I’ll be riding a standardbred mare this summer and I’m interested in teaching her how to neck rein. Can I get some tips on how to do so? I’ve ridden plenty of neck reining horses but never taught it.
She’s clever as anything and already moves well off the leg. Gonna be a great trail horse. 
Not sure if this is how everyone does it, but I’ve used a direct rein and then put the opposite rein against their neck at the same time. Be careful the “neck” rein is not tight or it will become a direct rein and confuse your horse. Using your leg at the same time will help. So for example: left rein direct, right rein lay against her neck, right leg. I was able to teach my hunters to neck rein well enough to be ridden one handed on the trail. 
I do what Lilykoi suggests.
Mostly I think neck reining in a misleading term. At least for any I have ridden, they are working off my leg rather than the rein.
I’ve been told to cross the reins under the head. Placing the rein on his neck puts pressure on the bit at the same time…
Semi-related question-- should I introduce the curb to her?
I’ve ridden her maybe a dozen times before (mostly just goofing around getting her used to the trail obstacles set up in the arena) but only in either a d-ring snaffle or just her halter with reins clipped on. She goes the same with that bit or just the halter and chews no matter what.
I have always bridged my reins and lead with the opening rein and laid the other one over. Use leg cues before asking with the rein.
Obstacles reinforce the idea…going around road cones or whatever.
I don’t switch bits until they totally get it in a snaffle.
Look up information on the 5 rein effects. First comes opening rein understanding, then secondly comes neck reining (NOT crossing the hand over). It is combined with weight/leg as well. You can use the corners of the arena for the different effects…opening in the first corner of the short side and second corner is neck reining/counter bending.
There was a bit that is no longer being made because the bit maker died. It was called the One Hander.
If you can find one you can teach a horse to neck rein real quick.
Teaching a horse to “neck rein” will depend on what you mean by “neck reining”.
Professionally trained horses end up neck reining because they have been trained in a way that eventually they are riding one handed.
If that is the kind of neck reining you mean, you train the horse well in all you do with all aids and use hands less and less, horse is in self carriage more and more.
The horse learns to respond to all other aids to the point that you don’t hardly use your hands.
You end up where you can barely move your hands an inch or two and the horse moves, then go to one handed riding and there you have one kind of neck reining.
If you want a horse with less technical training to respond to being handled with one hand, no matter how the horse is working or what else is going on, as in speed events, then that requires other kinds of neck reining.
We teach our two and three year olds to neck rein or “go one handed” by lots of steering in. Steering in for us is very important in reining patterns because if they don’t steer off that outside rein and leg the. They can take you anywhere.
We always begin by riding two handed and we will steer I off the outside rein and bump with leg and then “bite” their nose around. That doesn’t mean hold their nose with your inside rein. Just a quick correction so they “follow their nose”
If you ride on a circle you can easily
Spend your whole ride just steering in and then getting to a corner and steering in again.
You can make four leaf clover patterns and just steer in one direction.
Another exercise is putting your reins in your inside hand and crossing them over each other and coming back to your hip. I like to use that on horses once they e started to figure out the idea of getting off that rein.
Oh and to add, you could probably move to a little short shank bit with a snaffle mouth piece ( balding makes a fabulous one) or even this myler. They are my two favorites for young horses.
http://www.sstack.com/western_bitscurbs_myler-bits/myler-sweet-iron-correction/
http://tombalding.com/index.php/products/63-short-snaffle.html
Have taught it with snaffle and curb bit.
I lay rein against neck on side going away from, at same time I close that leg against horse, and then lightly direct rein. The instant horse gives turn, I cease the direct rein, and just keep leg on and that side rein.
Make your leg/neck cue together, or have done leg/neck…direct, in that order.
But keep everything light so you will get a light response.
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