Turn on the forehand help!

[HensPens]

We’ve started trying to teach Henry some lateral work this week. His right rein is terrible.

I need help with turn on the forehand, I’m doing something wrong under saddle and I can’t work out how to fix it.

On the ground I make sure I march him forwards, then slow and stop and gently bend him round the right a little bit and tap him where my leg goes and the back end steps away. If I apply too much right rein his right front leg takes the first step instead of staying still and he sort of pivots round his back end instead of the front.

Under saddle, he just seems to ignore my leg or move forward so I apply more rein and then he steps with the incorrect leg, on the ground I think he finds it easier as he’s stepping his head towards to me.

Help!

 

[Tickles]

Could you get someone to be on the ground when you try this under saddle? That way they can give the aids to start with while the rider (you) is just a sort of passenger. Then, once he has the idea you can give the aids at the same time and gradually take over until the ground person isn't doing anything?

I'm not super-experienced with babies but I did it that way with a young RS horse once or twice.

 

[DiamondSR]

Just what I was going to suggest! This is how I taught my boy turn on the forehand with my instructor - she basically did what you are doing from the ground, but with me on board reinforcing the aids with my legs/rein. He got it pretty quickly after only one session doing this.

 

[Kat]

Have you tried not actually coming to a complete halt before starting? Sometimes this helps, especially if they are getting stuck.

Also make sure you have your weight aids right, the best way it was described to me was to step into my inside stirrup, often when you put your leg on you take your weight off which gives the horse a conflicting message for lateral work.

 

[oldvic]

Halt about 2 metres from a fence/wall then ask the horse to step forward and straight away turn. The fence means you don't need to use the rein to stop the horse walking straight on and if you keep the neck fairly straight then the horse will step under with the inside hind leg.