'Converting' from neck reining to direct and vice versa?

[scruffyponies]

My new sharer has grown up riding in South America. To the mutual confusion of her and the pony, she now finds that she can't steer properly, so I have the interesting task of teaching her to use a direct rein, and the pony to understand if she forgets.

Any tips?

 

[Shay]

If you ride with both hands you can manage a type of "conversion". Rather than pulling back on the rein to turn just open therein. As you do that lay the rein from the opposing had across the neck. Horse gets both the signal they understand and the signal you want them to learn. Just be careful to avoid getting into the habit of crossing the mid point of the neck with the hand. You do that in neck reining and riding one handed but not two handed.

 

[paddy555]

teach the pony to neck rein? a useful skill.

 

[scruffyponies]

I've made a start on teaching the pony to recognise neck pressure, but I've very little experience (other than riding the odd polo pony who already knows the drill). What I'm doing at the moment is a kind of hybrid, where I'm introducing neck pressure alongside the direct rein and leg pressure he already knows.

I saw she crosses over with her hand, which confused the hell out of him. Think I'm going to struggle more instructing her than the horse TBH. Agree that it's a useful thing to teach the pony - I just never thought to!

 

[Landcruiser]

I was going to say teach the pony neck rein too. You'd be surprised how quickly they can pick it up. But if your sharer is crossing over the neck she will confuse him/her. Sledgehammer to crack a nut.
My criollos (both came from Uraguy in 2007) had to be taught about direct rein - they are now fluent in both, but mostly I use neck reining, I find it more subtle and useful.

 

[paddy555]

this is a subject close to my heart ATM as I backed my 4 yo a couple of weeks ago and am doing the neck reining training. I have just googled it and there are several videos that may give you some ideas. I especially liked this link (para 2). Just a very down to earth approach and what I am doing ATM.
https://www.bitterrootranch.com/hadleys-adventures/neck-reining-101/

try it, it's fun.

 

[JFTDWS]

It really shouldn't be a big deal - a lot of horses work to both direct and indirect rein aids. My mare was started to neck rein and we neck rein a lot out hacking and in general work, but direct rein mostly when schooling and jumping. My ponies were trained to direct reins but have learned neck reining as part of their life skills / general training.

That said, it's more important that whatever version is done well - it should be intuitive to the horse, even if unfamiliar, and the rider should have the tact to use as little as necessary and combine aids for clarity during training. So I'd say it's a rider issue rather than a horse training issue - she needs to learn to use her hands more subtly, to use her seat and legs to make it more intuitive to the horse.

 

[splashgirl45]

i had to neck rein with my horse as i had to use him as a lead horse in the riding school and had to take 2 lead rein riders straight away, he seemed to cotton very quickly and so did the other horses in the rs that we had to use as lead horses. it was really easy with all of them...

 

[J&S]

Just by riding along one handed you will teach the horse to move over in either direction.