hip control

Perfect Circle to a “T”

If you are looking for a fool proof way to obtain a perfect circle, here is a great place to start.  Some horses (and their riders) tend to be “circular challenged”.  This exercise will help you nail that perfect circle.   Perfect circles are really important.

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Shoulder Up Backing – Counter Release

This gets a horse really soft in the face for backing, helps them become very aware of where their feet are and gets them very maneuverable.   Similar to hip in backing drill with a different release point.

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Super Squares

If you are having trouble with knocking on the backside by just a hair you can try these super squares. How: Make  perfect square corners around the barrel. This will help to teach him take one step further back behind the barrel. Keep his arc and bent in the ribs.  Your lines should be straight, [...]

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More Rate

Adding an extra element to the Rating drill you can add extra emphasis for those horses that really need rate. This will really help gathering up and getting his rear end up underneath himself.

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Rate

Rating is preparing for the turn and giving your horse advance notice there is a turn coming. It is part of your preparation for the turn.  This drill will help your horse understand and remember he needs to rate for each turn.

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Squares

This will encourage your horse to keep his hind end under him and use it. This is the move your horse needs to make a corner around a barrel and blast out of the turn.

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45 Degree Turn Back with Barrel

This integrates the roll back, but also includes a barrel where your horse should be able to work quietly following the pressure of the rollback. You should feel your horse really driving and working from behind when you do go around the barrel as a result of the schooling you’ve been doing with the roll [...]

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Straight Lines

Some horses are really just more comfortable in circles so this will really help straighten out your lines between the barrels (resulting in faster times). It will help you with picking points and driving to them.

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The Clock

This is a great drill for working on your straight lines and round circles as well as the transitions to and from each.

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Wall backs

This drill will sharpen your horses’ reaction speed (as well as your own). It will help a horse that is drifting in his turns come around quickly. It will help a horse figure out his footwork without using a barrel.

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