I have been teaching Buzz to turn on the forehand because I wanted him to get more responsive to my leg aid and stuff. Well I was doing some research on here and some people said it probably would be best to teach leg yeild...
So anyway i go out today thinking I will try and start teaching leg yeilds. As soon as I put pressure on him his hindquartes spin around :roll:
I have succesfully taught him turn on the forehand but now he thinks whenever I put pressure its means that.
So I thought I shoudl try teaching turn on the hindquarters... that why he now when its behind his tummy back end and in front means front end, then hopefully after he grasps this idea I will be able to do leg yeilds
Would that work am I on the right track?
This is all ground work, havn't tried anything in the saddle yet. I wont leave the hindquartes alone I will keep doing refreshers with him.
First thing mine learn under saddle is to move every inch of their bodys. Does not really matter what part you start with just make sure you are consistent in how you ask.
Where are you cueing him from? I ask that because 'generally' there are three cue spots that you can use to teach a horse to yield a certain part of his body. Just In front of the cinch would control his front end, and reverse eventually. The 'middle' (right behind his cinch, where you'd normally ask him to move forward) controls sideways movement, and back behind that will be your 'rear end' button. If you teach him to yield off those areas, he will have a clear picture exactly what you are asking, and as he 'gets' that, the surface area of your cue spots grow smaller, until you really don't seem to have to move at all.
Yer I have been cueing him just past where his girth would sit but I did start alot futher back. Now with the front end, because I only starting doing it today I cued him on the shoulder and will eventually move it back to infront of where the girth sits. When I tried doing the sideways I cued where the girth would sit, but he just spun he hindquarters. I'm thinking if I teach him turn on haunches and then try leg yeild he will hopefully put to and to together and get sindeways?
Hopefully
Don't forget your "rein" aids. I saw you are doing this from the ground, but to yield anything, the horse needs a "wall" to move away from. Therefore, to side-step or leg yield, the whole side of his body needs to be up against a "wall."
While riding, soft and fluffly inside rein [but not thrown away,] steady contact on the outside aid [mostly to control/prevent forward movement,] and firm outside leg pressure.
I've never really understood this "in front of the girth" cue. To move your foot/leg that far forward [again, I know you said groundwork, but you'll have to apply this to the saddle eventually] will alter your seat bones, and your ability to ride correctly and utilize your seat like your meant to. In [my] reality, the three "cue spots" are all within two to three inches of each other and not in front of the girth but more at the girth. I only bring my leg back an inch or two to get the haunches moving. And while riding it, I use a lot of seat.
However, when I taught my girls to side-step in hand, I stood in front of her but slightly off to the side, put slight pressure on the side of her halter [that "wall" I mentioned,] and waved/tapped my whip on her side until she moved away.
You and your horse would both benefit more from long-lining/ground-driving work, as it better simulates the aids you'd use if you were riding, and your cues would transfer over easier.
The cue for the shoulder or to move the front end should be just behind the girth. If you are going to show you can not cue in front of the girth it is illegal so do not even start and you will not need to fix it. To move the mid section move your foot back about 2 inch and for the rear back about anouther 2 inch. There should be very little difference between each cue as you do not want your leg to move a lot and through YOUR balance off which will through your horses balance off.
The cue for the should or to move the front end should be just behind the girth. If you are going to show you can not cue in front of the girth it is illegal so do not even start and you will not need to fix it. To move the mid section move your foot back about 2 inch and for the rear back about anouther 2 inch. There should be very little difference between each cue as you do not want your leg to move a lot and through YOUR balance off which will through your horses balance off.
There are many different ways to cue for different things. Don't get to fixated on where your foot is. It's not the only factor, your rein position is a big thing also. You can put your foot in the same position but change how you use your reins and you will get different things from your horse. When I teach my horse to move his body I don't really change where my feet cue him, just change how I use my reins and he has learned the difference.
You can also teach rein cues from the ground, you just need to know what you are going to use under saddle and make different ways to move the reins (ie, using your horn if you ride western to get a bend in the neck or laying the rein accross the neck for a neck rein).
ok so when teaching the turn on the haunches I should move the aid closer to where the girth is.
I didn't really think about transferring it over to being ridden hmmm.... I would long line him but I have never done it before and don't have the equipment for it.
I think I may have a friend help me with that one.
Long-lining is pretty easy to pick up. So long as your horse is safe and won't kick out at you when you walk behind him, it's pretty easy to figure out. Keep in step with him and don't drop your reins. =]
My only input here is to be careful to never overdo any exercise that involves sideways cues. I overdid leg yeild just this past week. I know I overdid it because my horse is suddenly unable to walk a straight line. With every shift of my weight, intentional or otherwise, he slides sideways one direction of the other. He looks like he's drunk. It's pretty funny, but once they get it 3 times in a row, move onto something that involves straight.
I always have breaks when asking him I ask once and when he gets it I walk in a circle
so would I just use a rope or something attached to the bit or ?? not to sure
You can probably use a lunge line, but I'd try to attach a clip to the handle end as opposed to tying it to the bit. It's basically like the picture below, except I thread the lines through the lowest ring on the surcingle, or through the [let down] stirrups on a saddle for "long and low" work. You may want to start at his side, a bit behind the girth, to help him understand that he needs to walk on even though you aren't in front. Then get further back until you can walk behind him. Match steps and pace with him, and use your body like you expect him to use his. For example, when you ask him to sidestep in long-line, you should also sidestep, not just shimmy over, and when you ask him to back up, you back up. Once you get the basics down and you're sure your horse is safe [I had a mare that would have killed me if I tried this with her, so jus saying =]] ask for a side step by applying steady pressure on the outside rein, keep the inside rein light and fluffy, and tap his sides to ask for "over." Your inside rein should only control the inside shoulder, and the outside rein acts as your "wall" as well as stopping him from trying to move forward. Another bonus with long-lining is you can literally walk your horse into a corner, so he can't forward or towards the pressure. Just make sure he doesn't try to go backwards. =]
I hope that made sense, I'm exhuausted right now. I'll re-visit tomorrow to re-read and maybe re-word. =]
I start with turn-on-the-forehand too. When your horse is walking along, and you ask for the yield, he usually will automatically start leg-yielding. The turn-on-forehand is more a lesson/reminder to yield to your leg, that's all. I do it whenever I feel I'm losing sensitivity to the leg. And to check that I'm using my legs right, too! For groundwork, try walking along, then ask for a yield. He will walk sideways, if you don't let him stop. (Many people face into a wall or fence, but I don't have either.)
Turn on the haunches is much harder, I think, because you need to hold him with your seat, and move the forehand around, while keeping the forward energy. (This is different from Western spins, I believe?)
thanks riccil0ve excepts there no picture?? but I get it from what your saying
Buzz shouls be find with me walking behind him he is pretty much bomb proof, whuch is a great quality
A forum community dedicated to horse owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeding, grooming, reviews, health, behavior, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more!