Teaching a horse to rein back, Explain this to me...

Queenbee

Queenbee

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 August 2007
Messages
12,020
Location
Cumbria
Visit site
As most of you well know, my baby boy has now been undersaddle for a little over six months... he is doing so well and in the last month has started some schooling 'in the school' as opposed to just whilst out hacking. Anyhow, the thing I have been focusing on is getting him a bit more focused and going nicely... doesnt have to be in an outline, but he does have to be working properly. Ive been doing lots of up and down transitions (Halt, walk, trot). I also started to include a step of rein back... the second one leg moves back he has a pat and moves forwards. Now for my aim, this has been fantastic, his back comes up, he drives from the back, not pulls from the front (if you get my drift) and its just really benefited him.

Anyhow, thats the history, now back to the topic. Teaching rein-back. Can someone please explain to me, why I applied my aids (young horse I know) kept repeating clearly and using a vocal command and got flipping no where:rolleyes:. So I stop, take a breather, collect myself, close my eyes and 'imagine' the act of backing up, ad a very subtle feel on the reins and my body just magically adjusts and transmits the signal that my boy understands every time! I have heard about this before, but my god I was impressed. I was clearly over thinking things, but when I just 'imagined' the action I needed to do, I got the desired result. I was amazed that it worked so effectively with such a young and green horse, thats a method I will use again :D

*Edited by admin* See how Michael Eilberg teaches his horses to rein back: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/how-to-teach-your-horse-rein-back-509828
 
I cannot explain it but I do believe it!

Many times I have been riding to a X roads and thought in a picture of the direction I want to go and the horse has followed my thoughts.

May times when a horse has been a problem to load for someone I have taken the animal, walked it around for a minute or two and it has followed straight into the trailer/lorry. I 'think' them in with no doubt that they will follow.

The old saying "Throw your heart over a fence and the horse will follow" bodes true!
 
I think its probably some form of combination of positive thinking, Imagination of the act (subtly changing your posture), and perhaps some other form of communication. I really don't know, but I was so impressed that such a young horse was able to pick up and interpret the subtle cues correctly. Very proud of my rein back pro!
:D

Of course it could go some way to explaining why some horses predict their movements in dressage (even if they have not gone through the test at home). The rider is thinking about the transition before it happens, the body posture subtly changes and the horse pics up on this.

Im sure there is a name for this style of 'thinking/imagining' riding, someone I know was once explaining it to me... you start with more amplified cues, and slowly the subtlest of 'imaginings' can cause the desired response because the horse is clued up to the subtle shift of your posture. However, again, for such an inexperienced baby to 'get' what I was asking... very pleased :D
 
Last edited:
I believe entirely it works. But I believe its entirely down to very subtle body language that we don't usually even notice ourselves, but the horse does. My oldie & I communicate this way the majority of the time, & I've done it plenty of times with others too. It's like a more refined way of the manner horses pick up a rider who is tense or nervous.
 
Sounds brilliant, Tigger was much like that. I often tried imagining him by the gate waiting to be caught rather than the other side of the field through the mud, sadly it never worked!
 
On a more serious note I think when you try too hard your body language just ends up all wrong particularly with a newly backed youngster they've not been spoiled by too much over riding and so are particularly sensitive to our minor adjustments, it's a lovely feeling :-)
 
guesstimation said:
On a more serious note I think when you try too hard your body language just ends up all wrong particularly with a newly backed youngster they've not been spoiled by too much over riding and so are particularly sensitive to our minor adjustments, it's a lovely feeling :-)
Click to expand...

Yes, I must admit I thought that too. I was a lovely easy feeling... There was me working like stink to try and get him to RB, but once I just threw it all away and imagined it... It really was effortless :D. Definitely going to try some more bits of his training with that approach! Oh and just to make you green with envy, he always waits at the gate for me too! :D
 
Littlelegs said:
I believe entirely it works. But I believe its entirely down to very subtle body language that we don't usually even notice ourselves, but the horse does. My oldie & I communicate this way the majority of the time, & I've done it plenty of times with others too. It's like a more refined way of the manner horses pick up a rider who is tense or nervous.
Click to expand...

Yep. Daughter rides most of our horses this way, she 'thinks' it and they do it. I think as you relax and become less tense your body language is easier for the horse to read. Sadly it doesn't work for her 100% of the time but she can do canter/halt transitions which are quite impressive and has also 'thought' two of them into turning on the haunches... when she tried to do it the logical 'approved' way the results were total confusion.

I reckon it is also a measure of the relationship you have with your horse. He's a good lad Queenbee!
 
Ladyinred said:
Yep. Daughter rides most of our horses this way, she 'thinks' it and they do it. I think as you relax and become less tense your body language is easier for the horse to read. Sadly it doesn't work for her 100% of the time but she can do canter/halt transitions which are quite impressive and has also 'thought' two of them into turning on the haunches... when she tried to do it the logical 'approved' way the results were total confusion.

I reckon it is also a measure of the relationship you have with your horse. He's a good lad Queenbee!
Click to expand...

Naww, thanks :D yes, I think there is also the age old issue that if we get confused, or fail in our attempts to communicate, our body will naturally tense up, if only for a moment, and tensing will 'block' the signal we are trying to send to the horse.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top