Showmanship in Hand

Lesson Five

This lesson includes backing, left pull turns, and some pattern work as we begin your preparation for competition. Plan to spend five to six weeks on this lesson.

Backing is used in many patterns, especially intermediate and advanced patterns.

The backup should be fluid and smooth, moving off the handler’s body. The chain or lead will not be used in the finished backup. In a simple pattern, a straight backup will be requested. It is possible that a more advanced pattern will call for the backup to be performed in a curve or turn, so be prepared.

To start teaching the back, begin in the correct body presentation position, facing forward. From the presentation position, turn and face the horse’s hindquarters. Your body should be in a square position, not angled toward the horse.

The left hand will remain in the correct position with the lead held in a large loop at your side, with the elbow bent.

The right hand will be held in front of your chest, the hand level with the ring of the halter.

The horse’s neck should be level, allowing the horse’s head to be in a natural position.

Your right elbow will be bent 90 degrees. If the horse’s head is in the correct position, it will not be necessary to extend your arm upward or downward.

When asking the horse to back, always do so from the correct position. Stepping sideways while asking the horse to back is not correct.

Once in the position for backing, the handler will walk a straight line.

Of course, at this point the horse will not know what is expected, so as the handler begins to walk the chain will make contact with the horse.

Begin walking first to teach the horse to respond to your body leading the maneuver, not the chain.

Depending on the sensitivity of the horse, the chain will make contact and the horse will begin to step back. Some horses will not respond, so at this point small bumps or jerks with the chain are acceptable. With the smallest response from the horse, release the chain, so the horse is rewarded for stepping back.

At this stage of learning, straightness will not be perfect and multiple steps of 10 or more are not expected. The goal at this point is to turn to the backing position and start the horse shifting his weight back and possibly stepping back a couple of steps in response to the handler walking forward.

A horse will learn fairly quickly once he understands to move backward in response to the handler’s body movement.

To help the horse, try this exercise. Walk, stop, turn to backing position and back a few steps, turn and immediately walk forward, stop, turn and back a few steps. Repeat this five or six times.

When walking forward or backward, walk with purpose, keeping your eyes straight ahead. Do not look at the horse. Do not bend over in the waist or incline the shoulders forward.

Ask the horse to back as if he is a pro. When the horse steps backward from your body, even if only two steps, stop and praise him and allow a rest from the exercise.

A common error in teaching the horse to back is waiting for the horse to step back on his own. The handler slows their step creeping back as the horse steps back. Make progress by establishing the back up by your step not the horse’s step.

As the horse starts to catch on to stepping back, straightness needs to be addressed. There are a few key points. Start with the horse straight. Look up over the top of the horse’s hip, not at the ground. Walk a straight line. Keep the horse’s body straight.

Starting with the horse straight comes from the horse’s body being straight in the walk or trot, and then stopping balanced and straight, prior to asking for the backup.

If asked to square the horse prior to backing, it is important the horse is squared properly. Remember the most common reason for a crooked horse is the handler pulling the head toward them while leading, stopping or backing. If the horse’s head is turned to the left while backing his hip will naturally drift to the horse’s right.

To help establish straightness while backing, make sure the lead is long enough so pressure is not being applied to the horse’s head. If the horse is turning toward the handler on his own bump him with your right hand fist to remind him to stay straight.

Use the fence to help establish straightness. Walk along the fence and then ask for the back up. This exercise will help if the horse is drifting right while backing. Use two ground poles set 10 feet apart to help correct left or right drift when backing.

To increase the accuracy, move the poles closer together as the horse progresses.

To test the straightness of your backup, set two cones 15 feet apart. Begin in the back up position with the cone on your right. Back to the second cone and end with the same distance between you and the cone. To increase the difficulty of this exercise, increase the distance between the cones.

For the stubborn horse that does not want to step back, try this fix: use a crop in your left hand with the handle of the crop toward the horse. If you move forward, asking the horse to back, and the horse does not move, bump the horse in the center of his chest with the crop.

Continue walking and asking for the back up, if the horse slows, bump him in the chest with the crop.

To correct the horse with the head tilted to the left, use a surcingle and tie one rein or small lead to the side of the surcingle and to the right ring of the halter. Be sure when fitting the lead, you don’t create a new problem by having the lead too short and pulling the head to the right.

PULL TURNS

The pull turn is a pivot to the left. It is used in intermediate and advanced patterns. In a showmanship class the horse will only be asked for pull turns of 90 degrees. The pull turn is difficult because the horse must move toward the handler instead of away—just the opposite of all that he has been taught to this point.

To begin, start in the pivoting position, facing your horse’s head. To start teaching the pull turn, use your hand on the lead or chain close to the halter. This must be done because the horse’s head must stay straight. By holding the chain close to the horse’s head, the handler can keep the horse’s head placed in front of his chest and not allow the head or neck to bend to the left. Once the head or neck bends, the horse will not remain balanced through his body and the pull turn will be lost.

Lift slightly on the lead to remind the horse to shift his balance back onto the hindquarters. Step backward, asking the horse to follow your body. Pressure will be used on the lead at first to teach the horse to move toward the handler. Ask for just one or two steps. At this point correct steps are more important than many steps.

When the horse steps correctly, the right front leg will cross in front of the left front leg. The left hind foot will stay on the ground with the right hind stepping around.

Visualize the horse being very stiff and straight and lifting the forehand slightly as he moves toward the handler. With any try from the horse, praise him. This is a difficult exercise, and the horse needs to know he is close to doing what you are asking. Do not expect more than one to three steps when first starting. Don’t worry; with consistent work progress will come quickly.

As the horse begins to get the idea, loosen the contact on the lead after getting the first step and while the horse is still moving. (The creation of forward movement is difficult.) Build on small successes by adding more steps on a loose lead. The goal, of course, is to get the pull turn on a loose lead. To do a correct pull turn, the horse must understand how to follow your body.

It is important when increasing the left turn steps to keep your steps on the curve. If walking straight backward, you will pull your horse out of his pivot. Remind yourself to move your left shoulder back to continue on the curve while performing the left pull turn. If needed, draw the line in the dirt to help guide your steps.

Even though the pull turn will be performed in 90 degree’s segments in a class, keep increasing the difficulty of your training by asking for pull turns of more than 90 degree’s. For training purposes the advanced horse should be able to turn to the left a full 360 degrees. We are now seeing in advanced showmanship classes curves to the left of more than 90 degrees while traveling forward, so it is possible the left pull turn will be increasing in distance as the horses and exhibitors become more competitive.

BACKING AND TURNING

Now that the horse is able to back and turn or pivot left and right, the turn can be applied when backing. Performing a backing turn with the hindquarters traveling to the left is the easier turn because the right pivot is used. Begin by backing straight. As you approach the place of the turn, slow the back up, turn your body to the turning position and move toward the horse to pivot the horse 90 degrees. Then continue to back. The horse has just backed around a corner.

Practice the back and turn until the horse can do it perfectly.

The more difficult maneuver is teaching the hindquarters to travel right. This maneuver involves the left pull turn.

Begin by backing straight. As you approach the turn, slow the movement, and turn your body into the pull turn position. Pull 90 degrees and continue backing. As before, practice until the horse responds perfectly.

To turn more of a curve, begin by backing straight, turn your body very slightly toward the horse and walk toward the horse creating the curve as the horse moves away from you.

To create a curve, motion must not be lost.

When asking for the curve to the right, instead of slowing and moving your body to pull turn position, move to slightly to your right, crossing your left foot almost in front of your right which allows the horse’s forehand to move toward you and the horse’s hindquarters to move to the horse’s right.

Use a set of three cones to practices backing in curves. The cones should be set up 15 to 20 feet apart. Practice backing and curving through the cones in a serpentine pattern. Back around the end of the third cone and back through the cones to the beginning of the pattern. To increase the difficulty, soften the serpentine shape in order to stay closer to the cones. Symmetry and consistency in pace are important to have a winning back up through a set of cones.

PATTERN ONE

Novice Showmanship

This pattern will show your ability to: travel on a curve, pivot, travel straight while trotting, squaring and presenting.

While walking, be sure to walk briskly and keep your eyes up. The chain should be loose, showing your horse’s ability to follow the handler’s body. Stop at the second cone with your body. Do not pass the cone. Perform a pivot to the right of 180 degree’s, keeping your chin up and move smoothly into the trot. Trot the horse straight to the judge, and stop. Square the horse and present to the judge. As the judge walks around the horse be sure to stay consistent and crisp in your crossovers. When the judge is finished and gives you permission to be dismissed, pivot your horse 90 degrees to the right. Check your judge by looking back over your left shoulder and walk to the line up.

Line up side by side. Be sure to provide a safe distance between your horse and the horse next to you. Square up and present your horse.

Make sure you are on the correct side of your horse, depending on where the judge is standing. This pattern shows the judge on your horse’s right in the front quadrant, so the handler would stand on the left side of the horse. This is one variable that could change in the show ring. The ring steward could direct the exhibitors to many different parts of the arena. The steward will not always direct the exhibitor as the pattern indicates.

PATTERN TWO

Novice Showmanship

This pattern will test your ability to be straight. The stop and pivot are crucial in this pattern. The stop must be straight to allow the pivot to be accurate and be completed correctly.

When beginning the pattern, you should be lined up on the judge. Begin with your horse straight to the judge and end with the horse straight to the judge. Walk to the second marker. Halt with your body at the marker. Keep your eyes up and see the judge and your line, as you are completing the pivot. If you under pivot or over pivot the horse will not be straight when moving into the trot.

Ask for the trot after completing the pivot and trot to the judge. Set up and present. After the presentation, pivot 90 degrees; check the judge by looking back over your left shoulder and line up side by side.

PATTERN THREE

Intermediate

This pattern will test backing skills, pivoting and straightness.

Begin with the markers on your left. Start slightly before the first marker, in presentation position—this will help you. When the judge nods for your turn to be judged, you will have an extra step to turn your body and be trotting by the first marker. Be sure to be trotting at the first marker. Stop completely, with your body, at the third marker. Back your horse straight to the second marker, stopping when his hip is aligned with the marker. This will allow you to trot straight away from the marker as the pattern indicates after pivoting. Pivot 90 degrees to the right and trot, stopping directly in front of the fourth marker. Pivot 270 degrees and walk the horse to the judge. Set up and present. After presentation, pivot 90 degrees and line up side by side.

PATTERN FOUR

Intermediate

This pattern will test your skills while trotting and turning. Straightness and the pivot will also be judged.

Walk to the second marker. A smooth trot transition exactly at the second marker is required. When circling, the horse must move away from the handler, yet not fall into the right. The horse’s shoulders must stay square. The handler must not touch the horse to cue him to turn. It is important to be aware of the judge, and to make the circle of correct dimension, so as to be traveling with the horse straight to the judge after completing the turn. Maintain the same cadence as trotting to the judge. Do not allow the horse to begin to slow in preparation for the stop. Set up in two steps or less. Crossovers. When dismissed pivot 270 degrees, check the judge and walk to the line up.

PATTERN FIVE

Advanced

I don’t expect the handler or horse to be ready to perform an advanced pattern perfectly at this time. However, practicing a more difficult pattern will show your weaknesses and your areas of strength. This knowledge will help to move you and your horse to a higher level.

This pattern will use curves, pivots, and pull turns to test the skills of horse and handler.

After permission from the judge, trot immediately. The chain will not cue the horse. Curving to the right, maintaining upright shoulders and finishing straight at the second marker with a straight balanced halt is the goal. The person will stop at the marker. Pivot 360 degrees. Immediately step off into a forward walk and curve left, leading the horse straight to the judge. Stop in front of the judge and perform a pull turn to the left. Set up. After inspection, wait for the judge to give you permission to exit and then walk to the line up. As you depart look at the judge one last time. A judge may place themselves at your horses hindquarters, in this case look back at the judge to make sure your horse is lined up straight, so that the judge gets a good view of the horse.

PATTERN SIX

Advanced

Pattern six will test your skill in straightness, backing pivots and pull turns.

Begin at the first marker in presentation position, at the judge’s request trot to the third marker and stop. Transition smoothly to the back up and back the horse’s hip to the second marker. Pivot one and one-quarter turns and walk to the fourth marker and stop. Pull turn 90 degrees and trot to the judge. The pull turn must be accurate to ensure straightness to the judge. Set up. Inspection and crossovers. When dismissed, pivot 90 degrees for a smooth departure, check the judge and walk to the line up.

(There is no quiz for this lesson.)

Assignments:

Please answer the following. Send your report to cathy@horsecoursesonline.com

1. Describe a balanced correct back up.

2. Give two examples of an unbalanced back up.

3. How are the above examples corrected?

4. Give in detail your experience in teaching the horse to back in a curve. What was easy? What was difficult? How did you problem solve?

5. Name the important elements required to perform a pull turn.

6. Describe the handler’s body position during the pull turn.

7. What do you feel is your horse’s ability at his time? Novice, intermediate or advanced? Why?

8. What do you feel needs to be addressed before your horse would be ready to show and perform a novice pattern?

9. Write a training plan to address the horse’s weak areas.

10. Write several paragraphs on your horse’s performance while practicing each of the six patterns. Include your horse’s capability; weaknesses; strengths; progression; problem solving.

11. VIDEOS: Please send videos of you performing the six patterns described in this lesson. Please post the videos to YouTube, and send the links to cathy@horsecoursesonline.com