Flexing and Laterals Teaching Lateral Flexion Now that we know what we have to work on to keep our horses straight, we’ll teach him to bend. You’ll learn to use your legs in a more knowledgeable manner. You’ll learn to separate your hands. Your horse will learn to recognize different leg cues. Your horse will learn to give his nose and balance his body. - Flexing - HipArounds - Sidepassing BTW... I want a doggie biscuit for this cool graphic!!! Teach the step sequence first… I try to get an inside eye, Then an inside cheek, Then a response to my inside leg (shoulder moving away from my leg pressure), …then worry about how it looks. Then I ask for a tucked head along with the give to the bend to the inside, Then I ask for lightness, Then I ask for more of everything. 1. Rein pressure to the inside. At first you can use a leading rein, meaning your hand is wayyyy to the inside of the bend, pulling your horse's head sideways. 2. Inside leg pressure, right on the cinch, asking for the shoulder to go the opposite way of the rein pressure. The result will be that your horse will step far under from his hindend. Once he’s balanced, he will not speed up, just step under and over. 3. Outside leg comes away from the cinch, giving room to step into that direction. This actually will twist your hips into the position that will most help your horse to understand what you want. a. This is the circle that you actually want to ride. b. This is the circle that your horse will be shaped on. Some problems that will come up… Your horse will feel the leg pressure and want to speed up Stop the forward motion with your reins. Pressure and release… only use enough rein pressure to get him stopped, not so much as to curl him underneath himself. He will refuse to give his head to one side or the other, or both. His shoulder will drop to the inside, and he will attempt to follow his nose right into the tight little circle, basically stumbling over his front feet as he does that. This is an excellent opportunity for you to feel how he’s leaning on his front end. His hindquarters will be evading, adding speed to keep from falling over, and his front feet will attempt to keep up by stepping sideways underneath his shoulders again. Patiently keep giving the leg pressure. You might even have to really stick a spur in him to get him to understand to lift his inside shoulder and bend his neck. Pressure and Release!!! As soon as he complies, release ALL pressure and let him walk straight a few steps. Keep him at a walk so that he can concentrate on getting the step sequence right. He will bend his head to the inside, but his nose will be sticking straight out. Actually, that is a nice attempt, and a reward is in order. But it’s not what you want, so you’ll help him out just a tad by easing back on the outside rein until he drops his nose. Pressure and Release!!! Once he complies, even with a slightly lowered nose to the inside, all pressure is released and he gets to walk straight while you pet him. Do it right... Laterals are crucial building blocks for neck reining, flying lead changes and whole body control. Let me guide you thru the foundations to advanced training by joining the Online Clinic. Check it out... click here.