Turn on the forehand

[hock]

Just wondered if people teach this to their horses still. Had a bit of a shock today riding a horse for someone and we needed to move right into the hedge and the horses didn’t understand turn on the forehand, it did understand leg yield though. Just meant it had to have its head in the hedge which isn’t ideal! I’m also crap (read lazy) at getting on and off again so it’s great for gates!

 

[Nasicus]

Crazy if people aren't teaching it, it's so easy yet so useful!

 

[teapot]

A much forgotten tool I feel

 

[hock]

I remember learning it as a kid and think I was now the dressage master of the universe .

 

[eggs]

I learned it as a kid too - we had turn about and turn on the forehand (one was from a standstill and the other was from a walk) - great for opening gates, etc.

I guess that as it is not in the dressage tests that people don't see a need for it ?

 

[hock]

I learned it as a kid too - we had turn about and turn on the forehand (one was from a standstill and the other was from a walk) - great for opening gates, etc.

I guess that as it is not in the dressage tests that people don't see a need for it ?

Yes turn about the forehand too!

 

[smolmaus]

It was one of the first things I taught my pony, on the ground and then when ridden too. I must ask that question 5 times a day.

I remember learning it as a kid and think I was now the dressage master of the universe .

Same proper core memory.

 

[ycbm]

Don't people open gates without getting off any more? Essential skill, totf.

 

[hock]

Don't people open gates without getting off any more? Essential skill, totf.

I haven’t been sat here for 5 minutes thinking what does totf mean. Oh no not me

 

[Snowfilly]

Don't people open gates without getting off any more? Essential skill, totf.

Having watched hunt relays at the local county show for years, I can safely say 90% of them do not. It’s always entertaining but from a horsemanship pov, it’s sad.

 

[SEL]

I've never officially taught it to baby cob but we do gates all the time (although his preferred method is bulldoze through them). I saw this post just before I rode so asked him and yes, we can totf both directions. I've never officially taught him leg yield either but we do it all the time on the roads so I think he's got that too.

We won't discuss microcob's view of being asked to do the same. Native pony eye roll - failing to see the point.

 

[Widgeon]

Don't people open gates without getting off any more? Essential skill, totf.

IME a lot of people can't do it. Either their horses barge and get tetchy or they can't get them close enough to the gate to grab it, let alone open it and pivot round it. I'm not brilliant but better than most, largely due to one of our regular short hacks having a total of six gates in a three mile stretch - so I had to figure out how to explain to my horse what was needed! Our YO has young WB types who can get pretty het up when confused, but they've all been saints to do gates after a few months, because needs must.

TBH I think most people just don't hack very much (or don't do what I would call "proper" hacking) so they can avoid the problem most of the time.

 

[smolmaus]

TBH I think most people just don't hack very much (or don't do what I would call "proper" hacking) so they can avoid the problem most of the time.

Some of us only have hacking on roads so the only gate involved is the yard gate Still a good point though, might throw in some gate practise this evening with the arena gate

 

[Widgeon]

Some of us only have hacking on roads so the only gate involved is the yard gate

Oh I'm not blaming individuals, we're very lucky where we are - a lot of England is a pretty hostile place to go for a hack now! Practicing with the arena gate seems like a really sound idea.

 

[smolmaus]

Oh I'm not blaming individuals, we're very lucky where we are - a lot of England is a pretty hostile place to go for a hack now! Practicing with the arena gate seems like a really sound idea.

Try googling bridleways in N Ireland for a laugh.
Don't mean to sound snippy there, I'm just feeling a bit sensitive about this today after being blasted past by a couple of cars last night and being barked at by a loose dog

Would love to have some gates to be terrible at opening and closing

 

[Widgeon]

Try googling bridleways in N Ireland for a laugh.

I had no idea how bad it was over there until a poster on the forum was complaining about it. It's pretty sad really, in a country with such an amazing horse heritage.

 

[Trinket12]

We do turn on the forehand (or forehead as I call it so I can remember what I am moving!) also turn on haunches which I am less good at, mainly because I get my left and right mixed up and often use the wrong aid combo :-( Luckily Sugar can usually figure out what I mean :-D

 

[SEL]

Don't people open gates without getting off any more? Essential skill, totf.

There's a couple on my routes where trying to position the horse is a flipping nightmare - too narrow, over grown spiky stuff, deep mud in winter etc.

The BHS had a "how to open gates" FB post the other day. A beautifully maintained gate, not overgrown with plenty of space either side used as a demo. In my dreams!!

But I hate mounting from the ground which means I hate getting off ..... So everyone has to learn gates.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I can’t imagine not having it. It’s a fundamental. How bizarre.

 

[Kunoichi73]

I did some practice ones in my lesson a couple of months back. RS pony was quite good at them, when I got the aids right.

 

[ycbm]

Some of us only have hacking on roads so the only gate involved is the yard gate Still a good point though, might throw in some gate practise this evening with the arena gate

Me too. I'm deliberately doing the yard gate to train Charlie to totf. He's surprisingly good at it!
.

 

[webble]

Don't people open gates without getting off any more? Essential skill, totf.

A lot of the gate round here aren't well enough maintained to do that sadly, they are hard enough to open and close from the ground

 

[Palindrome]

It's not something I do when schooling as I have read that it can put the horse on the forehand.
I do it a bit on foot but with the horse walking forward so it more of a leg yield type movement.
There aren't any gates to do where I am.

 

[Fjord]

My instructor taught me this a lot, it's a handy exercise.

 

[ycbm]

A lot of the gate round here aren't well enough maintained to do that sadly, they are hard enough to open and close from the ground

I had to give up riding on hundreds of acres I had permission to go on because of this

 

[MiLeTa]

Always thought of it as such a useful thing for them to be able to do, both ridden and on the ground, I don't understand why you (one) wouldn't teach a horse to do it, even if it's not something that will be used often

 

[McFluff]

I use turn on forehand a lot, and turn on haunches. I was taught them both as foundation for lateral work.
There are no gates round our yard that you can do from a horse (some I struggle to do from the ground!).

 

[Boulty]

My equine bulldozer still can’t canter around corners unless massive arena (& struggles with the motivation for maintaining for more than about 6 strides!) but he can turn on the forehand and haunches plus leg yield. Granted all of these things are more polished inhand than ridden right now as he’s not totally straight & correct doing them under saddle yet (my fault) but he can do it to a level where it could be used for gate opening (although he’s still a bit sticky riding one handed, better than he used to be but a work in progress!)

 

[J&S]

I thought being able to do gates correctly was a basic. We get all sorts of gates to open and close for Trec, both on the POR and in the arena, and they have to be done to perfection!

 

[smolmaus]

I thought being able to do gates correctly was a basic. We get all sorts of gates to open and close for Trec, both on the POR and in the arena, and they have to be done to perfection!

Future trec aspirations are a big part of the reason I want to be good at gates

I've never done a turn on the haunches. Thats another fun thing to try.