The Program Lesson 2 Turns

Most of our leg cues are accomplished by taking off pressure rather than applying pressure. Taking pressure off is a reward and therefore he learns from the reward not the pressure. In the following exercises when going to the right, straighten out the right leg and push with your toe. This will take all pressure off the right leg and it will push your hip over to the left side. Keep the left leg on thus taking off the pressure in the direction you wish the horse to go in. When going to the left take off the left leg and push with your toe to slip your hip over to the right while keeping the right leg on. (Exaggerate the hip movement) Thus taking off the pressure in the direction you wish to go. Make sure that your shoulders are on the same side as your hips. Practice this movement while setting still and move from one side to the other. This will need to be a smooth flowing movement from one side to the other. This will make lead changes, spins, circles, and canter departures an easy task. Remember that we always want the horse going away from our weight.
Exercises for the horse:
*note: Always do both sides
1. Bend while standing still. If the horse moves while you’re trying to bend hold until it comes to a complete relaxed stop. (We want the horse to be flexible and unafraid of being confined or turned)(No leg pressure for this exercise) The goal is to get him soft, bending towards your foot.
2. Guiding while walking (following head). Do this both directions make sure you do not drop your shoulder or turn your shoulders into the turn. We want the horse to learn to follow his head, this will aid in guiding the horse in circles and spins. Make sure that the rear does not travel out but follows the head. Remember to put your hip weight away from the direction of the turn as outlined above. Using your left leg and left hand going to the right. Lay your left rein across the horses neck (no pulling) at the same time applying pressure with your left leg. With the right hand pull the horses head to the right and release immediately. If you keep pulling it gives him something to pull back against and resist your cue. Don’t pull with your indirect rein, as this helps him to react to the left rein across his neck, thus teaching him to neck rein. Next try going to the left using the right rein across his neck with right leg pressure. If he does not point his nose in the direction of the turn pull him with the left rein (direct rein) to get him to point his nose and move in that direction. (following his nose). This should take weeks on a beginner horse and sometimes more on an older horse that does not neck rein. Then do this same exercise at a trot. When this starts working pretty good then cross the reins over the horse’s neck and place them in one hand. (going across the hand so each rein comes out one by the first finger and the second out by the little finger. You may use your free hand to do the pull and release maneuver whenever you need to re-direct his nose. As the horse advances he should automatically turn his noise away from the indirect at all gates. Spend lots of time on the walking before going to the trot!