outside rein – Horse Listening

What’s The Difference Between The Inside Rein and The Outside Rein?

While we generally want the reins to act and feel the same during our rides, they do have different uses and techniques. The better we get at riding, the more subtle these aids can be. However, there are still different things each rein can do at different times to maintain the overall balance, power and straightness of the horse.

How are the inside and outside reins used? What is the difference between them?

Inside Rein

Slightly open for flexion

When you are on a turn or circle, the horse should be looking slightly to the inside, in the direction of movement (flexion). We often see horses either stiffly pointing their noses straight out and against the reins, or even pointing to the outside and turning in the opposite direction! While there are leg, seat and torso aids involved in truly bending the horse in the direction of movement, the inside rein is also a key player in maintaining flexion.

Keep the inside rein slightly off the neck (open) to maintain better flexion.

Slightly open to create room for the inside shoulder

The slightly open inside rein also allows the inside shoulder space to move into. While you don't want the horse to fall to the inside because you opened the rein (use your inside leg to prevent this from happening), you also don't want to block the inside shoulder from being allowed to reach forward in the stride.

People often close the inside rein in attempt to stop the inside shoulder from falling in. Do the opposite. Take the rein only a few inches off the neck and allow the shoulder to move forward. Stop any lean with your inside leg instead.

Give/release often

The inside rein is the giver! Release as soon as you get some desired response from your horse - whether you wanted flexion or better rounding.

The release can be from your elbows or shoulders. Push the reins forward without letting the reins slide through your fingers. Ideally, the inside rein will have tiny fluttering releases as you ride along.

No pull

Avoid pulling back on it. Pulling on the inside rein creates many problems including loss of balance, crookedness, blocking of the inside hind leg, and much more.

Create contact through a "hold" on the reins rather than a "pull." And then look for opportunities to release.

Outside Rein

Indicates a turn (neck rein)

One of the main uses of the outside rein is to initiate a turn. We often think that we need to pull on the inside rein to turn, but the outside rein is the preferred method because it helps keep the horse much better balanced.

Click here to read a detailed breakdown of how to create a neck rein that turns the horse.

The horse should understand to move away from the pressure of the neck rein.

Prevents the outside shoulder from bulging

The outside rein can also work on regulating just how much the outside shoulder can "step out". Many times, the horse will turn but drift out in the opposite direction. It is the outside rein's job to block the drift.

Prevents the neck from pointing too much to the inside

The final use of the outside rein is to keep the neck from swinging too much to the inside. This is also important for balance and control. The rider must help the horse keep a straight body even while bending around a turn.

Hold the outside rein steady when turning and make sure your inside rein isn't forcing the horse to swing his neck too far to the inside.

Steady contact

The outside rein is responsible for maintaining steady contact. It steadies the horse and helps to maintain the horse's overall body outline. This rein should have a "feeling" give to it but much less than the inside rein. The rein should stay fairly straight and consistent in length most of the time.

Half-halt

The outside rein is also usually the half-halt rein, although as mentioned before, the hands are the last component of the half-halt. In general, the half-halt helps to maintain balance and a improve connection.

A few parting notes

Do not cross either rein over the neck (no pull across the neck either)

We often try to prevent the horse from leaning one way or the other with our reins. Have you seen someone take their rein up and across the horse's neck in attempt to control the inside shoulder? Unfortunately, this will never work and actually causes the horse to lean even more on the shoulder.

The pull will block the inside hind leg from coming under the horse's body (thereby preventing him from being able to balance better) and will actually twist the horse's head and neck away from the body - and this will also affect his balance negatively.

Instead, try to use the slightly open rein to prevent leans, drifts and dropped shoulders.

Keep the neck between both reins

One of the oldest sayings about the reins is to "ride the horse straight between the reins and legs." It's true!

Even contact and hand positions

Strive for developing an even contact - not one rein stronger than another. Also keep your hands parallel to each other, in front of the saddle. While you may need to venture away from the front of the saddle area at times, come back to "home base" as soon as possible. In our dreams, the hands stay there just beside each other all the time.

The seat, weight and leg aids

I didn't mention the rest of the aids here because I wanted to highlight just the use of the reins. But there are many other aids involved in all of the turns, straight lines, changes of bends, and transitions that will be included in each of your rides.

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands!

Horse Listening Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises to Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

Stop wandering round and round aimlessly!

Horse Listening Book 4 is a compilation of the best patterns that have been shared on the Horse Listening Blog. The book is divided into five sections: Warm-Ups, Left and Right, Straightness, Suppleness and Collection. Each section has specific exercises and theory based on its topic.

But there's more!

There is a Special Center Section dedicated to only Transitions - something that we can all work on throughout our riding careers. And finally, scattered throughout the book are chapters that clearly explain theory, technique and skills that can help improve the featured exercises of teach Section.

Use these 20-minute exercises!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

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12 Riding Quick Tips – #11: Do A “Beginner Bend”

mild bend horse riding — Mild bend. Photo Credit: J. Boesveld

Sometimes I think bend is one of those "strive but never arrive" efforts of horse riding. It truly is one of those "conceptual" aspects, aside from just being a skill. You know the one - just when you think you know it all, you discover that there's so much more to it. Then you start all over as if you're still a beginner...

There is a good exercise you can always revert to which will help you establish, keep, and ultimately feel a true "through the body bend." Not the one that just pulls the horse's head and neck into the turn or circle, but one that helps him bend through the rib cage and step deeper underneath the body with his inside hind leg. The one that improves balance, releases tension and increases lateral suppleness.

You can use this exercise with a young or uneducated horse, a novice rider, or even a seasoned horse/rider going through stiffness at a higher level of movement. It's just basic and biomechanically easy to produce. It's called a leg yield on a circle, but I think of it as a "drift out" because I find that gives me a clear mental image to keep in mind.

- Ride a circle - but place it in an area where you can have room to the outside.
- Squeeze with your inside leg at the girth. Make sure you're sitting on your inside seat bone - but let the horse "escape" a little to the outside.

Your outside leg is behind the girth to keep the hip from swinging out.
Your inside rein is slightly open and your outside rein is on the neck - as in, a "neck rein."
Your body is turned slightly into the turn as well - from the seat all the way up. This helps to keep you balanced on top of the horse's movement.
Then encourage your horse to step out on the circle. Let him drift out a little, all the while getting him to step away from your inside leg and rein, and step into your outside leg and rein.

If you do it well, you'll find that your outside rein "naturally" lands on the horse's neck. That is, you don't have to place it there with a pulling or active rein. Suddenly, there's a neck rein - because the horse actually stepped out and bent through the body.

That outside rein can now control the direction of your movement (as in, the horse steps away from it into the turn), the amount of drift (as in, don't let the horse just drift on out till he hits the rail) and the balance (as in, half-halt if needed to slow the legs down and keep them underneath the horse).

I've written about this and other exercises in more detail in the posts below. If bend is something you're working on, there's lots of ideas there.

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Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

If you enjoyed the above article, you'll find many related chapters about training horses and and the rider in Horse Listening - Book 2. Your favorite Horse Listening training articles are compiled in this beautifully bound paperback (or digital) book.

"Regardless of discipline, what would be the most significant effect a rider would want to have on her horse?

We all want our horses to improve in their athletic

development, skill acquisition and connectedness. Much of our rider development and training efforts go into working toward our show or personal goals....

But the best riders aspire to do one essential thing each and every day, regardless of goals and lesson plans: they work hard to improve their horse’s way of going.

Because proper balance and weight carriage is essential to a horse’s longevity. Each and every minute of each and every ride has the potential to contribute to your horse’s health and well-being.

Or not."

Just as with all the Horse Listening Collection Books, this book is focused on helping the rider improve for the sake of the horse. But this book goes deeper into the best training articles from the blog - horse-centered theory, strategies and ideas you can try with your own horse.

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

Click here to learn more.

“Inside Leg To Outside Rein” – The Cheat Sheet

How often have you heard that term? Sure, it sounds like a pretty simple concept until you try it - from coordinating your aids, to helping your horse develop an understanding... it can be more complicated than it looks.

I find it helps a lot to think of this as one whole movement, rather than breaking it down into little bits. However, to gain a true understanding, and to begin to train your body, you may need more information in order to develop the ability to make it all happen in one movement. So let's break it down.

Final Picture

As it can get complicated, I'm going to start with the final picture to give you an overview of what it is and looks like.

The action of "inside leg to outside rein" is meant to create and then maintain bend, without running forward or drifting out. In theory, the horse should respond to your active inside leg by moving away from your leg (in the rib cage area), thereby stepping out toward your outside rein.

Your outside rein can then become an active actor in the movement by either limiting how far the horse can step outwards (as in stopping a leg yield from happening) or half-halting (to keep the horse from speeding up or falling to the forehand).

The horse should have a banana-like curve in the direction of the turn. (It is important though to realize that the horse's spine doesn't actually "bend" that much - the bend we feel is the result of the hind end and front end stepping into the turn). The degree of the curve is dependent on the circumference of the circle - the larger the circle, the smaller the bend. A deeper bend will happen on a 10-meter circle or smaller, but this is usually reserved for fairly educated horses (2nd level and up in dressage).

The Details

Here is a more detailed breakdown.

Rider's Torso: Turn your core toward the turn. Look in the direction of the turn (not past the turn though). The smaller the turn or circle, the more you turn in yourself.
Inside Seat Bone: Weight is on the inside seat bone. This is because you are going into your turn and want the horse to step up and under your weight.
Inside Leg: The inside leg applies pressure (from below the knee down) to the horse's side. The horse should step away from the pressure.
Outside Rein: The outside rein "fills up" when the horse steps away from the inside leg. Now, you can use the outside rein to turn the horse (apply pressure as a neck rein), or half-halt (to slow the leg speed or maintain balance) or just accept the bend with no further activity.
Outside Leg: The outside leg has a job too. It asks the hind end to also step away from pressure, to the inside. This means that the hind end should be the final component to the horse "wrapping around" the inside leg. The hind end can almost do a very small haunches-in to achieve that.
Inside Rein: While this rein should be fairly inactive, it will open slightly into the direction of the turn (not so much that your arm comes away from your body). It can act as a guiding rein for less experienced horses, or ideally, it will just "flutter" and not have a whole lot of pressure on it at all. It may need to come into play to maintain flexion if you have too much pressure on the outside rein, or the horse just turns his head to the outside naturally.

The Cheat Sheet

There is a way to make all the above happen fairly organically. Do this on the ground. Stand straight with your weight evenly distributed on both feet. Hold your hands like you're holding reins. This is what straight feels like.

Now, turn right as if you are going into a turn.

Start the turn from your middle, but let the rest of your body just do what it must do in order to allow the turn to happen. You'll notice that as you turn right, your inside rein will "open", your outside rein will come closer to the neck ("neck rein"), your inside leg and knee will soften and come a little forward, and your outside leg will automatically slide a little further back and tighten (to the horse's body if it were there).

Straighten again, and do it all in one motion. "Swoop" to the right. Then swoop to the left. Everything should just move along in tandem. This is what you want to achieve on the horse's back.

Common Problems

Most horse and rider combinations go through several stages of mistakes as they develop a really good "inside leg to outside rein" feel.

The first thing that will likely happen when you turn your body in to the direction of the turn is that the horse will just lean in and "fall" to the inside of the arena. This is where your inside leg comes into play. It may take some time to teach your horse to step away, not into, your leg pressure. Don't despair if it takes several weeks or more. Your horse will get better over time.

You might shift your weight to the outside. This happens all the time! While we focus on using our inside leg, we tend to try to move the horse to the outside by throwing our body in that direction. Just catch yourself doing it, move back to the inside seat bone, and continue.

The horse will likely speed up when you first apply your inside leg. This is when an outside half-halt will be useful. Be sure to be crystal clear in explaining that pressure from your inside leg doesn't mean "go faster," but rather, "step away."

Another common problem might be that you have to learn how much pressure you need from your leg, and how much from your outside rein. In the meantime, you might end up with a horse that weaves left and right, looking like a squiggly worm! Don't despair! It's so much about coordinating body parts, and it will take time for you to adjust each part as needed. Just keep trying, feel for the worm, and steady your aids.

I hope this helps you a little on your riding journey. Let me know in the comments below what your experiences with "inside leg to outside rein" have been.

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How to “Fill Up” Your Outside Rein for a True Neck Rein

"Use your outside rein!"

"You need a better neck rein so you can balance the horse better."

"Half-halt/check with the outside rein."

In any of these three scenarios, your instructor is letting you know that your outside rein is either not being used correctly, or it isn't active enough to be helping your horse. However, a neck rein isn't an outside rein that is simply pulled backward.

We often rely so much on our inside reins that we tend to forget the purpose and use of the outside rein. We can apply the outside rein as a direct rein, or a neck rein. Although both work to achieve better balance and communication with the horse, there are significant differences to each. Today, we will talk about why and how to create an effective neck rein.

We use the neck rein in all disciplines. Regardless of the style of riding, the neck rein can and should be used for basic communication. Using a snaffle bit, the outside rein is generally shorter and used with contact. Using a curb bit, the rein is longer and ideally used with less contact. However, in general, the neck rein is used in the same manner in all disciplines and for the same purposes.

What Is A Neck Rein?

This specific type of rein aid is identified by the way that it "wraps around" the outside of the horse's neck. In general, it sits gently along the horse's neck and is always available to act within the right moment in the horse's stride.

Why Use A Neck Rein?

The neck rein acts as a powerful communicator. Used with contact, it can help the horse maintain balance by half-halting the energy as it comes to the forehand. Too much energy left unchecked will cause the horse to fall forward onto the front legs. The neck rein can prevent the fall before it happens and help the horse maintain more weight on the hind legs. In this manner, when used at the end of a sequence of aids, the outside neck rein is a main actor in creating and maintaining collection.

Once you become more adept in using your body aids, the neck rein also can become the initiator of a turn. Rather than pulling on the inside rein, the horse learns to move away from the neck rein. So if you want to turn left, you apply the right neck rein and use your seat/leg/torso aids to indicate the direction. The horse feels the "wrapped around the neck" rein pressure and steps away from it. This way, you can limit the use of the inside rein to just maintaining flexion (so that you can see the corner of the horse's inside eye). The by-product of less inside rein is that you will not restrict the inside hind leg from reaching as far as it should to balance around the turn.

"Filling Up" the Neck Rein

I use the term filling up because the neck rein isn't about just pulling backward. In fact, the ideal situation is to hold the rein at the desired length you need for the moment, and then to "push" the horse into the rein. The horse steps toward the rein, feels the pressure and then responds.

- Use your inside aids to bend the horse.

Starting with your weight on your inside seat bone, then leg, then upper body, push the horse to the outside of the circle. As your horse gets better, and your timing gets better, your push will become lighter. But at the beginning, you may need a fair amount of pressure to be clear in what you want.

- Inside rein is for flexion.

The only thing your inside rein should do is to maintain the flexion in the horse's head - that is, to keep the horse looking to the inside of the turn. Otherwise, it should be softly fluttering in and out of contact as needed. What it shouldn't be doing is maintaining a rigid pressure on the horse's mouth.

- Maintain a steady outside rein

If you can keep your outside rein at a consistently "good" length (depending on your discipline), you will begin to feel the horse as he steps to the outside, thereby filling up the outside rein.

At this point, you will have the neck rein positioned and the horse stepping into it. Now, it is up to you to use it to your advantage. As mentioned above you can use it to rebalance the horse, or use it to initiate a turn. As your horse begins the turn, you can keep the neck rein in light contact, being fairly inactive, unless you need to as again.

Once you discover the power of the neck rein, you'll wonder how you ever rode without it. Using an effective neck rein is one more step in the direction of becoming more subtle and harmonious with your horse. Not only that, but it will also allow him to move with a straighter body and spine.

How and why do you use a neck rein? Comment below.

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Would you like to be the rider that all horses dream of?

By following simple, useful exercises, you will be able to develop a better understanding about many topics including:

- the rider’s aids

- the use of the seat

- the half-halt

- accurate turns and circles

- transitions

- horse ownership and horse care

- goal setting for the rider

- rein lameness

… and much more!

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An Easy Way to Turn in Horseback Riding

Inside leg at the girth! Outside leg behind the girth! Shoulders to the turn! Outside rein... inside rein... lean... collapse... head!

There are so many components to a turn that sometimes we feel like we have to become a pretzel before we are finally in the correct position! There HAS to be an easier way.

Forget all the well-intentioned instructions. Although focusing on specific body parts is useful during the fine-tuning process of the riding position, it can become confusing and sometimes downright difficult during the initial learning process.

Instead of focusing on each and every body part and aid component, morph yourself into one whole. Do everything all at once, let your body respond accordingly, and simplify the aids not only for yourself but also for your horse.

Here's How

Try this off the horse.

Stand with your weight evenly balanced on both feet. Your knees and toes point straight ahead. Your hips are parallel to the front of the room and your torso is in line with your hips. Hold your forearms as if you are holding the reins, with your elbows at your sides, slightly bent into a soft "L" bend.

Turn Right

Now, turn right, but don't let your feet slide out of position. However, your toes can slightly point in the direction of the turn. The depth of the turn determines the size of the circle you ride. So, do a slight turn for a larger circle. Do a deeper turn for a smaller circle. Then take a look at what happened to your body.

Your hips (and seat bones) open to the right. Your weight will naturally be on the right (inside) seat bone. Your torso will point in the direction of the turn, and because your arms are on your sides and acting in tandem with your body, the reins will move exactly according to "textbook" requirements. The inside rein will open slightly while the outside rein will sit on the neck, creating an outside indirect, or "neck" rein.

Now take a look at your leg. The right leg will end up being positioned a little ahead of the left leg. The right knee will open and point slightly to the right. This will serve exactly as it should in saddle: right (inside) leg at the girth, and left (outside) leg behind the girth. Soft, inviting knee on the right, and firm, supporting outside leg on the left. Everything is just as it should be.

And all this happened simply because you turned your torso, from the hips up, in the direction of the turn.

Left Turn

Now try the exact same thing to the left. Feel how your left leg is now at the girth. Your outside leg is slightly behind the girth. Your left rein opens off the neck and your right rein sits on the neck.

Now Teach Your Horse

Positioning yourself while riding is one part of the overall picture. I'm sure you've seen horses run through the rider's aids - it happens all the time. Even if the rider can position herself accurately and set up her balance, it is very possible for her horse to not understand, ignore, or contradict her aids. And so it comes down to the rider to teach her horse how to respond to the body aids.

Be ready to reinforce your aids - maybe you need a stronger outside rein for a few strides. Maybe you should use your inside leg to help create a bend in your horse's body. Perhaps a half-halt is required before the turn to help balance the horse going into a circle.

What we really need most of all is practice. Position yourself into the desired turn and give it a try. Practice some more.

Make sure that your whole body gives just one message: "turn here." Then wait for your horse to respond.

Even if you don't get the desired response right away, don't worry. Be patient enough to repeat many times over, wait for your horse to do his "homework" (back in the stall or the field) and one day, it will all come together.

Do you have a method you like to use to simplify the turn aids? Comment below.

Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

Available as an eBook or paperback.

4 Steps to Help Your Horse Through A Turn

go and no — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

I’m sure you've seen it before – there are many situations where a horse turns too abruptly, unbalancing himself and also the rider. Most often, the rider hangs on but other times, she might be unseated, losing balance, stirrups and/or seat.

It happens when the horse turns too soon, cutting the arc of the circle so small that he has to catch himself with his front legs in order to avoid a fall. It can happen in the hunter/jumper ring especially after a jump, on a dressage 20m circle, on a reining or horsemanship pattern or on a trail that winds its way through the forest.

Regardless of the situation, there are several ways to help the horse through the turn. By being an active rider, you can:

1. Predict the lean into the turn.

2. Support before the horse loses balance.

3. Teach the horse to reach straight through the turn.

4. Release (lighten contact and follow the horse with your seat) as soon as possible.

Let's take a closer look at each step.

Predict the Lean

You know it's coming! So instead of waiting for it to happen and THEN trying to do something about it after the horse is off balance, prepare several strides ahead of time. Shorten your reins if they've become too long (but keep the bend in your elbows). Sit tall in the saddle. Use your inside leg more actively before the lean. Keep the horse's neck straight (although the head can slightly flex in the direction of the turn).

Support

Use an active seat, leg and reins to lightly carry the horse several strides past the point where he wanted to lean. Your legs and seat can act as a wall that prevents your horse's rib cage from leaning. You might need a stronger inside rein if the horse is travelling with his head and neck flexed to the outside. You might need a stronger outside rein if the horse is swinging his head to the inside. In any case, keep your horse's neck aligned with his body.

Half-halt once, twice, or several times, at the right time, in order to help rebalance the horse's weight to the hind end. For the horse that rushes, slow his leg speed. For the horse that slows down, ask for more from the hind end.

Straighten

Even though you are on a turn, the horse does not have to feel like he has to scramble through it with a tight, tense body. Break down your turn into a number of straight strides, and ask your horse to go straight longer, and turn for less strides. Imagine that your turn or circle is a hexagon, with many short straight lines attached together.

Find all the straight lines in the circle. Then ride the turn that way.

Make sure you are not leaning into the turn yourself. We often lean without even knowing it. Stay tall, stay straight with your own seat and shoulders, and follow the arc of the turn at the right moment.

Take as many strides as needed to make a better balanced, more controlled turn when you finally ask for it.

Release

Well, this doesn't mean throw the reins away. It does mean that you can stop resisting through your body and flow with the horse. You can lighten the rein contact and encourage the horse to reach forward with a bold stride or two. It also means that he can find his balance once again in preparation for the next turn or movement.

It might take many repetitions before the horse can maintain better balance. It is often more tempting to give in to gravity than to carry one's weight with strength and agility. But it can be done.

Once the horse has better understanding, you will notice that he becomes less tense as he nears a turn. You might feel that he begins to swing through the back better, become bouncier in his gait and maybe even take bolder steps with his hind legs coming further underneath the body. He might snort, soften through the poll and ears, and generally give you a feel-good message.

You will also have an easier time because you can maintain better balance and prepare for the next movement up ahead.

And the onlooker will see a horse that calmly but boldly negotiates a smooth, easy turn without fuss or scramble, appearing to be so athletic that he could turn on a dime - if he wanted to!

Do you help your horse through a turn? If so, how? Please comment below.

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From the first book in the Horse Listening Collection: Horse Listening, The Book

"There are many reasons why we enjoy riding horses. Maybe one of the most appealing facets of riding is the sense of freedom: freedom from our own limitations, freedom from gravity, freedom to (literally) roam the Earth. Time stands still while we have the privilege of feeling movement from the back of our four-legged friend.

Riding gives us the place to just be.

Of course, there are other purposes too. Some of us revel in the challenge of learning the skills required to becoming a good team member of this unlikely duo. Riding is like no other sport or recreational pursuit simply because of the equine partner that must not only carry us, but also do so effortlessly and gracefully. As we develop our specific skill sets, we also grow as human beings in character, emotional maturity and mental acuity.

But there is one other motivation that drives some of us to persevere in the never-ending learning process that is horseback riding: improving the horse. As your own skills develop, you begin to realize that not only can you meet your own needs through riding, but also that you can even become an instrument of benefit for the horse."

And so begins the book that reflects the most important learning I have had in all of my riding years: that I want to be the best rider I can be for the sake of my horses.

This book is geared toward the rider:

- the rider's motivations

- the essential skills for the rider

- some specific strategies

- solutions to common problems

- and the results: the great horsey moments we get to experience

Along the way, you will find chapters that discuss everything from the seat to the leg aids to the reins, discussions on half-halts, imbalance, halts, straightness and more!

Special in this book are the "In The Ring" sections that give specific suggestions based on the preceding chapters. Take these to the barn to try with your own horse!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Why You Don’t Want to Pull on the Inside Rein, and What To Do Instead

When we ride horses, we often assume that the inside rein is used like the steering wheel of a car or a bicycle. We think that when we pull the inside rein, the horse must obviously turn his nose and then follow it. Right?

Pulling to Turn

In some cases, the turn does happen. The horse's body moves along the direction of the head and he accommodates us the best he can. This is the reason why many of us think we are on the right track by pulling to turn.

However, at some point in time, we begin to better understand the biomechanics of pulling and how it affects the horse's body.

Sometimes, although the horse turns his nose in the direction of the pull, his body continues in the original trajectory. He doesn't easily make the turn. Other times, his body even goes in the opposite direction (in effect, drifting out) from where we pointed his nose! Has this ever happened to you?

Then we learn about the usefulness of the outside rein in turns. We practice using the outside rein while turning until it eventually becomes a habit.

But there is one other consequence to pulling on that inside rein that has little to do with turning. It isn't as straightforward to identify or visualize. And it affects the horse under almost every circumstance - on a turn, over a straight line, in a gait change, through a half-halt and more.

Blocking the Inside Hind Leg

If you want to prevent the inside hind leg from coming through underneath the body, this is how you do it:

pull back on the inside rein.

The only problem is that the haunches then cannot support the horse's balance.

Without the hind end as the engine, the horse is left to having to initiate movement from his front legs. He must then drag his body (and yours) along from the front, thus losing balance and falling to the forehand. You know the rest: tripping, stumbling, tension, rock-hard hollow back, discomfort and so on.

What NOT To Do

Most people's reaction is to do the exact opposite and fully drop the inside rein. Sometimes, you can even see the droop as if the rider wants to say, "See? I don't even have any contact at all!"

Having absolutely no contact can be counterproductive too, because then there is no way for you to support the horse when necessary. You will end up with an on-again, off-again pull that becomes difficult for the horse to negotiate. In the end, no contact can be as bad as too much contact.

There is always a happy medium.

What To Do

You have three strategies.

#1 is the easiest to do while #3 takes the most coordination. You can probably progress through the steps as you become better able to find that release. Your horse might also have a preference between the three at different times - so you can use the skill that suits him best in the moment.

Please note: these techniques can be used in the same manner on a snaffle bit (short rein length) or any curb/shank bit (long rein length) or anything in-between! Please feel free to try this in your riding style and discipline.

1. You could let out an inch of rein.

Lengthening the rein an inch out might be all the horse needs to get the freedom in the hind quarters. The rein is therefore short enough for us to communicate with him at a moment's notice, but long enough that there is that space for him to reach - from his hind legs, over his topline and through the poll to the bit.

There is no better feeling than when the horse reaches for the bit into the rein space you just gave him!

2. You could maintain the same rein length and let out your elbow.

This strategy gives the horse the same feeling as #1 but you don't need to let out the rein length.

When is it useful to maintain the same rein length?

When you know you need to be able to give clear and timely half-halts in order to help the horse maintain balance through a variety of movements. For example, if your instructor is asking you to negotiate several movements in sequence, you won't have the time to let the rein out and take it back, and doing so will unnecessarily disrupt your horse's balance.

Instead, you just let your elbows out and take them back in the following strides. The effect is the same - the horse gets a release and then a take-up for further communication.

3. You could move better with the horse with the same rein and contact pressure.

This one is the icing on the cake.

If you can move through your entire body, staying in sync with the horse's movements but releasing where and when needed, you will have one happy, confident, bold moving horse. You might need to release through your seat. You might "loosen" through the inside shoulder, allowing the inside hind to reach within a moment's notice. Maybe your legs need to "breathe" with your horse's sides.

In any case, riding in tandem with the horse is something we always aspire to and there is good reason for that. When you both move "as one", the earth stops rotating and you float on that ninth cloud!

Letting the inside hind leg do its job is one of the first keys to riding with the horse in mind!

Try this: ride with the inside hind leg in mind. Even if you regularly let the leg come through, make it a point to pay closer attention for your next few rides. Try one of the above suggestions, or let us know if you have another method that works for you and your horse.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success

Available as an eBook or paperback.

From Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success

"Regardless of discipline, what would be the most significant effect a rider would want to have on her horse?

We all want our horses to improve in their athletic

development, skill acquisition and connectedness. Much of our rider development and training efforts go into working toward our show or personal goals....

But the best riders aspire to do one essential thing each and every day, regardless of goals and lesson plans: they work hard to improve their horse’s way of going.

Because proper balance and weight carriage is essential to a horse’s longevity. Each and every minute of each and every ride has the potential to contribute to your horse’s health and well-being.

Or not."

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

Click here for more information.

The #1 Rider Problem: The Outside Rein!

Among all of our riding challenges, this problem is the one that should be on the top of the list.

The outside rein is the most underused and poorly understood of all the aids, and here's why. Human beings, as bi-peds, are hand-fixated.

That is, we do EVERYTHING with our hands. Being vertically inclined, we lean forward and almost in all interactions, reach toward something with our hands. It stands to reason that we should use this same mechanism when it comes to riding. For example, steering a horse is as simple as steering a bike - just grab the rein on the turn side and pull! The horse's head turns in that direction, and the legs must follow.

Right?

WRONG!!

One of the most incomprehensible things that we humans have to deal with when we decide to ride horses, is to reprogram our natural tendency to lean forward and pull on the rein. It is a most unfortunate undertaking, as this natural inclination is so hardwired in us that it feels wrong to stay balanced on top of a moving horse and use our leg and seat aids before our hands. And so we start on a long journey of "re-wiring"...

... and one of the most difficult concepts in riding happens to be the use of the outside rein. We become experts at riding with a tight inside rein and a loopy outside rein. We teach the horse to stiffen on the inside jaw and "pop" the outside shoulder. We ride up the rail with the shoulder "out" and the haunches "in" - almost moving diagonally without knowing it. If we only knew how simple it would be to allow the horse to move straight - using a straightening outside rein!

What to do?

The solution to the outside rein lies in the inside leg and seat bone. You've heard it time and again: "inside leg to outside rein". Well, it's not really about your leg - it's about the horse's balance. The horse needs to "step away" from your leg in order to take his weight more to the outside. This will help him stretch the outside of his body, bend toward the inside and "fill" your outside rein.

Your inside seat bone encourages the weight shift. It accepts the thrust of the inside hind leg and then shifts the weight even more to the outside. In this way, you help your horse balance as you go around the ring. And somehow miraculously, you discover you have an outside rein!

Now, it is your responsibility to maintain this new connection. That is, use the "contact" - don't abuse it by throwing it away! Give when needed, take when needed, resist when necessary (or preferably, do all three in a split second!). But by all means, keep it connected! If you can keep the rein straight, you will also keep your horse straight - through the shoulders and neck (your legs are responsible for the horse's hips).

So on your next ride, remember the outside rein. But remember even more, that it's not just about grabbing the rein - it's about setting the horse up through its body so that he "fills" the outside rein. Then, when you have one, do something with it!

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. This is just the "irritating" thought - the one that sparks you on to delving deeper into the subject. We all know that finding that outside rein (correctly) is no easy feat. The best path to this solution is to find a competent instructor who can give you consistent, accurate feedback.

Good luck and happy riding.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

From the first book in the Horse Listening Collection: Horse Listening, The Book

Riding gives us the place to just be.

And so begins the book that reflects on the most important learning I have had in all of my riding years: that I want to be the best rider I can be for the sake of my horses.

This book is geared toward the rider:

- the rider's motivations

- the essential skills for the rider

- some specific strategies

- solutions to common problems

- and the results: the great horsey moments we get to experience

Along the way, you will find chapters that discuss everything from the seat to the leg aids to the reins, discussions on half-halts, imbalance, halts, straightness and more!

Special in this book are the "In The Ring" sections that give specific suggestions based on the preceding chapters. Take these to the barn to try with your own horse!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Horses. Riding. Life.

Tag: outside rein

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Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands!

Click here for more information.

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Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

“Inside Leg To Outside Rein” – The Cheat Sheet

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands! Click on the image for more information.

How to “Fill Up” Your Outside Rein for a True Neck Rein

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

An Easy Way to Turn in Horseback Riding

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

4 Steps to Help Your Horse Through A Turn

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Why You Don’t Want to Pull on the Inside Rein, and What To Do Instead

pull back on the inside rein.

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success

The #1 Rider Problem: The Outside Rein!

What to do?

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding