Horse Training Basics

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"An Exercise For When You Can't Ride," Issue 1, part 3 of our FREE monthly newsletter

From our Horse Ground Training Series:

"Take your left hand and hold the lead rope as if it's the left rein. Pull the halter slowly toward yourself.

"Concentrate. Feel how much pressure it takes to bring that rope toward you. You should feel on your pinky how many ounces it takes. Throw it back out and do it again. This time close your eyes and really concentrate. If you get this lesson, horse training gets a whole lot easier. Really focus on what it feels like. How many ounces is it taking to bring that halter back to you? Think of a specific number. How many pounds? How many ounces? One or two? 5 pounds or 5 ounces?

"How would you like your horse to be that soft? A pound or two doesn't seem so bad, does it? Actually, it's terrible. Having to put a pound or two of pressure on the rein to get it to "come back to you" is just terrible. Take the halter off the lead rope now and throw the rope back out, snap end first.

"Do the same thing, drag the snap back to you. How does that feel? It feels pretty light, right? You feel a big difference. But that's still terrible. Now take the lead rope and throw the opposite end out, the end without the snap. That feels really light. It feels like nothing. It's still terrible.

"The reason it's terrible is because…"

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Lyons Training 101 Issue Number:  Three Building Your Foundation written by Josh Lyons & Keith Hosman

Issue Three, Part 1 of 3

Horses That Pull Back or Won't Stand Tied

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Training a difficult horse? This issue is for you if your horse pulls back, won't stand tied, drags you off, or if your horse wants to bolt, buck or blow up.

Our clinics are based on foundation work. They help you build a foundation for whatever you want to do with your horse, whatever discipline you ride. On day one, for the first fifteen minutes, riders are encouraged to do whatever they normally do when they ride their horses. They'll lunge their horses if they normally start out that way. They walk the horse around if that's normal, they trot their favorite pattern, they ride in a shank, a side-pull or snaffle… whatever they typically do, that's what they do. Then we start making changes.

If you're attending one of our clinics, or reading this article, or hiring a trainer, then virtually by definition, you too are looking to make a change. That change begins when you "fall back to the basics" and place your focus on foundation work.

The training articles that follow form an "electronic textbook" mirroring what we teach in our clinics. They describe how to build a strong foundation by taking control of your horse, one "body part" at a time.

My Horse Pulls Back • Teach your horse to stand tied safely • easy and objective • novice to advanced • see more
Buy now: $38.99

When we’re training, we don't specifically teach our horses to not pull back. Instead, when we’re working on "giving to the bit," what we’re teaching is to "give" in the direction of the pull, regardless of where it comes from. Up, down, whatever angle the pull comes from – it should make no difference to the horse. No matter where the pressure comes from, you want them to give to that bit, in the direction of the pull.

If you want to stop your horse from dragging you off or pulling back, he needs to learn that when he feels pressure his head should go down or give toward that pressure. You do the same thing from their backs everytime you ask them to “give to the bit.” In the end, it’s your riding that teaches a horse to stand tied.

End of Issue Three, Part 1

Read previous article: The Snaffle Bit vs The Shank Bit

Read next article: Teaching Your Horse To Stand Still

See Complete List of Articles

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Disclaimer: Equine training can be a hazardous activity which may subject the participants to possible serious injury. Keith Hosman, Josh Lyons, Patrick Benson and their associates will not assume any liability for your activities. Our newsletter, books and videos provide general information, instruction and techniques that may not be suitable for everyone. No warranty is given regarding the suitability of this information, the instructions, and techniques to you or other individuals acting under your instructions.

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