Teachng Your Horse the Lateral Flex
The object of this lesson is to teach your horse to move his neck and shoulders: to bend and flex laterally (left to right and vise versa). This lesson uses three of the training principles used by all trainers:
Physical pressure: that is the tactile feelings such as the bit against the bars in his mouth or the rope halter pulling at the side of his face. (see Pressure)
Release is the reward that the rider or trainer gives the horse for executing the proper maneuver. (see Release Training)
Shaping is the term used for GRADUALLY lengthening or fine-tuning a response. (see Shaping)
Lateral flexation is a HUGE basic lesson that all horses must learn on the way to training. Without it there is no control, no stearing, sometimes not even good balance. It also helps to teach respect. A horse that is flexed is not protecting himself or exerting his own will. A horse whose face is to his girth cannot run away.
Teaching a horse to yeild to pressure is a paramount building block of horse training. Yielding will turn into an entire resistance-free attitude.
Start with teaching your horse to flex his neck laterally (left to right and vice versa) in response to your request. While still on the ground with your horse wearing a halter, stand facing his side (parallel to him) and begin to pull the halter toward you and around to his side. You are “dragging” his head around to his girth or stirrup line. Don’t be surprised if he resists the pull at first. He will probabaly be very rigid. He may begin to turn in a circle, disengaging his rear rather than bending at the neck. Follow him calmly, but don’t let up the pressure. (Performing the exercise while parallel to a fence often helps, as his rear is inhibited from rotating by the fence rails. A rope halter is also better than a flat halter for this exercise.)
Be persistant and keep pulling his head steadily and with resolve. He is not used to this position, feels vulnerable, and has not acquired good balance here. It takes a little practice.
Eventually, you will feel him move his head toward the barrel of his chest, giving in to the pull ever so slightly. RELEASE your pull immediately when you feel his head comply. He doesn’t have to be all of the way to his chest yet. “Baby steps” should be rewarded.
Let him bring his head back to the forward position. Now ask again. Pull steadily on his halter toward his side again. Don’t release until he actually moves his head under his own power toward the girth line. The moment he gives in and moves his head voluntarily (closer to his girth this time), RELEASE. Repeat this procedure, releasing as soon as he is voluntarily assuming the position you desire, shaping his movement until he is moving his head all of the way around to the stirrup line, touching his side with his nose, and holding that position for several seconds. (I often stroke my horse’s cheek as she is touching her girth. She sometimes falls asleep in this position with gentle strokes and no pressure) That is how easy this exercise should become. Your horse should swing his head as easily as a door on a well-oiled hinge.
Teach both sides of your horse. (see Two Brains)
Later, when under saddle, every ride will start with lateral flexing to both sides before “walk-on”.
The next step is to turn “yielding” into an entire resistance-free attitude. The horse will need to learn to move each body part separately until he generalizes the exercises into a life habit.