Teaching Rein Back?

[ElliePippa]

Was wondering if anyone knew how to teach a horse to rein back? Pippa only does it when she spooks

Only as I would like to add it into my equitation show, to gain extra points, as it were

Thankyou All

x

 

[Louby]

Im not sure if this is technically correct but I rode to the corner of our school so his head was facing the fence and he was stood along side the other fence. I lightened my seat, put my lower legs behind the girth and gently tweaked the reins. He did resist at first but soon took a step backwards. The fence at the side helps you keep straight and obviously the fence at the front stops you going forward. Dont do it all the time though as if shes anything like my horse, she will anticipate it each time you stop and just start to rein back of her own accord. Once you get a few good straight steps you can then try it away from the fence. Oh and always praise praise praise.
Good luck.

 

[kerilli]

it's easiest if you get a helper on the ground to assist the first few times, and to give the horse a push back on the chest while saying Back as you apply the aids, makes it easier for the horse to understand without you needing to use stronger aids.
I was taught: it has to begin from a good halt, square (feet exactly parallel) in front at the very least, ideally behind too. If not, repeat halt until you get a good balanced halt, this helps enormously. Lighten seat and slide both legs back along horse’s sides, I don’t push inwards, the sliding back is enough of an aid. Just hold with the hands, don’t pull (makes them hollow), just block forwards movement. I use my voice to begin with too. Be happy with a stride or two to begin with, slide legs forward and ask horse to walk forward immediately, always, and praise. If horse swings 1/4s, use side of arena or poles to help. Repeating frequently, and always asking softly, is the way to get good, non-resistant, rein-backs.
if it's to put in a show, and the horse is a quick learner, you could do rein back to trot or to canter, the going forward is the easy bit! hope that all helps.

 

[1275gta]

Teach from the ground first and get them to do it with voice command then get on and it should happen, may take a while though.

 

[lauraandjack]

One of my old instructors told me that you will never get a horse to go backwards happily until it is going forwards happily.

As others have said start gradually and build up, either on the ground yourself or a helper on the ground, lots of praise and reward even a single step backwards initially, don't try and get a full rein back in the beginning, increase gradually as the horse comes to understand what you are asking for.

 

[camilla4]

Nothing to add about teaching the move but just one thing to look out for. Make sure that, when the horse is moving back, that it is doing so by moving diagonal legs and not doing a four-time walk, which can happen if they are rushing.

 

[Pedantic]

I managed to get his lordship to understand the command "back" while teaching it to him from the saddle, once he took a step back and has done what was asked then praise, leave it for a while, then do it again and take a couple of steps then leave it again, as others have said plenty of praise when they do it, I use the same command "back" when on the ground when grooming etc.