Posted 2014-01-06 6:54 PM Subject: RE: Drills for getting on their hind end
Veteran
Posts: 222 Location: Texas
I do what I call a "box Drill". It's from my Dressage Queen days. I take cones and poles and make a box then a bigger box on the outside of the first box. Just wide enough to ride a horse between the two boxes. Walk trot canter that both ways working on collection ( which should always come from the hind end forward not the other way around like a lot of people think it does). The horse has to sit down and do a 1/4 pirouette at the corners. No cheating and rounding that's why I use poles and cones lol. My dressage trainer used to tell us that she had a barrel racer come to her for lessons once or twice a week. After doing this for only a short while. ( a month if I remember right) she shaved 1/2 second off her time. Any dressage will help with getting a horse on their hind end. Anyway that's one of my favorite drills to do
Posted 2014-01-06 7:55 PM Subject: RE: Drills for getting on their hind end
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032 Location: IL
Married2Rodeo - 2014-01-06 6:54 PM I do what I call a "box Drill". It's from my Dressage Queen days. I take cones and poles and make a box then a bigger box on the outside of the first box. Just wide enough to ride a horse between the two boxes. Walk trot canter that both ways working on collection ( which should always come from the hind end forward not the other way around like a lot of people think it does). The horse has to sit down and do a 1/4 pirouette at the corners. No cheating and rounding that's why I use poles and cones lol. My dressage trainer used to tell us that she had a barrel racer come to her for lessons once or twice a week. After doing this for only a short while. ( a month if I remember right) she shaved 1/2 second off her time. Any dressage will help with getting a horse on their hind end. Anyway that's one of my favorite drills to do
Can you give me an idea of how big your boxes are? I'm hoping maybe this is something I could work on with my horses in our small indoor :)
Posted 2014-01-06 8:35 PM Subject: RE: Drills for getting on their hind end
Veteran
Posts: 222 Location: Texas
I start big with the young horses like a 15 meter inner box and a 20 meter outer box. Then make it smaller as they get the hang of it. The bigger it is the longer the rest time ( straight a ways) you can do it however it fits in your arena. We have done it a number of ways to make it fit. I had it set up in my small cutting pen not to long ago. I think the inner box was about 10 meters and the out side 15. It's small but they can do it they really have to be on their hindend. I really like this drill and it really helps my horses Now if we can just stop spooking at banners people cattle ghosts during our run we will be good And if I can get over making it look pretty, grow a set and RUN LOL
Posted 2014-01-06 10:00 PM Subject: RE: Drills for getting on their hind end
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1032 Location: IL
Married2Rodeo - 2014-01-06 8:35 PM I start big with the young horses like a 15 meter inner box and a 20 meter outer box. Then make it smaller as they get the hang of it. The bigger it is the longer the rest time ( straight a ways) you can do it however it fits in your arena. We have done it a number of ways to make it fit. I had it set up in my small cutting pen not to long ago. I think the inner box was about 10 meters and the out side 15. It's small but they can do it they really have to be on their hindend. I really like this drill and it really helps my horses Now if we can just stop spooking at banners people cattle ghosts during our run we will be good And if I can get over making it look pretty, grow a set and RUN LOL
hahaha! I think many of us struggle going from trainer mode to jockey mode! And I'm very interested to see how my young mare handles everything at shows. She's OTTB so she has seen a lot but I'm curious to see how she reacts when asked to perform with banners flapping, kids yelling, dogs barking, etc! LOL
Thanks so much for the info about that drill! That is definitely one I'm going to start using :)
Posted 2014-01-06 11:08 PM Subject: RE: Drills for getting on their hind end
Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586 Location: Phoenix
I like to do some downward transitions. Ask for lope, then ask for extended trot but don't let them dump on the front end. FEEL the propulsion and keep them pushing with that hind end.
Posted 2014-01-07 12:35 PM Subject: RE: Drills for getting on their hind end
Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
I have a question about roll backs. When you ask your horse for a roll back do you want them to plan both back feet, lift their front feet off the ground and spin in the other direction? Or when you ask to do a roll back, they plant their hind feet but cross over with the front feet? (All 4 feet keeping contact with the ground while moving.) Ive seen a barrel racing trainer do the plant and swivel roll back and Ive seen reining trainers ask for the cross over with the front feet. Which one would be the correct roll back? Does it matter as long as they are using their hind end?
Drills for getting on their hind end
