When you pick up the reins – are you giving your horse a clear cue as to what you want? Or have you desensitized your horse by always “nagging” – has your horse tuned you out? Do you find that your horse pulls on your hands when you ask for a stop or back up, when you ask him to slow down does he brace against the bit and raise his head? If the answer is yes – you need to get out of his mouth

– LET GO OF THE REINS.

     When I ask my horse for forward movement – I first cue him with my energy – I raise my energy in the saddle, and then I pick up the reins. He knows I am asking for forward movement because I have increased my energy in my body and I’m thinking forward. If he doesn’t move I will kiss – if he still doesn’t move then I will squeeze with my calves, if he still doesn’t move I will turn my toes out and press my heels up against his sides, if he still doesn’t move I will begin to bump with my legs in a rhythm that gradually increases in pressure until I get the response of forward movement – as soon as I do – I release. If he only goes a few steps and stops – I will start the whole process all over again. I will allow him to make the mistake by stopping – I will not keep banging on his sides to go which is nagging and will desensitize him to my legs. I will allow him to make the mistake and start the whole process over again. If it takes an hour, it takes an hour for him to understand when I increase my energy and pick up the reins – it means go. I will always give him a chance to respond to less and gradually increase my cues until I get the response – this gives me plenty of back-up cues. When I get the speed I want – I lower the reins so there is slack but keep the energy in my body – I’m driving him with my seat and calves. When I want him to rate back to me, I first give him a cue from the energy in my body – I decrease it by sitting deep in the saddle – not back in the saddle – deep in the saddle, exhale, and take my legs slightly off - this is the first step, then I take the slack out of one of my reins – I don’t pull on the rein – I take the slack out – there is a difference. When I have gotten a noticeable speed change, I release the reins.

     Whatever the maneuver – I have first prepared my horse by my body first, then the reins. The reins are released as soon as I get my desired response. When I want him to stop, I prepare him first by letting him know what my intentions are – I first sit deep in the saddle, exhale and take my legs off, then secondly say the word Whoa and third I take the slack out of my reins. As soon as I get my stop – I release the reins. If I want my horse to back up – I first prepare him for the back up by my seat – I will pick up the reins to direct him – I will drive him back with my legs and seat – my legs are the gas and my reins are the steering wheel. If I were driving a car and wanting to back up – I wouldn’t pull on the steering wheel – I would guide the direction of the back up with the steering wheel and determine the speed with the gas pedal – my legs. As soon as I get the back up at the speed I want – I release the reins.

     If my horse is walking down the trail like a gentleman – there is slack in the rein. By the time I pick up the reins, he has already been prepared for what I want by my seat and legs- whatever the maneuver may be and he is ready to listen. As soon as I get the desired response – the reins are released.

     If you want more control and a lighter response, you need to stop nagging by always being in your horses’ mouth. Sensitize your horse to the reins, communicate when it counts, release when you get the desired response and you will find that you have a more willing and attentive partner.