Training Exercises: Maintain Direction

Maintain Direction

When you set a course from point A to point B, your horse should travel in a straight line, maintaining his speed and direction until you ask him to change either or both.

If you have been following this set of training exercises in order, we have not yet worked on direction over the long haul. It is probably one of the easiest and most boring of lessons, but really important if you want a relaxing trail companion or precision performance horse.

This lesson builds on Flex Training and Maintaining Gait. (We are not concerned about changing directions in this exercise. This discussion centers only on moving in a straight line – NOT changing directions at will)

An arena or pasture area that has a nice wooden or metal fence line is needed. (Do not work next to an electric fence. Up-close proximity to it is unfair to your horse).

Begin next to the fence and start moving forward. A crisp walk or gentle trot is a good speed for this exercise. When your horse veers off of the fence line, use the rein on the fence side and leg pressure on the opposite side to bring him back to the fence. Your off-side hand and rein should be very quiet. Your fence-side leg should be off his barrel. The rail-side rein holds tension toward the rail and your leg encourages him to move toward the fence. Maintain the tension until he is securely back parallel and next to the fence, then relax your rein and leg immediately. Move forward continually, as long as you have a fence to follow. Practice miles of fence-line until he follows it without straying – each time getting a corrective rein and leg if he veers off.

Now move to the middle of the arena. If you have any obstacles like barrels or bending poles, choose one and head directly for it. Look at your destination, then head there with purpose. This should not be a spur-of-the-moment decision but a planned direction. (Your body takes on a specific posture and shape when you are looking at your destination: a tiny shift in the direction you want to go. He will begin to recognize it.)

Sit comfortably in your saddle, look directly at the destination point and ask him to move forward. Continue to look at your destination. If you are wishy-washy, he will have no clue about where you are going, and he will not be able to commit to a direction. If he strays off the straight line, use the rein and your leg to correct his course. When you get to the spot, practice your verbal “whoa” combined with a “seat” whoa. Let him rest. Then choose another exact destination. Continue from point to point, stopping to rest each time he makes a successful trip.

The more proficient he becomes, the longer the trip can be and the more nebulous the destination. Start choosing a single post in the fence or some other spot less obvious than an object.

Now introduce distractions. The ultimate test will come when you can have more than one horse in the arena and each is going a different direction.

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