Teaching Travers, Renvers, Half Pass and Reinback?

[BronsonNutter]

Basically, how do I go about teaching those four?
I've ridden all four, although that was on a much more experienced horse who just did them providing I put my legs where I was told to, and was only at walk

There may be marshmallows on offer for anyone who can help

 

[ecrozier]

Will be interested to read replies! Guess its all about getting the basics absolutely nailed in terms of being able to position the horse exactly where you want him/her, and then gradually introducing aspects of each? For example although we are a long way off actually teaching trav/renvers to my 5 year old, we do expect him to when asked move his quarters in off the track away from my leg? Reinback - useful to start with someone on the ground and a firm vocal 'back' in my (very limited experience! That is how we started both mine though and both do a reasonable rein back now!

 

[tigers_eye]

Reinback should be taught asap I feel, you never know when you might need it! Echo having someone on the ground to teach it, and never ever get upset, it's one of the easiest movements to screw a horses head up about. First the horse needs to do it well from the ground (do along a wall or halt between poles and do it), then with rider on board and transfer aids gradually. May take several sessions.

Re travers, renvers and half-pass, they are all degrees of the same movement. Start with travers (quarters-in along long side with bend in direction of travel). Until the horse is consistently offering the movement correctly, without resistance, loss of rhythm or relaxation don't try the others. In terms of explanation of the movements the classic Podhasky (sp?) The Complete Training of Horse & Rider has good diagrams and descriptions on all lateral work. I think there is also a good video I've watched with LB on Horsehero, either the one where she's preparing for a Medium test in the outdoor arena, or where she's teaching Claire Gallimore on her pony.

 

[Booboos]

Reinback you can teach long before the others, but as above take it gently as some horses get confused and then offer it all the time. At any sign that the horse is reining back all on his own stop the training and do something else for a while before you return to it. Either teach it yourself on the ground and then ask ridden with the voice command or get someone on the ground to help you.

The others are best taught when you have a good shoulder-in and leg yielding. Start with travers on the long side and then you if you can do this on the diagonal you basically have a half-pass. The renvers I've never used myself I don't know why it seems to be slightly out of fashion!

 

[Miss L Toe]

Reinback, we have to assume the horse takes a contact by this time, and has had ground training, OK, put him parallel to the wall and halt, then rise slightly in the saddle weight forward for an instant [this is the signal] just take the contact and squeeze lightly, he can't go forward, he must go back. Go back a few strides as long as he is not resisting, relax, briefly hold him in the halt, and walk on. do not worry about placement of the hind legs at this stage, always, always make sure he halts square at the front. don#t over do it, three reps is good enough.
i would get an instructor in for the other exercises as she will tell you when to use the aids, and when he is doing it right, one lesson will teach leg yield at walk and trot, and after this is established, you can move on.

 

[stencilface]

Lol - don't think above post is very relevant

Nothing more to add to what's been said

 

[cundlegreen]

Rein back is an essential, but remember that it must be a forward movement, in that you ride forward into a restricting hand. Ask for one step back with voice command, and then ride forward out of it by releasing the hand. You will find that your horse will get much more "off" the leg this way. I have to do this in Driving classes, and all too often you see horses disappearing backwards at high speed! Very alarming! By doing it step by step, the horse is waiting for your command, not going behind the bit. I also use alternate leg aids as I ask.

 

[BronsonNutter]

Thankyou T_E, I will look up how much that book is (but only after exams - really should be reading things about embryology and histology at the minute, not lateral work ) - only one of the books I've got has anything about lateral work and even then it's just a 'ask for traver/halfpass/leg-yield' - which is not useful!

Today Wilby did a few reinbacks - had to say 'back, back, back' for every step at first but towards the end I only had to speak for the first step, so it's an improvement. Very wiggly but it was very windy and the field was fenced with electric on one side, wire on two others and the final side was open, so couldn't really have a 'barrier' for him. Next time I will find a better field

Didn't try the travers though, how is best to ask for that sort of bend? He does shoulder in and leg yields quite well (if he's awake) but I don't want to confuse him - I have a feeling he will think I'm asking for a shoulder in...