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  Discussion on Training a Horse to Back Up
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Posted on Friday, Jan 5, 2001 - 11:27 pm:

What are good ways to train horses of any age to back up at the lightest touch?
Once they learn to back in a straight line, what are good ways to train them to back in certain directions, such as to the left, or to the right, or around something?
Are certain kinds of bits recommended for this?

Posted on Saturday, Jan 6, 2001 - 10:01 am:

Julie,
I believe you should start on the ground.
Get your horses so they can back up by pressure by pushing on their nose with your hand and then the chest. Work to get results with the slightest touch. Then, You may try hooking up long lines/surcingle to a halter and driving him forward and then backing him up that way. (Straight)Again, begin with the slightest pull back and increase until he/she takes A step backward. Stop and release pressure. Eventually, he will back up with a slight pull or touch.
THEN introduce the bit and still remain on the ground with the long lines attached to the bit. Yeah, Yeah...I know I used to feel the same way...ALL those steps?? But it really is the best way and truthfully in the long run you will have a lighter happier horse and have consistancy in your responses.

Posted on Saturday, Jan 6, 2001 - 4:03 pm:

Julie is absolutely correct in that you need to have your horse backing from the ground before attempting it from the saddle. Once in the saddle I've found that shifting your weight to the back and lifting the horses head with the reins you shift his balance so that it is easier for him to move back. Later you won't need to do this as much as he'll knows what you want. To move him in different directions first back him straight, stop him, use your leg to move his hindquarters to the direction you want him to back and once the hignquarters are pointing correctly then simply back him. Again as he improves you can simplfy the cues by moving his hindquarters as he starts backing. When you first start it may help to have your horse facing a wall or solid structure so he will realize that he can not go forward.

Posted on Monday, Jan 8, 2001 - 11:07 am:

The best way I've found for teaching to back up from the ground is push my thumb into the indentation just inside the point of their shoulder, walk towards them, light pressure on the lead rope if necessary (usually isn't with the thump pressing), and saying "back" the whole time. That point of pressure seems to be enough, and I've not yet had a horse walk into it. Reward any movement back, even if it is sideways too - you can straighten him out later. Once he knows the voice command by heart, it's easy enough to translate it to saddle work.

Once they understand what back up is, and once they can do a turn on the forehand, I find that it's easy to walk towards them, off to one side, to get them to back up in the opposite direction.
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