Bless your pony for sticking with you while you try to figure out how to do western riding!

First of all, I like to think of "neck reining" as "leg steering". Most of the cueing comes from your legs. Western horses are taught to move away from pressure. That means if you apply pressure, a slight squeeze of your lower leg, with your left leg, the horse should start turning to the right. Then, right leg pressure will make the horse go left. mayfieldk had it right about how to use your reins. Don't pull back or way out to the side. Keep your hand in front of you and then move it slightly over to the direction you want your horse to go. If you keep the concept of moving away from pressure in mind, it works just the same with the reins. The left rein will apply pressure on the neck so that means for the horse to go to the right. But remember, most of the steering comes from your legs. You should eventually be able to ride around doing figure 8's without even touching the reins!

I think it is possible to retrain your pony to be a western horse. I would get ride of the chambon, go back to a snaffle bit, and start doing circles. The circles that I'm talking about are done on a loose rein. You would look for your horse to bend his body in an arc in the direction that your are circling. You have direct rein contact to get your horse to turn his head in the direction you want to go, and also support with leg pressure with your outside leg to hold his body in place around the circle. It's a pressure/release thing. When you are holding direct rein pressure and then your horse turns his head and keeps his head to that direction, then you release the direct rein pressure. What you are also looking for your horse to do is to soften and give you his chin. He should get to the point of tucking his chin with just a soft pull on the rein. Then after you've gotten him good at giving his chin, you'll want him to soften at the withers and drop his head from his withers forward, plus give you his chin. This comes with time....lots of practice. But you will have to remind him constantly at first to keep his head bent around. It's a constant tug/release/tug/release with the rein until he becomes consistent and can ride the circle with just one tug and no reminders, and then eventually you'll be using your "leg steering" like I described above.

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Its kind of similar to english riding! The "tuh/release/tug/release" thing! I use that, though in a little different way, to get him to bend when I'm riding! Only now I have to teach him to do that on a looser rein..

But gosh, using your legs makes it so much simpler!!! xD
I had no idea how you ride western, if you just used the reins or both the reins and the feet, but the feet help alot!

Now I really cant wait to try this out, I'll definitly post another video tomorrow or on Sunday!!

But should I train with him in figures of 8 or should i just start out on a circle..?
He can do flying changes with no problem so its not the question of changing the direction in canter..
And how big should I start my circles to be? Or should I just change the size every now and then or something?

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"When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes." -Shakespeare

I like to change directions a lot when I'm doing circles. I'd keep it at a walk and trot until he gets the idea of giving his chin and dropping from the withers. Circling at the trot should also get him to slow down into a jog. Then you can work these exercises at the canter, but he has to be giving in his chin and very soft & willing in responding to your rein cues before you start at the canter.

Got to youtube and search some of the big name western trainers - Dana Hokana, Cleve Wells, Steve Heckaman. You'll see them riding and some videos have them explaining what they do.

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http://www.cedarviewpainthorses.blogspot.com

Home of:
Perfect Jin N Scotch - 2004 APHA Palomino Overo Gelding - Western Pleasure and Showmanship

Hanks Rainy Sky - 1998 Black and White Tobiano Paint Gelding - relaxing rides and blazing trails

OK I'll check it out, thanks! :p

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"When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes." -Shakespeare

I found a picture that demonstates the correct seat for western riding, I hope it helps.



When I ask my horse to back, you can't even tell that I have touched the reins, from the ground. I pull back very lightly and bump him with my spurs to let him know that I want movement with his legs, the light pressure on my reins is to let him know that I want that leg movement to go backwards. I never put my legs forward when asking for a back, that is how I ask for a whoa. My horses learn everything with my legs. When I want them to move to the left I put pressure on the right side, and vise versa. When I want a whoa I sit deep and bring my legs forward, I've already described back up, when I'm finished training my western horses I can ride them with out a bridle and make them do everything, because I use very little bridle contact right from the start.

Watch how this amazing woman rides with no bridle, my idol!

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Tiffanny Fehr
Fehr Ground Ranch
Quality AQHA/FQHA Horses
www.fehrgroundranch.com

I love that video. Every time I watch it i cry. Her spins and stops give me chills.

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It makes me cry and sends shivers up my spin everytime I see it. I've seen it probably close to 30 times.

__________________
Tiffanny Fehr
Fehr Ground Ranch
Quality AQHA/FQHA Horses
www.fehrgroundranch.com

Sorry for the double post but I just had to say that her speed transitions are AMAZING. That is something that I have not yet perfected and she does it with only body aids.

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Tiffanny Fehr
Fehr Ground Ranch
Quality AQHA/FQHA Horses
www.fehrgroundranch.com

hey, I remember watching that live!!! It was awesome!

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You know how to make a miniature horse even smaller? Leave them in the dryer a little longer!