TURNING
ON THE HAUNCHES
By SUSAN
DUDASIK
Succeeding
in Trail requires a lot of patience and attention to small details.
At most shows, there are one or two riders who seem to stand
out in the class. Usually what makes their performance different
from others is having a horse that can be effortlessly positioned
wherever needed. A horse must be able to move forward, backward,
sideways and move its front and rear end. In the last two articles
we covered turning on the forehand. Now we're going to advance
further to the turn on the haunches. But be forewarned, though
many equines make a fair attempt at the turn on the haunches,
doing it correctly takes time and perfecting it can take years.
This maneuver is a constant work-in-progress. It's one of the
handiest moves you will teach your horse and success comes in
varying degrees. The ultimate is the fast spin like those performed
in reining classes, but for now, we are just going to work on
the simple turn on the haunches, which when correctly performed
is a major accomplishment in itself .
Since you
have already taught your horse to turn on his haunches from
the ground, he should have a basic idea of what you want and
the concept of shifting his weight from his front end to his
rump. Now you need to learn how your body position will either
help or hinder your horse's ability to perform this maneuver.
To understand your part in performing a turn on the haunches,
try this simple exercise. Get down on your hands and knees and
pretend you are the horse. Now have a friend put his hands on
the center of your back and gently push down. Without moving
his hands, have him lean forward. Try to move your "front-end"
to one side. It's not so easy. Now have your friend lean back,
lightening the pressure on your back. As he does, shift your
weight to the rear as you move your "front-end". Feel
the difference. When his weight was over your shoulders it was
harder to turn since you had to lift not only your weight, but
his, too, before you could move. When he was leaning back, the
weight was more to your rear and it lightened up your "front-end."
This is the same thing that your horse feels. If you are tipped
over his shoulders, he has a harder time moving his front end.
So, you need to tip back in the saddle just a bit. It doesn't
mean that you lean so far back that you are almost lying down.
Just tip slightly back.
To begin
teaching the turn on the haunches you might want to use an assistant
and find a safe corner to place your horse's rump. This will
help keep him from backing up instead of just shifting his weight
backward. Before you try this from the saddle, review it on
the ground. Ask your horse to "set back", shift his
weight to his rear, then "front over," move his front
end. Remember his body should be fairly straight, not curved
in a letter "C". Do this a few times from both sides.
When you
are ready, get on your horse and have your assistant hold the
reins so you aren't tempted to try forcing him over by pulling
on the reins. You should hold them in case there is a major
problem, but try to let your assistant be the go-between. One
major mistake riders make is trying to turn their horses with
the reins. Remember, the turn on the haunches is more of a sideways
motion with the horse pivoting off his hind leg, not a turn
where his body follows his head around. During this maneuver,
your horse's body should be straight, not bent. If you use the
reins to turn, you will be bending his head and neck while the
rear end stays put.
Now, have
your assistant lead your horse to the corner and back him into
it. Your assistant is doing this simply to reinforce your in-hand
training and it helps your horse because he is doing something
he is comfortable with. Then just sit for a minute or two and
relax. Some horses get nervous standing in the confines of the
corner. If this happens, don't loose your cool. Even if it takes
a few days, conquer this fear first by putting him in the corner
for a few seconds then walking out. Continue until he will stand
quietly with his rump near the corner. When he is comfortable,
start by setting yourself up. Shift your weight to the back
of your saddle and while you're doing this, have your assistant
give a slight pull on the reins as you say "Set back".
Your horse should start to shift his weight backwards. If he
doesn't, have your assistant press a hand against his chest
until he does. Don't be surprised if he doesn't understand what
you want. He may be doing perfect turns in hand, but this is
something new. You have to start slowly, back to the beginning.
Once he has shifted back, use your leg to cue him over, not
the reins. Move your leg to the spot you used to cue him from
the ground. This is usually somewhere in front of the cinch
or as far forward as the shoulder itself. Your goal should be
just a bit in front of the cinch. Push him over with your leg
while telling him, "front-over." If he resists, have
your assistant PUSH him over. Only ask for one step. Stop and
praise him when he steps over.
Do this
two more times then have your assistant go to the other side
and do it three times on that side. If all has gone well, ride
your horse forward and walk him around for a few minutes and
try again, one step, three times on each side. If getting just
a few steps each way was a major project, quit on a good step
and try again tomorrow. Don't rush this exercise as you are
trying to set a correct foundation that will be the basis of
a variety of moves in the future. You want to go slow and steady.
As your horse becomes comfortable with one step, ask for two
and so on. You're aiming for control, not speed.
A few major
problems you might face is your unconscious need to tip forward
instead of sitting back or using the reins instead of your leg
and your horse's confused desire to step backwards instead of
just shifting his weight. All of these problems can be solved
by time and patience. Go slowly and be happy with little accomplishments.
Susan Dudasik
Shadow Rider Equine News
srider@salmoninternet.com
Member: Idaho Press Club
North American Saddle Mule Association
