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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
| I have a gelding that had some reining training then was ridden by a want to be cutter and the problem I am having with him is that whenever he doesn't understand something or we have a minor little argument like over which direction we are going to go and I have to correct him a little harder with my leg or rein, he starts backing up. Putting my leg on him to drive him forward makes him back faster even if I have my reins dropped. We were riding around my property today and he did it me twice when we were under some pines and ended up backing up into the branches. A little hard to correct a horse when you are leaning down over its neck in a branch! I finally just yelled his name and said knock it off and he stopped. Anyone have any tips I could try to get him going forward again without too much fuss? |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
 
| I would suggest pulling him in a circle then riding off straight. Do not use both legs at the same time, one then the other. OR you can always reach back and pop him on the butt, barring he won't freak out on you. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 851
Location: West Texas | It is most likely your body position. A reining horse is ridden off the back pockets and driven forward. Another common issue for some when learning to ride this type of trained horse is to lope off. Many people lean forward to lope and that makes that type of horse trot faster. You sit on your pockets and drive forward, that is why reaching back to the butt helps, because it puts your body in the correct cue.
Edited by Tdove 2017-07-11 10:47 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
| Its possible how I am sitting on him plus I am treeless so he is feeling everything. Looking for a treed saddle to fit him, just haven't found one yet.
He keeps backing even if I only have one leg on him or pull with one rein. It usually starts when I am turning him and he just goes into reverse instead. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Buckles - 2017-07-11 10:29 AM I have a gelding that had some reining training then was ridden by a want to be cutter and the problem I am having with him is that whenever he doesn't understand something or we have a minor little argument like over which direction we are going to go and I have to correct him a little harder with my leg or rein, he starts backing up. Putting my leg on him to drive him forward makes him back faster even if I have my reins dropped. We were riding around my property today and he did it me twice when we were under some pines and ended up backing up into the branches. A little hard to correct a horse when you are leaning down over its neck in a branch! I finally just yelled his name and said knock it off and he stopped. Anyone have any tips I could try to get him going forward again without too much fuss?
It's possible he may have been trained to do this. To get that FAST reining backup, they put their legs on them. So most likely you may be accidentally cueing him to back up faster, because he may be trained that way.
Now, he shouldn't be going to backing up when he is frustated, but something for you to keep in mind if he DOES start backing up is to be mindful of your body position and seat in the saddle. You may want to actually SIT on your pockets more to get him to go forward ... don't lean your body forward.
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Veteran
Posts: 233
| Sounds like he might be half-fried. He doesn't know what to do, so he offers up the thing he thinks you want. Have you tried using the "at!" noise when he shifts his weight backwards, followed with lots of praise for a forward step?
Why is steering an issue? Are you riding out and he is uncomfortable with something? Or is he feeling pressured in an arena? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
| I have a cutter and you have to ride with your sweet and your core legs are relaxed unless your driving the hind end up or moving left or right ride really relaxed on your pockets |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
| hannahbug - 2017-07-11 8:53 PM
Sounds like he might be half-fried. He doesn't know what to do, so he offers up the thing he thinks you want. Have you tried using the "at!" noise when he shifts his weight backwards, followed with lots of praise for a forward step?
Why is steering an issue? Are you riding out and he is uncomfortable with something? Or is he feeling pressured in an arena?
Yes we are riding out and hes a little unsure and he hasn't really been ridden in the last 10 months because hes has some pssm/back issues that started a week after I purchased him, just recently started riding him again after finally getting him comfortable. I have just been doing ground work with him all winter. From the extreme reactions I have gotten from him on the ground, his last owner was most likely too rough with him for as sensitive a horse he is and had zero patience. His reaction on the ground when he didn't understand something was to go flying backwards and then rear. Hasn't done that for months and months.
I have not tried the "at" noise with him, but not sure why I haven't. He knows what it means on the ground, to just stop doing what he is doing and relax and wait |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
| r_beau - 2017-07-11 5:56 PM
Buckles - 2017-07-11 10:29 AM I have a gelding that had some reining training then was ridden by a want to be cutter and the problem I am having with him is that whenever he doesn't understand something or we have a minor little argument like over which direction we are going to go and I have to correct him a little harder with my leg or rein, he starts backing up. Putting my leg on him to drive him forward makes him back faster even if I have my reins dropped. We were riding around my property today and he did it me twice when we were under some pines and ended up backing up into the branches. A little hard to correct a horse when you are leaning down over its neck in a branch! I finally just yelled his name and said knock it off and he stopped. Anyone have any tips I could try to get him going forward again without too much fuss?
It's possible he may have been trained to do this. To get that FAST reining backup, they put their legs on them. So most likely you may be accidentally cueing him to back up faster, because he may be trained that way.
Now, he shouldn't be going to backing up when he is frustated, but something for you to keep in mind if he DOES start backing up is to be mindful of your body position and seat in the saddle. You may want to actually SIT on your pockets more to get him to go forward ... don't lean your body forward.
Thank you. I've ridden just one other reiner in the past and my husbands cutter, just used to them going forward when you drop your rein down to their neck, which he doesn't so I wasn't sure what to do about it! |
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 Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | I've had a horse or two in the past that did that and they didn't have any reining or cutting training. With them, it was simply resistance. I'm not a trainer and I don't know your horse but if you feel sure you are not mis-cueing the horse, make the wrong thing hard. If he wants to back, make him back. Easy. Don't jerk on him. Keep backing him till he says, whoa, this is not working as planned. Be quiet, be calm, be consistent. Then reward him with something nice and easy when he moves forward. |
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Veteran
Posts: 233
| Buckles - 2017-07-12 6:22 AM
hannahbug - 2017-07-11 8:53 PM
Sounds like he might be half-fried. He doesn't know what to do, so he offers up the thing he thinks you want. Have you tried using the "at!" noise when he shifts his weight backwards, followed with lots of praise for a forward step?
Why is steering an issue? Are you riding out and he is uncomfortable with something? Or is he feeling pressured in an arena?
Yes we are riding out and hes a little unsure and he hasn't really been ridden in the last 10 months because hes has some pssm/back issues that started a week after I purchased him, just recently started riding him again after finally getting him comfortable. I have just been doing ground work with him all winter. From the extreme reactions I have gotten from him on the ground, his last owner was most likely too rough with him for as sensitive a horse he is and had zero patience. His reaction on the ground when he didn't understand something was to go flying backwards and then rear. Hasn't done that for months and months.
I have not tried the "at" noise with him, but not sure why I haven't. He knows what it means on the ground, to just stop doing what he is doing and relax and wait
What works for me, with my looky, hot, reactive horse: She doesn't have to move forward. She can take as much time as she needs to watch and ascertain the situation is safe. I am right here, quietly not pushing, 100% okay with her being frightened. . .
But she has to FACE the boogyman. No turning around, no spook-snort-spin, just watching. An occasional scratch with a finger, or a quiet "you know that's not going to eat you, silly girl" goes a long way.
It once took us 30? 45? minutes to get past some burned out tree stumps on the side of the road. But as she learns no one is going to whup on her, and the boogyman isn't going to eat her either, she's getting better. I think she will always be more comfortable in an arena, but who knows. |
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Stopping backing