Who here has horses??

[Mrs.Puff]

Well, I have a question. I'm trying to get my horse to sidepass with my legs only because I'm trying to do bridleless and bareback with her. On ground, she yeilds very well to the pressure when put on her hip, she moves her hip, when put on the girth area she moves the front end only, and when put in the middle of her barrel, she sidepasses (when I do this I still have to keep some tension on the lead so she doesn't move forward or just her front end. I will tell you what I do as soon as someone gives me some ideas. Here's what she does though: either backs up, goes forward, or just spins pivoting on the hind end. I taught her how to spin very well and now that she's got that down pat, she tends to do that more than anything when I try to sidepass her.

[Myaj]

You are totally asking the wrong person here! I could ask my mom, she did some dressage and knows how to sidepass but her horse is actually trained for it. My mare just looks at me like i"m nuts. This is some of what I've been told though:

My understanding is you "close" their options by keeping even pressure on both reins, take ALL pressure off from the leg you want them to move towards, and apply firm, steady pressure at the girth with the leg you want them to move away from. (in front of the girth turns the front end, back of the girth turns the back end, ON the girth is for sidepassing). So maybe your leg/girth position is causing you trouble, if she thinks pressure on the girth means turn the front end (spin). Now, if you are bareback, obviously you'll have to pretend a girth is there, hehe. So you'll have to work out a specific location for each movement.

What are you using for a bridle? When going bitless I tend to use a sidepull or indian hackmore, I have something of an issue with rope halters not being very "clear" to the horse at times. Even a regular halter with reins clipped on gives both you and the horse something simple to understand. The reason I ask, everyone always says that about "closing" their forward options by even pressure on the reins, kind of hard to do with a rope halter and a single lead rope.

I've been told to start off doing half passes first (forward and sideways on a diagonal direction, instead of sideways with no forward movement), as those are physically easier and the horse gets a better idea of what you are asking for, and when working on side passes, to face the horse against the wall so they can't go forward but only side to side (or spin, or back, whoops! LOL).

To give yourself and the horse something to focus on and maybe make it a bit easier, try to sidepass down the length of a ground pole (or 2x4 or PVC pipe) instead of just trying to do it in the middle of an open area. Sometimes if you aren't focusing on your body, but more on a target, you allow yourself to give the horse the commands they need to understand what you want, if that makes sense.

One thing that a lot of "trainers" frown upon but I swear by.. vocal commands! You said your mare knows how to sidepass from the ground, start using the vocal command along with the pressure on the ground and praise the heck out of her. I use "side". Then, from the saddle, using the same command along with the leg pressure, she might be able to make the connection easier. This works better with some horses than others, but nearly every horse learns faster if they can link their "new" lesson to something they already know. I've been trying to establish this command with my 4 year old (I'm not riding him yet, he's way behind development wise) but he doesn't quite get that I want him to move his entire body, and his feet get tangled . They do get confused sometimes, and you just have to be patient.

And the biggest thing of all, if you are having a bad time and just CAN'T get it, stop and ask the horse to do something simple and easy that you know they can do well, and praise them up when they do it. That way neither of you feels like it was just a huge arguing session and walk away mad at each other, and often, the horse will think about it in the mean time and next time, do much better. If they just get turned out knowing you are mad and they don't know why, they'll just figure you're nuts and not worry about it

If nothing else, that gives you some stuff to try. Hope you have an indoor, its been dang cold riding lately!

[Pufferpunk]

Hmm... pretty long, detailed answer from the "wrong person"!

[Flutter]

First of all, Myaj, I think it's AWESOME that you're giving your horse time to grow up.

As for the question, my brain hurts so I don't have much to say. In working on responsiveness with my horse, especially for lateral movement (he's like a freight train, extremely unsupple), it's been baby steps and positive reinforcement. I really like the idea of voice commands, my horse knows them all, a bunch of them he taught himself. Seriously, when my coach tells us to half halt, guess who does it, not me. He half halts himself, and I never 'tell' him to half halt.

You should try working on directing her where to go and closing off the other options. Reward sideways movement and progress in baby steps. To start getting my horse to move off my leg and not just forwards we simply faced a wall, that way he couldn't move forward. Lots of praise, patience, and directing him where I wanted him to go did it for us.

If he's not doing it then I'm doing something wrong. I'm obviously not telling him what I want in a way that he understands.

[Mrs.Puff]

I didn't expect to get this many people's opinions/advice lol. GREAT!!

Myaj: Yea, I do pretty much what you said, yet I use a little more leg. I'm a western rider practicing on reining and bareback/bridleless riding. I havn't rode her in a while because it's been really cold and really windy

And yes, whenever we both start getting fed-up and antsy, I move on to something she already knows to help build her confidence back

[Nick]

Horses kinda freak me out. I just can't get myself to trust any animal that could kill me on accident.

[Myaj]

Yet you drive a car around thousands of other crazy people that could also kill you by accident

This is why we take the time to train our horses to be safe, dependable and respectful. Even if one of my horses is running in terror from something, I am their boss and they go around me, not through me. Now, my mom's horses will knock you on your rear, because she lets them get away with pushing her around.

Of course, when they fall down and shatter your foot, that's unavoidable.. but so is a meteor landing on your house!

[Nick]

I have an easier time knowing the humans might kill me on accident... I guess I expect it more from humans.

[Flutter]

Me too

[OrandaLover]

i train and show american miniature horses and shetland ponies for a living

[Flutter]

Cool My horse is afraid of those

[Dukeskeeper36]

i was in the process of teaching my green mare the same things. the best advice i can give would be to create a "wall" with your leg and foot. With my girl i have to constantly be moving my foot slightly forward and slightly back. but then again i use a bridle : ] also, use your entire leg. that might help for atleast teaching. use your knee to push the whole side of the horse. You sound like you know a little more than me too, but theres my advice. let us know when you finally get it!

: ]

[Myaj]

I'm now taking dressage lessons.. but still working on leg yields and shoulder-in's.. no sidepassing yet! ROFL

Just picked up another horse too.. more of a favor to the poor horse. 5yr old QH that has never been trained, no farrier or vet care.. she's dying for attention and a real sweetheart so hopefully it will go well.. I have no use for a trotter!!

[Dukeskeeper36]

Yea, my good friend was a dressage judge and i was started on a semi dressage style. If there is any style of riding to help with side passing and really anything else, its dressage : P Want another horse? my poor mare is just getting fat because i dont have much time lately.... it also doesnt help that i have to board her kinda far from my house : ( lol Ive always kinda wanted a trotter. just to have something different.

[Dandee]

Seven horses here, with one on the way.

There are many ways of training the side pass. Here are a couple articles that might help.

http://americashorsedaily.com/teaching-side-pass/

http://www.slaterhorsetraining.com/trai ... epass.html

http://horses.about.com/od/horsetrainin ... depass.htm

I have trained a few to side pass, but I'm better at doing it than trying to explain the process myself.