Challenge 3: Backing up
This Challenge is all about backing up – mentally and physically.
It is really important to get our horses comfortable and moving in all directions. Getting a horse comfortable in the back-up helps the other directions. What I want to help you with in this Challenge is not just the back up – it is getting your horse to move from one direction to another direction without brace or anxiety.
Key ML Horsemanship Principle:
A HORSE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CARRY A SOFT BACKWARD THOUGHT JUST AS EASILY AS IT CARRIES A SOFT FORWARD THOUGHT
Videos to watch this week
Your 3rd Challenge:
Getting a smooth, flowing, 2-beat back up.
Watch the videos first then teach your horse to back up
Things to watch for:
It is important that your horse is thinking backwards when you do the back-up – this helps them to carry themselves backwards and pick their feet up better. It is common for people to “carry their horses” when they start this – if you are having to keep pressure on and your horse is heavy and leaning on the halter then you are most likely carrying them still.
If their feet are dragging and they are heavy in the forehand, they are still not comfortable.
Watch the sand tracks and the rhythm of their feet – aim for 2 clear diagonal steps simultaneously (like a trot but in a walk); there shouldn’t be sand scrapes between the feet. (Aim for less sand scrapes not perfection – it will take a while to get this!)
Many horses find the back up difficult and so get a little anxious doing it. It is important that you just keep going with it and address this. Slowing it down can help.
Time to allocate:
Some horses will work best doing a little bit of back up quite often until they start to get confident and have more try. Do a few steps then move them forward, repeat.
With others, you may have to get them walking backwards for a longer distance until they have a mental re-set (they start to think backwards) and they start to flow.
Further work (optional): Continue to improve until your horse can back straight. Do this under saddle.
Complete the course questions
