TRAINING TIPS

STEP INTO SIDEPASSING

Story by Heidi Nyland with Julie Goodnight, photos by Heidi Nyland

Improve your horsemanship, and develop a kind, trustworthy relationship with your trail horse with top clinician/trainer Julie Goodnight. This article: Teach your horse to sidepass for greater on-trail maneuverability.

When you teach your horse to sidepass, you learn to control his every foot placement and guide his every step. If you teach your horse this skill correctly, he’ll respond to your every cue and to your natural aids (seat, hand, and leg).

Here, top clinician/trainer Julie Goodnight will teach you how to position your body so that your horse will quickly understand that you’re asking for sideways movement. She’ll help you reinforce this new skill by asking you to practice it using a fence line as a guide.

Exercise Prep
Natural-horsemanship lesson: You’ll learn how to use your primary natural aids — your seat, legs and hands — to cue the horse to move sideways. You’ll apply these aids to control his every step.

Why you need it on the trail: On the trail, sidepassing is an important skill. Without it, you may find yourself in a jam when you need to dodge through timber and tight openings or sidle next to another rider to offer aid. Sidepassing also comes in handy when it’s time to open a gate, drag a log, pony another horse, push aside brush, and avoid a rock or even a snake.

What you’ll do: You’ll begin by learning how to position your body so that your horse will understand the go-sideways cue. Next, you’ll reinforce your sidepass cues as you ride next to a fence or barrier to help him understand which direction to go. Once you’ve mastered your work on the fence line, you’ll progress to sidepassing over a ground pole and logs.

What you’ll need: If your horse hasn’t been trained to sidepass at all, it’s best to start out with a snaffle or curb bit with articulation between the shanks (rather than a solid mouthpiece). A bit with movement will help him better feel your side-to-side rein aids.

Skills your horse will need: Your horse needs to know how to stop with just a seat cue, go forward off your leg cue, and back up on cue (using more leg than rein).

Step #1: Learn the Cues

Step #1. Learn the Cues
Tack up (see bit recommendation, above), and warm up as usual. Practice starting, stopping, and turns to make sure your horse is listening to your cues.

In this step, you’ll learn how to use your body to ask your horse for this precise cue. In the next step, you’ll introduce him to the training process by using the cue.

Keep in mind that there are only six ways a horse can move: forward, back, through the right shoulder, though the right hip, through the left shoulder, and through the left hip. Imagine these directions as the "doors" that you can open and close with your leg and rein aids. To start, we’ll open the doors to the right and close the doors to the front, back, and left.

Pick up the reins, and slightly shift your weight back to block your horse’s forward motion (that is, close the door to the front). For a sidepass to the right (shown), open the right rein (lift it slightly to encourage your horse to lift his shoulder), and slide your left hand to his neck’s midline (closing the "door" to movement to the left and opening a passageway to the right).

Open your right leg by stretching your foot to the right. (Be careful not to stiffen or brace this leg.) Close your left leg on his rib cage, and bump your lower leg against his side.

By disallowing forward movement with your hands, opening your right aids, and closing with your left aids, your horse will move toward the opening, that is, to the right (Photo 1).

Step #2. Use a Fence Line
Now that you know how to position your body, it’s time to teach your horse to move sideways. For this, you’ll need the help of a fence. Use a safe, solid fence to remind him to move sideways and that there’s no chance of moving forward.

Fence work will give you a visual guide to work with and provide a natural barrier to block your horse’s forward movement. You’ll also make sure that you’re truly moving to the left or right and quickly make any corrections.

Walk your horse up to a fence, and stop him with his nose to the rail and his body perpendicular to the fence. Keeping his body straight and perpendicular to the fence, ask him to sidepass using your opening and closing aids.

As soon as any movement occurs, release the cue, and return to a neutral sitting position. Reward your horse with a release and a pet no matter how small of a sidestep he takes. This lets him know that he moved in the correct direction.

Pause briefly, then ask your horse to move to the right once again. As soon as he steps to the side, however small, reward him with a quick release of cues

and a pet. When he associates your new cue with moving sideways, you can begin to ask for more steps before rewarding him.

Step #2: Use a Fence Line

Repeat these steps to ask for a sidepass to the left. That is, open the doors to the left, while closing the doors to the right, front, and back.

When your horse understands your sidepass cue and is responding well (that is, he’ll easily walk two or three steps before needing encouragement), ask him to sidepass a longer distance.

Troubleshooting tips: As you begin to teach your horse to sidepass, he may (1) move forward or back too much; (2) move his shoulder in front of his hips (this is most common and causes a turn instead of a sidepass), or (3) move his hip before his shoulder.

To fix these problems, use your aids either to block movement of a body part or to encourage more movement of another body part. For instance, if your horse moves his shoulders too far and lags with his hip, block his shoulder a little by closing with your right rein.

To do so, bring your hand back toward his neck (don’t pull back), and bring your left hand back and up toward your belly button in an "indirect rein." At the same time, reach back more with your outside leg, and bump his side to encourage his hip to move. Apply slight, backward, equal rein pressure to close the door to forward movement.

Any time your horse moves correctly, or tries extra hard, reward him with a release and a pet. Moving laterally isn’t easy for him, so don’t overdo it. Once you get a few steps, reward him, and end on a good note.

If your horse gets nervous when working on this, he’s feeling too much pressure. Slow down, shorten your training sessions, and reward him for a smaller amount of steps.

Work on a sidepass to the right until your horse is compliant (Photos 2A and 2B). Repeat to the left. Then gradually increase the number of steps until he can sidepass 10 to 15 steps while staying fairly straight through his body.

When your horse is moving well off your aids, try sidepassing away from the fence, with his tail near the fence and his nose pointed away (Photo 2C). Focus on keeping him straight through his body so that his shoulders and hips are fairly even. In this position, he won’t have the fence to guide him visually, but you can easily note and correct any straightness problems.

Step #3: Add a Ground Pole

Step #3. Add a Ground Pole
As your horse progresses, test your sidepassing skills over a ground pole. Work to keep the pole between your horse’s front and back feet. You’ll quickly notice any idiosyncrasies if your horse steps forward or back.

Work to the left and right, and always remember to stop and praise your horse for his efforts. Ride around the pole, then return to sidepass over it, in front of it, or behind it. Then he won’t learn that his feet must always be over a pole.

When your horse easily sidepasses over a ground pole, progress to sidepassing over larger logs on the trail. Look for other opportunities to sidepass, such as moving toward a post to pick up a slicker or rope.

Julie Goodnight (www.juliegoodnight.com) lives in central Colorado, home to miles of scenic trails. She trains horses and coaches horse owners to be ready for any event, on the trail or in the performance arena. She shares her easy-to-understand lessons on her weekly RFD-TV show, Horse Master, and through appearances at clinics and horse expos held throughout the United States. She’s also the international spokesperson for the Certified Horsemanship Association (www.cha-ahse.org).

Heidi Nyland (www.wholepicture.org) is a lifelong horsewoman, equine journalist, and photographer based in Longmont, Colorado.

John

LyonsTrainer

Keith Hosman

Three Step Stop Exercise
by Josh Lyons & Keith Hosman
article 6.1, page 1 of 3
What you’ll get: A better stop
Practice“Three Step Stop” because: Teaching your horse to give to the bit while keeping its body straight is critical for a good stop. That’s what this exercise will teach your horse. It is mandatory for those looking to put a good solid foundation on any horse.
Wouldn’t it be cool if your horse would stop on a dime? (Or stop at all?) Wouldn’t it be great if it were more willing and maneuverable? And doesn’t it just make you crazy when it throws its head up when you ask for more speed or drops its shoulder as it blows into a lead...?
You need to perfect an exercise called “Three Step Stop.” “Three Step Stop” will remedy those situations described above. It’ll make your horse stop now as opposed to later; it’ll make your horse more maneuverable and smoother through its transitions (slow jog to extended trot, trot to lope, etc.) and it goes a long way towards building better manners and picking up the correct lead.
Most importantly, it teaches your horse that when you ask for more speed and drop your legs against its sides, it’s to put it’s head down, “collect up” and move fluidly – not throw its head up in the air and drop a shoulder as it lurches forward. You’ve seen this many times: The faster you go, the higher the head gets. You add speed and with speed comes emotion. This exercise teaches your horse a cue: When you bump with your legs, it should bring its head down - and anytime you touch the reins, the horse should know to “get into frame,” that is, to carry itself in a correct, collected position.
There are three parts to this exercise called “Flying Time,” “Take Off” and “Landing.” “Landing” is stopping the horse (from a walk), then bumping with your legs, asking the horse to soften (or relax) it’s neck muscles and drop it’s nose. You don’t want to go forward, (or to move at all, for that matter) just for the horse to soften up and “give to the bit.” A “Take Off” is when I’ve got the horse softened up or in the frame I want and I ask him to step forward. I ask him to move forward and into the bit. “Flying Time” is when the horse is actually giving and traveling at the same time.
When we first teach the exercise we’ll simply work to get the horse to drop his head and soften his neck muscles, releasing when he does. As the horse improves, you want to begin to ask for more. At that point you’ll watch the back feet and release when you notice them getting (incrementally) closer to the front feet.
How You’ll Accomplish This: Walk forward three steps, stop, drive your horse into the bit with your legs (by bumping) until they soften their nose up, then release and walk out.
Begin by walking your horse forward. Count off three steps and ask your horse to stop by picking up both reins and applying pressure. Continue to drive forward with your seat and bump with your legs – but don’t let the horse go anywhere. Hold steady, even pressure until you feel the horse’s neck muscles relax. Release (by putting slack in the reins) and move forward exactly three steps. Stop and repeat: Pick up both reins, drive with your seat and legs till you feel the nose start to soften up then release.
After you release and walk out, make sure that you count off exactly three steps. There’s nothing magical about the number three – but in most every facet of your training you should be precise. It gives you an objective measurement and so it gives you the gauge you need: Do I have control over my horse? Can I really stop it when and where I say I can? When you’re precise, your horse will be precise. (You should underscore this paragraph: Learning to be precise and objective, then building on small changes is one of the most important aspects of horse training.)
Do your best to hold your horse straight through this exercise. Don’t allow them to swing their hips or shoulders off to one side or the other. If the horse moves off to the left or right or begins sidestepping, use your rein to correct him. For instance, if your horse starts moving off to the left, pick up the left rein and find the angle and/or amount of pressure it takes to make it stand squarely, with its hips directly behind its shoulders. Don’t make a big production out of this. In many clinics we see people working harder to make their horse stand still than they should have to. Do the best you
Best Start for the Unbroke Horse
the latest DVD collection from John Lyons
round pen work • spooking • catching • 1st Ride & more!
This set of 4 DVDs
offers clear and concise
instruction for the green or unbroke horse. It features 8 hours of demonstrations on three different unbroke horses. Also included: advanced work on finished horses. For novice or advanced riders.
Buy it online at Horsemanship101.com/JohnLyonsVideos
Eight hours of video demonstration for $149.99!
The Calm Down Cue CD
Listen to John Lyons
lower head • calm down • spooky objects
Buy this audio CD today for just $29.99
Horsemanship101.com/JohnLyonsAudio
“Wouldn’t it be cool if your horse would stop on a dime? (Or stop at all?)”
can to get your horse squared up – but your concentration should remain on getting the horse to soften up when you pick up the reins. The jigging will go away when the horse realizes that all you want is for him to soften his neck muscles for a moment.
At first the horse may only lower its head before they soften. That’s okay. Release on the horse lowering its head – and build on that. Horse training is about building on small changes. Don’t start with your goal. If your horse begins to whip his head back into position like a snapped rubber band, (it’ll feel like he’s being rude, throwing his head up or done rapidly), just play with your timing. Try releasing a bit slower, try holding till you think the horse is being “polite” with his give, then release.
Don’t let them walk forward; hold them back. You may have to really motivate them to drop that head with your legs by squeezing or kicking. The first time you do this, look for something small, a small change or give. Build on it. Take any downward motion at first. Squeeze and when the head just begins to go down, release.
You’ll find that some horses will simply walk out after you release; others will simply stand there. It doesn’t really matter whether your horse walks out on its own or not. Either way, you’ll simply go three steps then stop the horse, repeating the exercise. The important thing is simply that you do this every three steps.
If your horse begins to back up (or creep backwards) slowly, then use your legs and seat to drive them forward. But, if your horse really wants to back up, then take the opposite approach. Instead of driving them forward, let them back up until they quit backing. They’ll usually back up 10 or 15 feet, stop, then soften up. You’ll let go and repeat the exercise. Remember, throughout this (or any) exercise, look for something to release on and then built on it. Don’t go for the big picture when you first begin. Release on something small. It will build very quickly.
If you ask your horse to stop (again, with two reins) and it stops with it’s head thrust out, just let it stop with its head out. (Remember: If your horse is doing this, fine – that’s exactly why we’re practicing this exercise. Your horse needs help on its “Landings.”) Your training doesn’t change: Drive her forward with your legs into the bit, releasing when she drops her head or softens her neck muscles. Same goes for the horse that wants to throw its hips or shoulders out of position, as we’ve previously discussed.
Practicing your “Flying Time” is important. (That’s the part where your horse is soft and moving forward at the same time.) Doing this teaches your horse to give to the bit, to stay soft – and to stay in position, collected or “in frame.” If you look down at your horse when you first begin this exercise, you’ll see his head “way down there” with the tail and back legs “way back there.” But you want your horse to be round – like you’re riding a giant ball and you’re the pivot point of this big ball. You want to roll the ball to the right or roll the ball to left. That’s the point of this exercise, to turn your
Three Step Stop Exercise cont’d
article 6.1, page 2 of 3
“Horse training is about building on small changes. Don’t start with your goal.”
Books Recommended for:
Buy these books online 24/7 at
Horsemanship101.com/JohnLyonsBooks
Other books by John Lyons:
Troubleshooting • Bringing Up Baby
Riding Manual (w/DVDs) • Ground Control
Head Tossing
“I Bought This Horse But I’m Not Sure Why”
head tossing • cinchy horses • giving to the bit • good leading manners • kicking on the trail • basic training for foals & more!
$26.99
Buddy Sour
“Help Me Help My Horse”
buddy sour • headshyness • the calm down cue • 15 trail-riding tips • speed control • standing tied • picking up feet & more!
$26.99
Trailer Loading
“Things I Wish I Knew”
trailer loading • first saddling • rearing • getting your horse’s attention • first ride • spook in place • also see “On the Trail”
$26.99
Trail Riding
“On the Trail”
buddy sour • crossing obstacles • bucking • trailer loading • speed up a slow horse • power steering • spooking & more!
$26.99
Bucking
“Jody Wants To Know”
bucking • herd dynamics • trail riding
cribbing • what to do when a rider falls
mares • also see “On the Trail” below
$26.99
horse into a giant ball. That’s what you should be thinking about as the two of you advance and you’re looking for your release.
Next Step: When the horse will willingly soften his neck as described, then your next step is to get the hindquarters to “engage” a little more. Think of a horse that won’t get into a trailer. They’ll lock their feet up at the entrance to the trailer – and simply creep their back feet closer and closer to the front. That’s an exaggerated view of what you’ll be looking for and seeing here.
Picture a brick wall in front of you. (The brick wall, or barrier, is created by your hands holding the bit.) You want to push them up into that wall by really squeezing with your two legs. When the
“Be careful during your transition to ask the horse to stay soft, to not push on the bit.”
Three Step Stop Exercise cont’d
article 6.1, page 3 of 3
My Horse Pulls Back DVD
pulling back is more dangerous than you think!
teach your horse to stand tied safely
Buy it online at Horsemanship101.com/JohnLyonsVideo
Now on sale for just $39.99!
A new DVD from John Lyons
Your horse can learn to stand tied safely at any age. The information contained in this DVD is concise and easy to understand, for novice or advanced equestrians.
your horse will also be learning that there is a correct frame, or correct way to carry himself when being ridden.
You can continue this exercise through the walk, then the trot – and into your lope. If you’re working on your reining stop, for instance, you’ll pick up your reins, drive your horse into the bit and use what you’ve learned here to really get that inside hindquarter way up, closer to the front of the horse.
So then, when you’ve mastered this exercise, the cool “upshot” is that if you’re riding your horse, and his body is in the wrong position to pick up his lead, for instance, (maybe he’s all “splayed out”) then you can simply pick up the reins and drive him forward without picking up speed. He’ll stay relaxed and soft; he’ll willingly “assume the position” you need for your next maneuver. You’ll just push energy into him to soften up his nose up and into position, to where it’s supposed to be, working to get his nose and hip into position, then release and just lope off. Be careful during your transition to ask the horse to stay soft, to not push on the bit – and to not pick up speed, but rather to just lope off.
Our articles and free online study courses are available 24/7 at Horsemanship101.com/Articles
Teach Your Horse To Stand Still
by Josh Lyons & John Lyons Certified Trainer Keith Hosman
Training listed by 200+ topics at Horsemanship101.com/Training
If you simply want your horse to stand still, and you keep picking up the reins to try and stop him – then the only thing that happens is that the horse gets aggravated. There’s no possible way to make your horse stand still if he does not want to stand still. What if you tie him? Can he still move? Of course. What if you put him in a small two-horse trailer? There’s no way the horse can move then, right? Wrong, he can still move. What about cross-ties? Can he move around when he’s cross-tied? Yes, he can. There is no way for us to physically to make this horse stand still....
Continue reading at Horsemanship101.com/Articles
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horse moves up and softens, you let go. If a car were to smash into that wall, the middle part would bulge up, right? Same thing with your horse: Begin to feel for the horse’s back to come up.
What’s happening is that the horse is being driven forward – but the whole time you’re holding the front of the horse in place with the bit and your two hands. As the back legs come closer to the front, but the front stays blocked by the bit, the horse’s back comes up. It’ll feel like your saddle raises several inches. Release the horse and let it walk back out.
Third Step: At first you released when the horse softens his neck muscles. As your horse progressed, you released when the back feet come closer to the front. Finally, you want to work on building the horse’s strength and ability to hold this collected position for longer periods of time. Remember: It’s difficult for a horse that isn’t used to working his muscles in this way to carry himself in frame for more than a few seconds when you first begin. It will take weeks if not months for your horse to build up the strength. In the meantime, as you practice (and your horse develops his muscles),

What Not To Do When Your Horse Bucks

by Josh Lyons & Keith Hosman

articles 12.1 & 3.1, page 1 of 2

Read the following to understand why your very health depends on the work you do before you ever hit the trail – and to find out what not to do when your horse blows up.

Have you ever heard people offer advice about “emergency dismounts,” that is, how to get off your horse when it begins to bolt or buck? Well, keep this in mind: It’s not staying on the horse that’s going to get you hurt. It’s the getting off part, the sudden impact with the ground part. Ask any rodeo bronc rider: When did you get hurt? When you were in the saddle – or when you hit the ground?

You want to stop a buck, bolt or rear before it ever happens. You stop it before it happens by gaining control. You gain control by practicing exercises that give you finer control of the hindquarters, better back ups, stops or turns to the left or to the right. Every day keep expecting more and keep after your horse to improve. Work to a point where you know that if he “messes up,” (he startles or jumps or bucks) that you will have built in enough control that it’s now something you can handle.

Your job right now, today, is to start making sure that you have that control.

Three Step Stop Exercise

by Josh Lyons & Keith Hosman

article 6.1, page 1 of 3

What you’ll get: A better stop

Practice“Three Step Stop” because: Teaching your horse to give to the bit while keeping its body straight is critical for a good stop. That’s what this exercise will teach your horse. It is mandatory for those looking to put a good solid foundation on any horse.

Wouldn’t it be cool if your horse would stop on a dime? (Or stop at all?) Wouldn’t it be great if it were more willing and maneuverable? And doesn’t it just make you crazy when it throws its head up when you ask for more speed or drops its shoulder as it blows into a lead...?

You need to perfect an exercise called “Three Step Stop.” “Three Step Stop” will remedy those situations described above. It’ll make your horse stop now as opposed to later; it’ll make your horse more maneuverable and smoother through its transitions (slow jog to extended trot, trot to lope, etc.) and it goes a long way towards building better manners and picking up the correct lead.

Most importantly, it teaches your horse that when you ask for more speed and drop your legs against its sides, it’s to put it’s head down, “collect up” and move fluidly – not throw its head up in the air and drop a shoulder as it lurches forward. You’ve seen this many times: The faster you go, the higher the head gets. You add speed and with speed comes emotion. This exercise teaches your horse a cue: When you bump with your legs, it should bring its head down - and anytime you touch the reins, the horse should know to “get into frame,” that is, to carry itself in a correct, collected position.

There are three parts to this exercise called “Flying Time,” “Take Off” and “Landing.” “Landing” is stopping the horse (from a walk), then bumping with your legs, asking the horse to soften (or relax) it’s neck muscles and drop it’s nose. You don’t want to go forward, (or to move at all, for that matter) just for the horse to soften up and “give to the bit.” A “Take Off” is when I’ve got the horse softened up or in the frame I want and I ask him to step forward. I ask him to move forward and into the bit. “Flying Time” is when the horse is actually giving and traveling at the same time.

How You’ll Accomplish This: Walk forward three steps, stop, drive your horse into the bit with your legs (by bumping) until they soften their nose up, then release and walk out.

Begin by walking your horse forward. Count off three steps and ask your horse to stop by picking up both reins and applying pressure. Continue to drive forward with your seat and bump with your legs – but don’t let the horse go anywhere. Hold steady, even pressure until you feel the horse’s neck muscles relax. Release (by putting slack in the reins) and move forward exactly three steps. Stop and repeat: Pick up both reins, drive with your seat and legs till you feel the nose start to soften up then release.

After you release and walk out, make sure that you count off exactly three steps. There’s nothing magical about the number three – but in most every facet of your training you should be precise. It gives you an objective measurement and so it gives you the gauge you need: Do I have control over my horse? Can I really stop it when and where I say I can? When you’re precise, your horse will be precise. (You should underscore this paragraph: Learning to be precise and objective, then building on small changes is one of the most important aspects of horse training.)

Do your best to hold your horse straight through this exercise. Don’t allow them to swing their hips or shoulders off to one side or the other. If the horse moves off to the left or right or begins sidestepping, use your rein to correct him. For instance, if your horse starts moving off to the left, pick up the left rein and find the angle and/or amount of pressure it takes to make it stand squarely, with its hips directly behind its shoulders. Don’t make a big production out of this. In many clinics we see people working harder to make their horse stand still than they should have to. Do the best you

Best Start for the Unbroke Horse

the latest DVD collection from John Lyons

round pen work • spooking • catching • 1st Ride & more!

This set of 4 DVDs

offers clear and concise

instruction for the green or unbroke horse. It features 8 hours of demonstrations on three different unbroke horses. Also included: advanced work on finished horses. For novice or advanced riders.

Buy it online at Horsemanship101.com/JohnLyonsVideos

Eight hours of video demonstration for $149.99!

The Calm Down Cue CD

Listen to John Lyons

lower head • calm down • spooky objects

Buy this audio CD today for just $29.99

Horsemanship101.com/JohnLyonsAudio

“Wouldn’t it be cool if your horse would stop on a dime? (Or stop at all?)”

can to get your horse squared up – but your concentration should remain on getting the horse to soften up when you pick up the reins. The jigging will go away when the horse realizes that all you want is for him to soften his neck muscles for a moment.

At first the horse may only lower its head before they soften. That’s okay. Release on the horse lowering its head – and build on that. Horse training is about building on small changes. Don’t start with your goal. If your horse begins to whip his head back into position like a snapped rubber band, (it’ll feel like he’s being rude, throwing his head up or done rapidly), just play with your timing. Try releasing a bit slower, try holding till you think the horse is being “polite” with his give, then release.

Don’t let them walk forward; hold them back. You may have to really motivate them to drop that head with your legs by squeezing or kicking. The first time you do this, look for something small, a small change or give. Build on it. Take any downward motion at first. Squeeze and when the head just begins to go down, release.

You’ll find that some horses will simply walk out after you release; others will simply stand there. It doesn’t really matter whether your horse walks out on its own or not. Either way, you’ll simply go three steps then stop the horse, repeating the exercise. The important thing is simply that you do this every three steps.

If your horse begins to back up (or creep backwards) slowly, then use your legs and seat to drive them forward. But, if your horse really wants to back up, then take the opposite approach. Instead of driving them forward, let them back up until they quit backing. They’ll usually back up 10 or 15 feet, stop, then soften up. You’ll let go and repeat the exercise. Remember, throughout this (or any) exercise, look for something to release on and then built on it. Don’t go for the big picture when you first begin. Release on something small. It will build very quickly.

If you ask your horse to stop (again, with two reins) and it stops with it’s head thrust out, just let it stop with its head out. (Remember: If your horse is doing this, fine – that’s exactly why we’re practicing this exercise. Your horse needs help on its “Landings.”) Your training doesn’t change: Drive her forward with your legs into the bit, releasing when she drops her head or softens her neck muscles. Same goes for the horse that wants to throw its hips or shoulders out of position, as we’ve previously discussed.

Practicing your “Flying Time” is important. (That’s the part where your horse is soft and moving forward at the same time.) Doing this teaches your horse to give to the bit, to stay soft – and to stay in position, collected or “in frame.” If you look down at your horse when you first begin this exercise, you’ll see his head “way down there” with the tail and back legs “way back there.” But you want your horse to be round – like you’re riding a giant ball and you’re the pivot point of this big ball. You want to roll the ball to the right or roll the ball to left. That’s the point of this exercise, to turn your

Three Step Stop Exercise cont’d

article 6.1, page 2 of 3

“Horse training is about building on small changes. Don’t start with your goal.”

Books Recommended for:

Buy these books online 24/7 at

Horsemanship101.com/JohnLyonsBooks

Other books by John Lyons:

Troubleshooting • Bringing Up Baby

Riding Manual (w/DVDs) • Ground Control

Head Tossing

“I Bought This Horse But I’m Not Sure Why”

head tossing • cinchy horses • giving to the bit • good leading manners • kicking on the trail • basic training for foals & more!

$26.99

Buddy Sour

“Help Me Help My Horse”

buddy sour • headshyness • the calm down cue • 15 trail-riding tips • speed control • standing tied • picking up feet & more!

$26.99

Trailer Loading

“Things I Wish I Knew”

trailer loading • first saddling • rearing • getting your horse’s attention • first ride • spook in place • also see “On the Trail”

$26.99

Trail Riding

“On the Trail”

buddy sour • crossing obstacles • bucking • trailer loading • speed up a slow horse • power steering • spooking & more!

$26.99

Bucking

“Jody Wants To Know”

bucking • herd dynamics • trail riding

cribbing • what to do when a rider falls

mares • also see “On the Trail” below

$26.99

horse into a giant ball. That’s what you should be thinking about as the two of you advance and you’re looking for your release.

Next Step: When the horse will willingly soften his neck as described, then your next step is to get the hindquarters to “engage” a little more. Think of a horse that won’t get into a trailer. They’ll lock their feet up at the entrance to the trailer – and simply creep their back feet closer and closer to the front. That’s an exaggerated view of what you’ll be looking for and seeing here.

Picture a brick wall in front of you. (The brick wall, or barrier, is created by your hands holding the bit.) You want to push them up into that wall by really squeezing with your two legs. When the

“Be careful during your transition to ask the horse to stay soft, to not push on the bit.”

Three Step Stop Exercise cont’d

article 6.1, page 3 of 3

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your horse will also be learning that there is a correct frame, or correct way to carry himself when being ridden.

You can continue this exercise through the walk, then the trot – and into your lope. If you’re working on your reining stop, for instance, you’ll pick up your reins, drive your horse into the bit and use what you’ve learned here to really get that inside hindquarter way up, closer to the front of the horse.

So then, when you’ve mastered this exercise, the cool “upshot” is that if you’re riding your horse, and his body is in the wrong position to pick up his lead, for instance, (maybe he’s all “splayed out”) then you can simply pick up the reins and drive him forward without picking up speed. He’ll stay relaxed and soft; he’ll willingly “assume the position” you need for your next maneuver. You’ll just push energy into him to soften up his nose up and into position, to where it’s supposed to be, working to get his nose and hip into position, then release and just lope off. Be careful during your transition to ask the horse to stay soft, to not push on the bit – and to not pick up speed, but rather to just lope off.

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Teach Your Horse To Stand Still

by Josh Lyons & John Lyons Certified Trainer Keith Hosman

Training listed by 200+ topics at Horsemanship101.com/Training

If you simply want your horse to stand still, and you keep picking up the reins to try and stop him – then the only thing that happens is that the horse gets aggravated. There’s no possible way to make your horse stand still if he does not want to stand still. What if you tie him? Can he still move? Of course. What if you put him in a small two-horse trailer? There’s no way the horse can move then, right? Wrong, he can still move. What about cross-ties? Can he move around when he’s cross-tied? Yes, he can. There is no way for us to physically to make this horse stand still....

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horse moves up and softens, you let go. If a car were to smash into that wall, the middle part would bulge up, right? Same thing with your horse: Begin to feel for the horse’s back to come up.

What’s happening is that the horse is being driven forward – but the whole time you’re holding the front of the horse in place with the bit and your two hands. As the back legs come closer to the front, but the front stays blocked by the bit, the horse’s back comes up. It’ll feel like your saddle raises several inches. Release the horse and let it walk back out.

horse moves up and softens, you let go. If a car were to smash into that wall, the middle part would bulge up, right? Same thing with your horse: Begin to feel for the horse’s back to come up.

horse into a giant ball. That’s what you should be thinking about as the two of you advance and you’re looking for your release.

Three Step Stop Exercise cont’d

article 6.1, page 2 of 3

“Horse training is about building on small changes. Don’t start with your goal.”

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$26.99There are three parts to this exercise called “Flying Time,” “Take Off” and “Landing.” “Landing” is stopping the horse (from a walk), then bumping with your legs, asking the horse to soften (or relax) it’s neck muscles and drop it’s nose. You don’t want to go forward, (or to move at all, for that matter) just for the horse to soften up and “give to the bit.” A “Take Off” is when I’ve got the horse softened up or in the frame I want and I ask him to step forward. I ask him to move forward and into the bit. “Flying Time” is when the horse is actually giving and traveling at the same time.

What you’ll get: A better stop

Three Step Stop Exercise

What you’ll get: A better stop

“Three Step Stop” will remedy those situations described above. It’ll make your horse stop now as opposed to later; it’ll make your horse more maneuverable and smoother through its transitions (slow jog to extended trot, trot to lope, etc.) and it goes a long way towards building better manners and picking up the correct lead. Most importantly, it teaches your horse that when you ask for more speed and drop your legs against its sides, it’s to put it’s head down, “collect up” and move fluidly – not throw its head up in the air and drop a shoulder as it lurches forward. You’ve seen this many times: The faster you go, the higher the head gets. You add speed and with speed comes emotion. This exercise teaches your horse a cue: When you bump with your legs, it should bring its head down - and anytime you touch the reins, the horse should know to “get into frame,” that is, to carry itself in a correct, collected position.

When we first teach the exercise we’ll simply work to get the horse to drop his head and soften his neck muscles, releasing when he does. As the horse improves, you want to begin to ask for more. At that point you’ll watch the back feet and release when you notice them getting (incrementally) closer to the front feet. How You’ll Accomplish This: Walk forward three steps, stop, drive your horse into the bit with your legs (by bumping) until they soften their nose up, then release and walk out.

At first the horse may only lower its head before they soften. That’s okay. Release on the horse lowering its head – and build on that. Horse training is about building on small changes. Don’t start with your goal. If your horse begins to whip his head back into position like a snapped rubber band, (it’ll feel like he’s being rude, throwing his head up or done rapidly), just play with your timing. Try releasing a bit slower, try holding till you think the horse is being “polite” with his give, then releas Don’t let them walk forward; hold them back. You may have to really motivate them to drop that head with your legs by squeezing or kicking. The first time you do this, look for something small, a small change or give. Build on it. Take any downward motion at first. Squeeze and when the head just begins to go down, release.

You’ll find that some horses will simply walk out after you release; others will simply stand there. It doesn’t really matter whether your horse walks out on its own or not. Either way, you’ll simply go three steps then stop the horse, repeating the exercise. The important thing is simply that you do this every three steps.

Picture a brick wall in front of you. (The brick wall, or barrier, is created by your hands holding the bit.) You want to push them up into that wall by really squeezing with your two legs. When the horse moves up and softens, you let go. If a car were to smash into that wall, the middle part would bulge up, right? Same thing with your horse: Begin to feel for the horse’s back to come up.

Third Step: At first you released when the horse softens his neck muscles. As your horse progressed, you released when the back feet come closer to the front. Finally, you want to work on building the horse’s strength and ability to hold this collected position for longer periods of time. Remember: It’s difficult for a horse that isn’t used to working his muscles in this way to carry himself in frame for more than a few seconds when you first begin. It will take weeks if not months for your horse to build up the strength. In the meantime, as you practice (and your horse develops his muscles),your horse will also be learning that there is a correct frame, or correct way to carry himself when being ridden.

What Not To Do When Your Horse Bucks

Read the following to understand why your very health depends on the work you do before you ever hit the trail – and to find out what not to do when your horse blows up.

Your job right now, today, is to start

making sure that you have that control

Your job right now, today, is to start making sure that you have that control.

Begin seeing the exercises you do not as an end in themselves, but as tests. Can your horse stop exactly there at that rock or turn precisely at the second cone? It’s not (you) knowing a lot of exercises that’s important – it’s having exact control over your horse’s body parts throughout the exercises. If you’re doing an exercise that calls for a halt at a certain point, and your horse misses by three steps, then it’s telling you that you don’t have the control you need of a certain body part. Practice until you can stop when and how you say. Passing that test is your proof that you have control – and that’s what staying safe later (when things get hairy) is all about. What you’ll gain through diligent practice is the ability to move your horse’s body parts in the only six directions they can go: forward, backward, left, right, up, down. Exercises are tests to see if you have control when you need it. Of course, more often than not, what you’ll see is how little control you have.

What you’ll gain through diligent practice is the ability to move your horse’s body parts in the only six directions they can go: forward, backward, left, right, up, down. Exercises are tests to see if you have control when you need it. Of course, more often than not, what you’ll see is how little control you have.

So what do if you find yourself in a bad situation? Well, what you DON’T DO is to look down and think about the ground. If your horse takes off and you look down at the ground... then guaranteed that’s where you’re going to hit. You’ve picked your spot. You’ll be looking to the left, the horse will zig to the right – and you’ll hit your mark, guaranteed

.“What you DON’T DO is to look down and think about the ground.”

Instead, look right between his ears and nowhere else. Your job is to get the horse stopped, no matter what it takes. Don’t be lookin’ nowhere else and don’t let your emotions get involved. It’s okay to be afraid, but to survive you’ve got to stay focused on staying on and stopping the horse.

While there are several ways to deal with both bucking and rearing (as they happen), both can be addressed by “disengaging the hips.” For example, you pick up the right rein, adding the pressure and angle that it takes to make the shoulder on the same side stop moving while the hips swing to the left. You take the “drive” away from the horse and thus diffuse the situation.If a horse rears up, his body has to be square, two front feet planted directly in front of two back feet. During a rear, what he does is to transfer his weight to his hindquarters and then launch the front half into the air. So, if I can “take the hindquarters away” from the horse he can’t rear up. It’s similar with bucking: Disengaging effectively takes away 90% of the power behind the buck. He might still hop, but most likely you can ride through it. After “surviving” you can get busy with more training – giving you yet more control for the next incident

If a horse rears up, his body has to be square, two front feet planted directly in front of two back feet. During a rear, what he does is to transfer his weight to his hindquarters and then launch the front half into the air. So, if I can “take the hindquarters away” from the horse he can’t rear up. It’s similar with bucking: Disengaging effectively takes away 90% of the power behind the buck. He might still hop, but most likely you can ride through it. After “surviving” you can get busy with more training – giving you yet more control for the next incident.

As a side note, when we say “disengage the hindquarters” what’s actually happening is that one hind leg is dragging the other to the side. The leg that’s being dragged is “disengaged” while the one dragging the other is actually “engaging.” Picking up your right rein and asking the hindquarters to move to the left causes the left hind leg to become engaged while the right rear leg becomes disengaged. One is getting put to work, the other is “getting dragged.” But either way you move the horse, the effect is the same: Just as a motorboat loses it’s steam if were you to pick the motor up out of the water, so does the horse lose it’s power and drive.

When the horse you’re riding begins to buck, you have to do whatever it takes to get through it. If you’ve practiced enough (before the bucking or rearing ever happens) you will have developed “brains in your hands.” You might know you’re in big trouble – but your hands will stay dispassionate and business like. They know the drill: “The horse freaks, I disengage, get his performance (and thus his attention) back on me.”

by Josh Lyons & Keith Hosman

articles 12.1 & 3.1, page 1 of 2

Read the following to understand why your very health depends on the work you do before you ever hit the trail – and to find out what not to do when your horse blows up.

Your job right now, today, is to start making sure that you have that control.

How Long You Should Ride

A person is able to keep his or her attention span for about twenty minutes before something else enters their head. The coffee pot he left on will come flying into his head. A saddle sore, the bills, the husband, this problem or that problem - all begin jockeying for attention. Which means that the best amount of time to ride a horse is for about twenty minutes. Ride focused for twenty minutes, then give yourself (and therefore the horse) a ten to twenty minute break and ride for twenty minutes again. If you know your training's going to last for twenty minutes, then you can focus and stay working intensely.

During those twenty minutes, you want to make something better. Just look down and ask yourself "What is it? What can I make better?" Find something. You should never be satisfied with what you've got or what you've done. "Satisfied" is another word for "content" which is another word for "quitting.” There's always more to do; there's always more to accomplish. So never be satisfied.

Keep raising your expectations. The whole time you're riding, you need to be looking for the moment when you can begin asking for more. Look for something to make better. Not everything, just something. Say you're starting off and you're just kind of moving around. You and your horse are out there simply changing directions. You don't care how it looks; you're just changing directions. After awhile you should begin staying in one direction till you see the nose start to go down, or you feel it start to soften up. Then your training should build on that. Horse training is always asking for something to get better. Either the horse stays going the same speed, or his nose stays bent to the inside, or he softens up… something has got to get better.

A key to making this improvement is for you to keep focused. When you “ride focused” you’re being a proactive, rather than reactive rider. You’re not reacting to the horse’s mistakes, saying in effect “no,” “no,” “no,” “no...” Instead, you’re asking for a particular movement (“hip to the left one step, release, repeat”) over and over and over. This puts you in charge. It keeps you from nagging. It gets the horse’s attention and improves performance.

Your focus also gives the horse less time to think about the buddy he left behind, the horse-eating plastic bag or the truck driving by. During your twenty minutes you’ll just keep coming at the horse like George Foreman on his best day. (Don’t forget to give little mini breaks in between each short drill.) The more you give the horse to think about, the less time the horse has to get distracted. If your horse still seems distracted, give him more to do. Say, “Fine, horse, you can turn to the left and still whinny at your buddy over there. But, can you turn to the left, keep your head tucked, your haunches in and move at exactly this speed and STILL whinny at your buddy?” Keep adding things for the horse to do: Pick up speed, slow down, change directions, soften the nose up, drop his ears, raise his ears, change direction, break at the poll, etc. You’re looking for that magic point where the horse focuses on you. He hasn’t forgotten his pasture buddy - just decided it’s too much work to worry about him.

Bottom line: Ride intensely for twenty minutes. Stay focused during that time and look for improvement, no matter how small.

The Snaffle Bit vs The Shank Bit

The snaffle bit allows me to work my horse's head from side to side and to get him to begin to utilize his neck. With a snaffle bit, if I pick up the reins and I putt ten pounds of pressure on the rein, that's exactly what the horse feels, ten pounds of pressure. It's pound for pound. If I pull a pound here he feels a pound there. With a leverage bit, if I pull 1 pound he feels 10 pounds down there. That's a big difference. When I train my horses, I predominantly use a full cheek snaffle bit.

Should you ever use a shank bit? Yes, simply because shank bits are often required in the show arena.

A shank bit is a leverage bit gives me the feeling of having more control than I actually have. But, in fact, the leverage (or shank) bit doesn't give me any more control than any other bit. If I have to pull 5 pounds to stop my horse on that bit, I still have to put 5 pounds on this bit. Except I'm only pulling about a pound's worth because a pound from me feels like ten down there due to the leverage created. It makes me feel like I have more control. It makes me feel like the horse is softer and more responsive, But if I allow him to, the horse will soon begin pulling on the shank bit - just as he would any snaffle bit.

A leverage bit will allow me to teach him to keep his head straight and break at the poll – but that's about all I'm going to be doing. I do use a leverage bit, if I want to work on keeping horse's head in position or to keep him square between the reins. But while the bit might be keeping his head correct, it's my body, my seat that's telling him where to go. For instance, if I were riding toward you and I tell the horse to take his hips to the left and his shoulders to the right or the left, then it's my body that's telling the horse how to move, not the bit. The bit is just keeping him "in frame."

The reason then that I don't train in a curb or leverage bit is that I can't work the horse side to side; I can't work him vertically and I have no way to correct him. If I'm using a leveraged bit and the horse doesn't move off my leg, I'm not able to pull his head off to the side and correct him. All he feels when I put pressure on the reins is pressure on both sides of his face and he'd simply keep driving his head down.

Regarding types of snaffle bits: It makes no difference what specific kind of snaffle bit you use. You can use an O-ring or D-ring or full cheek. If it's anO- or D, use a chin strap to keep it from pulling through the horse's mouth if you were to pull and it was to open it's mouth too wide.

Some horses will panic when they first feel that sort of pressure. So in that respect, a snaffle bit will actually get a horse to calm down faster because the bit doesn't scare them. You may want to work with a shank bit occasionally so that when (or if) you show your horse it doesn't panic from the pressure. It's a different type of pressure because it applies pressure at different points of the horse's head. It’s also more severe because of the leveraged effect. With a snaffle but you can pull like crazy and the horse will just lay on it. But, if you were to get a horse light in a snaffle bit, then put a leverage bit in their mouth, the horse is much more sensitive. It gives you a little extra edge in the show ring - in your stops for instance