Now that you have mastered keeping the horse under you from the previous post Keeping The Horse Underneath You.

.

Let’s add on to that exercise and make it more precise to lighten up the horses shoulders and mouth.

As you hold your horse back when you are turning, instead of just holding him, gently use your fingers to shift the horses weight onto his hind quarters and off of his forehand. Be sure you are not holding the reins in the palms of your hands, but instead your fingertips. My fourth finger or ring finger is always the leader because this finger is the weakest finger on the hand. Therefore it will also be the lightest. See saw back and forth with your fingers. As you do this keep your hands level, your reins even, and your horses head and neck straight as you back the horse off the bit. You won’t go as far as backing the horse, but you will be shifting his weight back off of the forehand. As you are using your hands, turn the horse with your legs.

.

As you use your hands, really tune yourself to the horses mouth. Feel the give and take, be gentle and take your time. This exercise will be for yourself more than the horse if you have not yet mastered feel with your fingers.

.

Your legs will be used for turning, and your hands will be used to keep the horses head and neck straight and level. The horse should be changing from stiffening his neck and pinning his ears back to stretching his neck, relaxing, and putting his ears in a comfortable forward position.

.

Your two hands will be performing one maneuver, while your legs will be doing completely different things. Kind of like when you were a kid and would pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time. But when you are on a horse it’s like doing those two things plus jumping up and down on one foot.

.

Have fun and lighten up those hands and mouths!

.

Deanna

1 Comment to Keeping Your Horse Underneath You Part Two

Leave a comment