Reining Issues

[YellowFilly]

Does anyone know anything about Reining? I'm just getting into it myself. I wanted to know if anyone had any tips on how to set a horse up in a slide. When my mare stops she seems to shift her weight forward instead of onto her hauches. How do you teach them to do it correctly, nicely? I don't wanna blow her up. Also, does anyone know how to start a horse in spinning? I've got her crossing over on her front on the ground as in a showmanship class but on her back, it's a different matter. She's confused!

[Scarlette]

I'm not big into reining but I did show my horses in a few classes.

To do the sliding stops....I worked with my horses alot on the lounge line getting them to know all of the verbal commands. When they would stop quickly on the line when I said "Whoa" I would praise them profusely. They quickly learned that the faster they stopped the more I fussed over them. I carried the verbal commands over when I was in the saddle. I would start at a slow trot, then shift my weight back a bit and say "whoa". I kept working on them like that. When they mastered the "fast whoa" then I would try them at a slow lope. It's easier to "slide" the faster you go but you have to take baby steps first and work into it. Shifting your weight back a bit is a big factor in getting them to get back on their haunches. Eventually when you get them to slide, they will recognize the weight shift as the signal and you won't even have to tell them "whoa". The whole process can take at least a couple of months. This isn't something they will learn over night. Just be patient and keep working with them. Make sure they get the lounge line part down really well before expecting them to do it while you're on their back. Working in loose dirt or sand makes it much easier for them to slide.

Spinning on the haunches will take awhile to learn too. Have someone on the ground giving her the command to cross over (like in showmanship class) while you are on her back. Take your heel and gently press into her side so that she wants to move away from the pressure. If you are on her back and want her to "spin" to the right take your left heel and apply pressure. Don't kick, just use some pressure. This will be your cue to make her "spin". Once again, start with baby steps. Nothing will happen over night but it will happen with patience.