One reined riding :o

[mayoguinness]

My one rein riding is a bit depressing seeming as we seem only to be able to go on that rein!! lol. Yet if I have two reins and don't use them I can controle him using none:D Strange really. Practising it for ages today and now my legs hurt as I was sitting on him bareback practising flexing him on the reinless side for ages with little sucsess!!:rolleyes: Anyone else have this problem???

[capalldubh]

I am impressed you can flex him on the reinless side - how do you do that (when it works :D )?

I too was sitting for hours bareback this morning practising flexing, but I am not so confident and have attached a lead rope to the other side of the halter (cheating I know...).

[Teehee]

I thought one reining was that you held both reins in one hand?? :confused:

[mayoguinness]

I just imagine a rein in my other hand, lift, reach and relax to ask for the flex and then put a tiny bit of leg on so he gets the idea!! quite tricky but hes getting there!! :D

Not in the NH world Teehee.lol

[Shadowlark]

It's an excellent excercise to reduce dependance on reins, and put more ownership on your seat and your weight towards controling the horse. It also asks your horse to think more and puts more emphasis on him being responsible for himself. Stacey Westfall has turned it into an art although with her it's no reins.. bridle.. bit.. or saddle :).

TeeHee, you are thinking of Neck reining :)

[Teehee]

I just imagine a rein in my other hand, lift, reach and relax to ask for the flex and then put a tiny bit of leg on so he gets the idea!! quite tricky but hes getting there!! :D

Not in the NH world Teehee.lol

So, I imagine you have like a lead rope attached under his chin, then when you want him to turn you give a tug and leg aid so he knows which way to go??? I'm amazed right now... so I'm trying really hard to imagine how it's done!!! :D :o

[capalldubh]

I just imagine a rein in my other hand, lift, reach and relax to ask for the flex and then put a tiny bit of leg on so he gets the idea!! quite tricky but hes getting there!!

Ah, I see. So you sort of do what you'd do if you did have a rein in that hand? I've got a fair way to go before I get to that stage - Jackson is still learning what lifting the rein actually means - it might take a while before I can do imaginary rein movements that mean anything to him :D I guess we just have to keep working on it, eh? :D

[mayoguinness]

not a tug. lol but yeah its under his chin. Just a typical Rope halter and rope line and then say you want it on the other side you just through it over there head. Simple........except when you get it caught on there noses :o
ShadowLark - Yes it is a great excersize and one I proberly should of mastered before doing two reained riding.......but he's getting the idea to come off my weight and legs a little more which is great:D its not that amzing honestly. Most NH people can do it!!

[mayoguinness]

Ah, I see. So you sort of do what you'd do if you did have a rein in that hand? I've got a fair way to go before I get to that stage - Jackson is still learning what lifting the rein actually means - it might take a while before I can do imaginary rein movements that mean anything to him :D I guess we just have to keep working on it, eh? :D

Yes thats exactly it. lol. I'm sure you'll soon be able to do it...........Its good to be able to teach him something low energy if you know what I meen that will really soften him up:D

[Teehee]

not a tug. lol but yeah its under his chin. Just a typical Rope halter and rope line and then say you want it on the other side you just through it over there head. Simple........except when you get it caught on there noses :o


Ok, Now I understand!!! ;)

I know it's a stupid question, but do you (eventually) actually trot, gallop with the one rein? I mean, when you're trotting and you want to go another way, do you just through the line while trotting or do you stop, then through... hehehe :o

[mayoguinness]

yeah you do. What your hoping for is for the horse to be soft enough so you can just lean or use your "invisable" rein to change rein :);)

[Shadowlark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N701ro5Otzw&mode=related&search=

Newer video of Stacy... look at the control of her horse she can rate turn spin etc..

I can only aspire.. but to ride like that..

[mayoguinness]

So inspiring :D

[Teehee]

:eek: She's riding with nothing!!! No bridle or saddle... amazing!!! :cool:

[mayoguinness]

lol. Yep I know loads of people who do it and are all very inspiring. Jayne Lavender for example :D

[Shadowlark]

:eek: She's riding with nothing!!! No bridle or saddle... amazing!!! :cool:

More importantly she is WINNING with no tack!!

http://www.westfallhorsemanship.com/

She is writing for Horse And Rider (US one) about starting a colt it's an 8 part series that started in Jan, fantastic articles that include tips on how you could apply what she is doing to a trained horse. I have to admit I like the articles enough that I may buy the videos on her web site.

[mayoguinness]

that sounds good :D

[Montana]

Hi Mayo,

A couple of things came to mind when I read this. Bear with me, this stuff is maybe a little 'out there', but it's worth thinking on maybe:) Just some things I find useful....

My one rein riding is a bit depressing seeming as we seem only to be able to go on that rein!! lol. Yet if I have two reins and don't use them I can controle him using none. Practising it for ages today and now my legs hurt as I was sitting on him bareback practising flexing him on the reinless side for ages with little sucsess!! Anyone else have this problem???

The first thing is that you find it easier when you have both reins there, even though you don't touch them. Instinctively, you will feel more capable with this 'back up' of the reins available to you - you know you can get the flexing to work (even if you need to pick up your reins), so of course, your belief that it can happen will actually make it happen;) the words 'control' and 'depressing' are a big give away here:D I love this language stuff....:p

This is working with feel rather than technique and cue. You believe it works, so it does.....

Without that second rein, you now doubt that you can acheive the flex. So you go too far the other way, and use too much cue - with your legs etc. When I say too much, I mean too much of an unclear cue, even if this is still a soft touch. This creates a brace in Mayo, and the opposite effect to what you intended.

A really important idea in any good horseman's tool box is the phrase - 'use as much as neccessary, as little as possible' - clear up the grey areas for your horse. If something isn't working, then try something else. Fling the rope over his nose, and ask with a cue he does understand. He'll do it straight away for you:D Why complicate things;) Your 'little success' is also his - give him some success where he clearly gets what you're asking and can softly comply, rather than sitting until your legs hurt - he must be bored by then:D

Horses like things to be in black and white, with no uncertain areas. It may frustrate you a little that you're not at the stage yet where this stuff happens easily, but you need to be there for your horse, even if that involves using something different to what you planned.

I just imagine a rein in my other hand, lift, reach and relax to ask for the flex and then put a tiny bit of leg on so he gets the idea!! quite tricky but hes getting there!! :D



Help him out when he doesn't understand, even if you feel that you're using too much cue. Be quietly effective, and prepared to adapt what you are doing to help him understand you. Teaching low energy movements is great, if they understand what you're asking. If not, then perhaps you need to teach the movement first, then back off the cue until it's invisible.

Which leg do you put on, and what does this do?

Try to avoid over thinking. This puts your 'energy' into your head and shoulders. From there, you are less 'centered' and able to communicate. You need to lower your centre, go with feel rather than technique. Try also a definite exhale as you ask his head to come around, you might be surprised at how much that will help:)

As I say, just some thoughts for you. They may or may not work:p

[mayoguinness]

Some great points :D I think your proberly right. When I have the rein I know whatever happens I can use it as back up so am fairly confident and he knows that so he goes along with it!! Defanatly try what you've suggested. I put my leg on the side that I'm asking him to flex as if I have my rein and he hasn't come off it and usualy this makes him think and he goes forward and back untill he eventually figures out what I'm asking and gives a very slight flex................. once I've mastered the flex I'm hoping I'll be able to steer him properly one reined ;)

[levi1739]

It's nice to hear some folks are sitting on their horses and bending them. It's a great foundation to build so many other things on. Mayo, it sounds like you are really working hard and in the right direction with your horse. Keep it up, some great stuff is yet to come for you both. :)

Here's some thoughts to add to the good ideas already mentioned. I sometimes ride with just one rein/rope, but usually like to have two attached.
With two reins and a rope halter, we are effectively riding in a "hackamore" (bosal type). This is the method of Vacquero horsemanship (hackamore/reinsman) and is a highly developed way of training and communicating with a horse. These horseman and their teachings are where I find most of the answers I need to communicate with my horses.

I like to "attach" two reins and use them in a couple of ways. Sometimes I just loop them both around the horn and ride with no hands. Othertimes I will use them together, practicing neck reining and "feel". I'm much more confident with two reins, and this confidence helps both me and the horse to achieve our goals.

By doing these things, the "invisible rein" just kind of happens. As we play and improve our communications and softness with the horse, suddenly it's as though "the horse can read our mind". You will feel the progress in the rein as you bend the horse without having to pull. Instead, the horses nose just follows your hand, maintaining a "float" (slack/softness) in the rein.

Keep bending em, it's the start of something good. :)


Have fun, be safe

Jack

[Trewsers]

Stacey Westfall has turned it into an art although with her it's no reins.. bridle.. bit.. or saddle :).



Guess she has a cheap tack bill then:p :D

[Trewsers]

I thought one reining was that you held both reins in one hand?? :confused:


So did I!:D Seems we have a lot to learn about this NH caper.....:D :D

[Shadowlark]

Guess she has a cheap tack bill then:p :D


And has totally resolved the question of "Fit" to boot!

[Sarah-Lou :)]

id love to try riding in just a rope halter :)

[mayoguinness]

Well you should:) Its fun and I guess I haven't known anything different. On a couple of clinics I've seen Jayne Lavender let people have their horses in a bitted bridle and have the halter on top so that they felt safe still and only used the halter so the bridle just made them feel secure, after about 30 minutes the person no longer needed the bridle and took it off leaving just the rope halter:)