How to steer a horse? Please help!

[Vindicated]

Teacher number 1 says, for example, if I wanted to turn the horse left, I'd pull the left rein and move my right leg back, behind the girth and push against the horse with it.

Teacher number 2 says if I'm turning left I should pull the left rein and move my LEFT leg forward and squeeze, thereby making the horse "curve around the leg" and turn left.

 

[soulfull]

There is more to it than either of those

you do not pull the inside rein you 'open it' so that the horse can move into the space created, the horse needs an inside leg 'there' to bend around and the outside leg and closed outside rein will tell it to turn.

If you pull the inside rein the horse will just bend neck and you will see outside shoulder bulge out , outside leg will help BUT you need to close outside rein too.

Depending on how the horse moves, ie falls in or out will depend whether you need to use more of less inside/outside leg

 

[Brandy]

I would agree there is more to it than either of those, and also it very much depends on the horse. I seem to ride in a way that results in my horses needing very little in the way of steering, that sounds a little odd - probably best explained by me saying that when I rode a friends horse, which i thought went really quite nicely, I kept nearly crashing into the fence. You have to be a LOT more obvious about any steering commands with her (and I have to say I thought the horse a little stupid - mine would have worked out for themself that they were going to crash if they didn't turn....)

 

[Ginger Bear]

exactly what soulful said above

 

[highlandponygirl]

To turn a horse you would open your inside hand and use your insie leg on the girth to create bend and your outside leg is used behind the girth to control the degree of the bend. You can also practice turning without using your hands, by doing the above without using your hands and looking in the direction you are going it naturally twists your spine in that direction and encourages the horse to go in the same direction.

 

[soulfull]

I would agree there is more to it than either of those, and also it very much depends on the horse. I seem to ride in a way that results in my horses needing very little in the way of steering, that sounds a little odd - probably best explained by me saying that when I rode a friends horse, which i thought went really quite nicely, I kept nearly crashing into the fence. You have to be a LOT more obvious about any steering commands with her (and I have to say I thought the horse a little stupid - mine would have worked out for themself that they were going to crash if they didn't turn....)

yep my horses have always been taught to turn from just seat aids. As for the crashing into the fence, off topic but there are different views on this (so I am told) a horse that waits to be told what told do it better to own and easier to train than one that takes matters into their own hands or hoofs. However some say that you need one to think for themselves in case you get in a pickle so ???

 

[Brandy]

I like mine to be able to think for themselves a little bit, probably why they tend to be a little 'difficult'!!

Generally looking where I want to go tends to work, and thinking 'canter' also seems to work! Or, in one case, I stop thinking 'not canter, not canter. not canter.....'

 

[soulfull]

I like mine to be able to think for themselves a little bit, probably why they tend to be a little 'difficult'!!

Generally looking where I want to go tends to work, and thinking 'canter' also seems to work! Or, in one case, I stop thinking 'not canter, not canter. not canter.....'

yep probably I have found if they think for themselves they are more likely to be a little difficult.

ROFL

 

[maggiesmum]

How about looking where you want to go, asking for a small amount of flexion to the inside and advancing your inside hip. simples!

 

[Vindicated]

So to go right I use my right leg on the girth to bend the horse and my left leg slightly behind the girth to control the bend?

 

[blueneonrainbow]

Yep vindicated thatsright it's more about the leg and seat than the rein ... But make sure you have a decent rein contact to encourage horse not to fall in or out.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Oh but did you guys not see the Parelli show on H&C a few years ago? It was repeated every 15mins! Basically what you do is you get 2 very long white sticks, hold them out in front of you and guide your horse with them! No reins needed! And if the horse doesn't go where you want it to them smack on the side of the head with the stick until it gets the idea!

 

[FanyDuChamp]

There is more to it than either of those

you do not pull the inside rein you 'open it' so that the horse can move into the space created, the horse needs an inside leg 'there' to bend around and the outside leg and closed outside rein will tell it to turn.

If you pull the inside rein the horse will just bend neck and you will see outside shoulder bulge out , outside leg will help BUT you need to close outside rein too.

Depending on how the horse moves, ie falls in or out will depend whether you need to use more of less inside/outside leg

This ^^^ Well put Soulfull.
Don't "pull" at all! Open reins and allow horse to move into the space.
FDC

 

[Tammytoo]

Good advice already given but would query the teaching methods of an instructor who says you should pull the horses head round!

 

[tallyho!]

Good advice already given but would query the teaching methods of an instructor who says you should pull the horses head round!

Oh, I thought it was just like riding a bike???


(sorry, couldn't resist - ignore me, just being silly )