Basic training begins with you. By learning how to teach the lesson.
Take this simple technique with you each and every time you work with your horse. It will put your training principles in a clearer perspective.
Anytime you are with your horse you are using doors and alleyways. Open or closed depends on what you are doing. You can now teach without force and he will easily understand. It is not necessary to slam the door shut. Just gently shut the door and then hold it shut, or open another door until your horse finds his way though. The lessons will be much more comfortable and easy. You are showing your horse the way, and giving him the time to find it. This cuts down on his options keeping him calm. This can make you a great team.
When you're riding your horse forward, the door and alleyway in front of him is open and the sides and back doors are closed. You have closed them by only allowing him to go forward. If he turns to the left you close that door by bringing him back forward. By only having one option or direction for him to go, you don't have to force the lesson. You can allow him to find the open door. This is especially helpful with horses that have a hard time listening. Instead of fighting and trying to MAKE him go, it will give him only one option, only one open door. Allowing HIM to find the answer to your cue/question. (So instead of making him "go forward" you're "not allowing him" to do anything else. If he wants to back up, you can press him forward by placing him in a position where he can't go backwards. If he tries running off to the left use your leg and rein to bring him back into a neutral position for him to find the open door). Now having said that, if your having problems with him not obeying the basic stand still cues, listening to your voice, leg and rein cues then I would highly suggest you go back to the round pen and get those basics instilled first. Open doors and alleyways work in the round pen also.
When you pick up the reins and take the slack out and ask him to whoa, you are closing the door in front of him. To walk forward, open the front door by giving him slack in the reins and by squeezing him forward towards the open door. When turning to the left, close the front, right and back doors. Open the left door by take your left leg and rein pressure off. Then use your right rein and leg cue by applying light pressure from your right leg to show him the right door is closed and the left door is open. He should know how to move off of pressure from your ground and round pen work. When you ask him to back up, you are closing all doors except for the back door, that's the only door open, his only option is to back up, that's where he will find his open door and his reward. If he goes forward, pick up on the reins and close the front door, if he steps to the side, use your leg pressure in front of the girth area to hold him straight (when moving him forward your leg pressure is behind the girth). Once he steps backward stop asking. Reward him by the release of pressure.
Use this in your groundwork and in the round pen. When in the round pen and you step in front of him putting your arm out, and saying whoa, he stops. You have just closed the front door. Use your body and your voice gently and calmly to open and close doors. Your body position in the round pen is extremely important. When positioned in front of his withers you will close the front door and when behind his withers you close the back door and open the front door.
Using doors and alleyways as a way to teach is just another way to guide your horse in the way he should go. This may help you in the arena when having problems getting your horse to move the way you would like. Thinking about allowing him to find the open door instead of thinking about keeping him from going in a different direction may help you look at it in a more positive way. By concentrating on the positive you are wanting instead of the negative his is doing may make your teaching more enjoyable and help you be more patient and understanding. Keep your horse calm and relaxed and you will be able to move him around with ease. Remember all lessons take time. And always stay consistently correct. Relax and have fun.
