Lesson 6b Wiggle Tail

Once you have two tracking down in 6a then try moving your horse’s rear to the right and then to the left in one flowing movement. Start out moving the horse’s hind end to the right by placing the left leg and hip on, taking the right leg off, and blocking with your right rein. When the horse moves its hind end over to the right let go with the blocking rein, shift your weight to the right (putting on your right leg and hip and taking off your left leg), pick up your left rein to block the shoulder and the horses rear will move over to the left. You should slide your hip over in the saddle and to do that push a little with the leg you take off the horse’s side. Now you are really moving the hip of the horse back and forth like a clock pendulum. Again lead changes will be easily accomplished when you master this exercise.

Lesson 6a. Two Tracking Down The Center.

Lesson 6a. Two tracking down the center of the arena. This is the two track you were doing in the figure 8 on the fence but without the fence. Walk in a straight line. Start bending and blocking the horse’s head to the left. At the same time start putting right leg pressure on. The horse will be moving his rear to catch up with his head. If you can go in a straight line yet have your horse’s rear steps make a different track than the front then you have accomplished the two track. Just as you did on the figure 8 above on the fence. You will need to move your hip to the right and take your left leg off completely in order to let the horse move freely to the left. This maneuver helps the horse’s coordination, picks the shoulders up, and disconnects the rear. Let him two track this way for several steps then center yourself and let him walk straight again. Then do the same thing again pushing him into the two track for a few steps then straight again all the way down the arena. At the end come back down the arena two tracking the other way off and on just as before. You should be going in a straight line with his shoulders so aim at something on the other end of the arena and try to get his shoulders to go straight there both two tracking and going straight. This movement will be necessary when asking for lead changes, to correct hind end movement in spins, canter departures and straight rundowns. Practice both directions! If you are still confused then think of the rear of the horse as an old clock pendulum moving from one side to the other with the shoulders of the horse as the pivot point.