not imgine seeing that! LOL

I teach them on the ground, to move away from pressure. Veruca is a pro.

[tn walker]

I have to say that I'm in agreeance with Belle.....It would be much easier and inconspicuous to teach a horse to respond to leg/seat and light rein than by dropping both stirrups and hugging the horse around the neck with your legs....If you are training for show, you can't exactly do that in the pen....Also I would think that it puts you in a dangerous position should your horse spook at something or catch you off guard.

The ONLY time that I ever use my leg in front of the cinch/girth is when asking my horse to park out from the saddle. Other than that it is pretty severly penalized from a judge's standpoint in any division.