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Hello Alice,
I'm no pro but like you I have taught basic reigning to several green 
horses. I have always used natural barriers, bushes, fences, barrels, 
curvy trails, anything that makes a horse change direction while I 
apply leg pressure and neck reigning and then straight into the 
barrier for a stop with a whoa and bit pressure. When lumox sees a 
booger and starts sideways I don't stop him, I apply leg pressure in 
the direction he's already going while tipping his nose towards the 
booger and surprise, we are doing a sidepass! Of course I come around 
and we sidepass the other way too. I am always amazed after a couple 
months of 4-6 hours a week at how well they reign and stop but of 
course that's what they were forced to do by the barriers and boogers 
;-). I don't force any unnecessary moves until they start responding 
to my cues before the barrier forces them. As is apparent, my best 
training aid is a wet saddle blanket and a fun cross country ride. 
For work in the ring just make an obstacle course with whatever and 
steer that puppy like it was your idea to turn :-D. Have fun while he 
learns, it just makes it easier on both of you.
Don Huston


> At 01:02 PM 9/17/2006 -0500, Alice Yovich wrote:
> > This horse is very green, so that's part of it. He yields very well to the
> > bit: ie: he puts  his head on your knee when you put pressure on the knee.
> > But the horse doesn't actually steer. When I ride him in the arena, he can't
> > seem to leave the rail. When we take him on the trail he uses the trail to
> > know where to go, but his rider doesn't have a lot of control over him. if
> > you put pressure on the "inside" rein in an attempt to circle him, he gives
> > to that rein, but keeps leading the same direction with his shoulder.
> >
> > this isn't my first time to work with a green horse, but I used mostly
> > dressage techniques with my horses as I didn't really know much about
> > natural horsemanship, so I don't quite know what to do.
> >
> > it's a very disconcerting ride...suggestions anyone?



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