Ken McNabb Horsemanship- Hindquarter Control (Part 1)

The hindquarters are the engine room of the horse. Therefore, it is essential to have control of them. In this lesson, we will go over some exercises for the hindquarters, and then when, where, and why to use them. One-Rein Disengagement In general, I do not like to use a one-rein stop on my horse because it gets the horse off balance. It may work in some emergency situations, but could also be equally dangerous in others. Instead, I like to teach my horse to yield his hindquarters with constant engagement. I want to pick up on the reins less and less as he learns what I want, so he can remain straight and balanced. Yielding the Hindquarters Walking your horse in a circle, soften his nose to the inside. Then turn your body to look over your inside shoulder. As you do so, your hip will press into his back and give the cue to step his hind end over toward the outside. Your outside rein will tell the front end to stop moving. Once you have the correct seat position, you no longer need to look over the shoulder to give the cue. To polish the movement, start getting the neck straight and continue to walk forward out of the movement. In Part 2, we will continue with hindquarter exercises that give you the control you need to improve your stop, your spin, and your lead changes. Until then, may God bless the trails you ride, Ken McNabb