(Apologies, its a novel but its a useful one) This method has worked well with the last 4 horses I’ve trained from green and all lateral work started from in the saddle.(one large draft cross, one small young wb and 2 OTTB). I start with them standing in the middle, or at the rail for the ones that need the support to prevent just going forward.
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Moving the hind end. Slide the leg back to where you want your ‘move the hind end’ button to be and light pressure, no leg pressure in the direction the hind end is to move. Gently tap/tickle behind that leg until the horse steps away from the pestering. remove leg pressure completely as they move. In the beginning, take the pressure off if they even shift their weight in the correct direction. Pat/Scritch/feed snack (I vary between all 3) Repeat. If your timing for the removal of the pressure and whip tickle is good? They will figure out very quickly they can make the annoyance go away by moving. 1 step at a time is excellent progress. 3-4 repetitions each side when you ride will build up very quickly. By day 2 or 3 you should find they are responding to the leg position change without needing the dressage whip.
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Moving the forehand. While standing, soft even contact both reins and move both hands in the direction you want the horse to move the shoulders without crossing the neck with the ‘outside’ rein and opening rein to the inside with soft left pressure right at the girth. Dressage whip should be along the ‘outside’ shoulder to tap until horse moves away from it. The pressure on the outside of the neck and at girth/tapping should stop as soon as the horse steps over or shifts weight in the desired direction. 1 step at a time is excellent progress. 3-4 repetitions each side when you ride will build up very quickly. By day 2 or 3 you should find they are responding to the hand position/leg at girth change without needing the dressage whip.
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Once they are comfortable moving the pieces calmly. Add 10m circles walk, ask for spiraling out/stepping with soft inside leg pressure at girth, sit more on the outer seat bone. Hands neutral, outside leg neutral.
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Add walking serpentines and/or shallow loops, even contact. Changes of bend from leg only, you should have the neck fill into the outside rein at change of bend if they horse is walking and changing bend through the body. (I’ve been playing this game with myself for years)
Now you should have the pieces all your basic lateral work. If they really understand 2 hand shift left/right controls the shoulders, single leg at girth controls rib cage, leg position behind girth controls hind end position and seat bone/weight controls direction of travel? You can leg yield, shoulder in, haunches in, even start adding walking half pass steps depending on your hand position relative to the shoulder, leg position and just sit/weight/stand in the direction of travel.
I introduce all of it at a walk, confirm it at a walk. I use it daily as warm up, as yoga when they’re muscle tight, to relax them when they get wound up. When I move up to trot? Its there because they understand the ‘buttons’.
It sounds like a lot but the first two parts are 10 min each the first day with 5 min sessions each for 2-5 days to make it no big deal. After those are easy? The 3rd part can be part of basic daily warm up as can the 4th. Once 3 and 4 are easy its just a matter of different combinations to get any lateral move you want. As they build strength and coordination? Add gaits/power. If they ‘lose’ a move? Revisit step 1 or 2 to refresh and you’re good.
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