REIN BACK !!!! help needed

[taffy]

hey newriders.
i had a lesson on tues and we had to try rein back. the only trouble was the horse wouldnt do it. i was in the rite position and all that but i wasnt able to. mayb the horse was in a bad mood???

has ne one got suggestions of how i can get the horse to do it??



thanks in advance

[Lancashire Lass]

ask your instructor to encourage your mount to rein back when your asking horse? Maybe a little encouragement from the front, with the instructor perhaps using her voice saying 'back' and a 'helping hand' on the front of the horse's chest to encourage the horse to move backwards.

After all, a backwards movement for a horse is really unnatural for them and requires a considerable amount of concentration and patience (from both horse and rider!!), to move backwards correctly, in diagonal pairs.

After your instructor has helped out a couple of times, then have a go on your own and see if the horse has understood what is being asked of him.

[K.Baron]

Taffy, To ask the horse to do a rein back, teach the horse from the ground first to back up. Take the back of a crop or dressage whip & press it into the middle of the horses chest. In addition, attach a lead line to your halter. As you press the large end of the crop into the center of the chest apply pressure to the lead line in a downward, backward motion, say back. Once the horse understands this cue, put the bridle on & apply pressure to the reins which should be over the horses head as if you were riding again say back. Then find someone to help you. Mount your horse, & have the other person use the crop & lead. You should hold steady on the reins with a gentle squeeze & say back in addition to using equal leg pressure on both sides of the horse. If you pull on the reins without using your legs the horse will raise it's head & could rare on you. In addition put your horse up to the fence of your arena so it can't go forward. You must do this with patience & step by step to make it work. good luck. A few steps at a time are all that is necessary.

[Mossy]

K Baron Please allow me to disagree with you.
If anybody pressed my horses on the chest with the end of a dressage whip or anything else I would not held be responsible for their safety. I taught Connie to back up from the ground by gently pushing her in the chest whilst saying "Back - back". Gradually she got the message and will now back up on command loose, in hand or longlined, or from the saddle. Likewise with Mossy. I was taught that the aids for riding are block with the reins, not pull, whilst using equal leg pressure. Just another point of view which I hope helps.

[qwerty]

Are your feet on the girth? If so, try with them slightly further forwards.

[ilovebacara]

none of that would have worked with my horse because she thought that as soon as your leg was squeezing it meant to move forwards. So i had to teach her from the ground whilst i was long reining. I just pulled slightly on her reins just so that she could feel that i wanted her to do something and got my friend to push back on her chest. at first she wasnt having any of it but as soon as she realised how to do it she was fine. Now all i have to do is just block my reins so that she cant put her head down and say back up and then click with my tounge! :) Worked like a dream 4 me!!!

[qwerty]

A school horse should know what it is doing.
taffy, are you applying enough pressure on the reins and through your legs?

What exactly was the horse doing? Nothing? Forwards?

[olympicprincess]

I have my students clearly place their legs and a few inches BEHIND the girth so that the horse is absolutely clear on what is being asked. Along with placing their legs back, they "walk" their hip bones backwards with a pulsating squeeze with the corresponding leg.

[qwerty]

It all depends on how the horse is trained.

[ilovebacara]

yeh it all depends on how the horse was trained!!
most horses have different ways of doing everything
i was told once by my instructor that if a horse doesnt do something like every other horse does it (like reining back different people have different ways) then try to teach it a different way that it can understand!! I think that is the best advise i have ever been given :)

[qwerty]

Seems good to me!

[Elfin]

I got Aaron to do a reinback, I didn't mean too! We were doing lateral work and well, wrong aids and off we went nicely backwards!:D

[qwerty]

The hardest thing I find about reinback is staying straight (esp with Jappy). Unless we are against the boards he goes round in backwards circles! http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/redface.gif

[Elfin]

Oh no!:eek:

[lleeaannee]

The correct aids for new back is not to actually pull on the reins but simply not give when you ask the horse to walk on. Yanking on the reins will not help. Lighten your seat and apply nudges behind the girth and stop when your horse take a step (even if this is only a shift of weight to the hind quarters). Build up until you can get a few steps. For straightness I tend to ask with alternate legs as if I ask with both I always seen to use on more unintentionally.

I would suggest starting from the groud too with voice aids an a gentle prod in the chest with a finger and the a little pressure on the reins when the horse moves away from the pressure.

Remember though - never ask for more than 3-4 steps as it is very taxing for the horse.

When a horse comes off the leg easily in rein back it can be so useful. Especially when opening gates.

Best of luck and I hope this is of help.

[qwerty]

Another tip!
Give the horse a forwards movement when finished, whether it be a walk pr straight into canter. Some horsescan rear if not alowed forward, don't know why!

[lleeaannee]

Another reason not to actually pull the reins is because there arfe times when you may pull the reins inadvertantly (weeee big word!) and cause the horse to back up. Take mounting!!

And, yes I have seen a pony do a wee rear after reining back but I think this was because the brat in question (one like in one of the other threads) asked for about 10 steps and I think he said "b***** off" (NB see "what would your horse say?" thread)

[lyra]

ALWAYS ask the horse to go forwards after it has backed up a couple of steps so it understands the difference!

i have known horses who, after a backing up training session refused to go forwards and was extremely confused.

going forwards is also a nice reward for the correct behaviour. Make sure you always reward for the correct behaviour.

[Lucy J]

I was told the commands for rearing are plenty of impulsion with the legs and pulling back on the reins. So take care when asking for rein back that you only stop the horse from moving forwards with your hands and don't teach them to go up other wise you could well end up on the floor!

[qwerty]

I'm fine doing rein back against a wall, but I tried doing it in teh middle of the school and just ended up going round in circles!
I thought I may be applying uneven pressure so I tried it again being extra careful but the same happened!
any tips?

[sweetbriar]

I have just started doing the odd rein back movement in our schooling sessions. She already knew the 'back' command because when grooming or working in her stable I used to put my hands on her chest and just say 'back Lizzie'.

Last night I got on her and thought I'd try a mounted rein back. I put my legs a little behind the girth and said 'back Lizzie' and she did three lovely steps of rein back. I will try the walking of the seatbones as it seems quite a natural thing to do.

What a clever little pony she is!

[Princess]

If u are having trouble trying to get your pony to rein back in a raight line, u could try using two poles parrallel (is that the right word?!) so that the poles are opposite each other. Ask your pony to rein back between the two poles for a couple of steps.

Just a thought, but it worked well with a young pony I ride!

[Lancashire Lass]

You must have too much 'block' coming from one rein or leg and this is why the horses is yeilding to a circle rather than a straight line. The moment the horse's back end starts to veer off a straight line..STOP...walk forward a couple of paces and start again. Don't spend too much time on this exercise, after all horses weren't really meant to go backwards and you may lose impulsion in your forward movements. I'd probably do this exercise 3 times a week for 2 or 3 minutes in a schooling session and then carry on with the forward movements.

If you want to perform a rein back off the wall, try putting down two poles..make yourself a 'train track' and rein back through them.

[Lancashire Lass]

was for Querty....by the time I'd finished typing it, there were 2 more replies up!!!!!:p

[qwerty]

Thanks but I don't have my own horse so It's kinda difficult to do some of that stuff!

[doris]

Dear Taffy,

Definitely start on the ground and get your hore to take a step back by saying the command and pushing gently but firmyl with your hand on his chest. Whether you use headcollar or bridle, be sure to take off the pressure the minute he takes a movement back with his leg/s. When you are happy with this movement in hand, then try from the saddle. Using a wall or fence will help to keep him in a straight line makes it easier than being in the middle of a field. You will be opening/shutting gates in no time with a little patience.