The sidepass

[FatSpottedAppy]

So, I have a horse that supposedly knew how to side pass.. the the point of where he would sidepass the entire length of the arena.. When I went to see him, though, his owner couldnt get him to side pass but said if she worked with him a bit more she could get him to do it.

I dont think she lied, I really dont, she was honest about everything else.

I've tried multiple times to get Lyric(said horse) to sidepass, but he acts like he has NO clue whats going on and gets frustrated. I've tried both undersaddle and in hand.

Undersaddle, I lined him up with a wall, cued him to do it, I wouldnt let him turn(he kept trying to turn, I made sure my leg was behind the girth area, not where I ask him to turn off of leg pressure) so he resorted to backing up and just kept backing up. He did this multiple times.

In hand, I press into his side with steadily increasing pressure, but he just keeps trying to turn to me. When I don't let him, he just backs up. t's hard to prevent both of these things because he's long and i'm short and I have trouble reaching to keep his head steady and applying steadily increasing pressure at that same time.

What do I do? I thought it would be easier because he used to know how to.. He has just completely forgot though.

[cascy]

Jake knows how to side pass... He's not perfect at it yet, but he knows to do it when I tell him so we are getting there slowly but surely.


Something that I noticed that helps, 1) when you get him lined up to the wall (facing it), have someone else on one of his buddies stading beside him but a couple steps away and then ask him to do it. It helped jake because he wanted to sit next to his buddy.

When we go work cows, I have him always rest next to the fence, so now everytime we stop, he wants to step on over to it before I even ask


Something else too, Jake can try to be lazy on me if he doesn't want to do it, but if I have my spurs on to cue him with, its a much better response.

Not saying to jab the heck out of him with spurs of course, but just enough to get him to move off the pressure quicker.

Also, if you lean slightly the opposite way you want them to sidepass to, I think it helps.

All just how I do it with my horse, so just work with him til you find what works for you and your horse.

[ahabarabs]

Horse's have really good memory's so I suspect that if he did know how to yield at one time he probably still does, but I would start him out the same as if he knows or not, by facing him up to a wall at first, at least until he is yielding well, and assuming you want to side pass right, give him some right rein, while steadying, and remaining in contact with your left, to keep him straight, and FIRMLY cue with your left leg, depending on your leg strength, and if he is somewhat "dead-sided" you may want to use spurs (prince of wales, or something mild, just extra reinforcement to "tap" him with) when/if he starts backing I would use crop/whip, or leg reinforcement to get him moving foward, if he is hot he may get a little "riled up" for a moment, so let him calm down, and regroup, and then go back to asking for yield again, I would not let him continue to evade your request by backing, or he will just continue to back all day long, if he is confused by what your asking ( which would be the case if he has never known how to yield ) then letting him continue to back or encouraging at all would confuse him further,as then he would not know what your asking,and if he does know how to yield from his past then he is choosing to back rather than yield,which a lot of times horses take a while to get comfortable yielding, he needs to learn that backing is not an option for evasion, when you get even a step or two of yield, I would praise, and give him a break, or just end your lesson for the day.

[EquineAlberta]

When you were on him, and he started to back, what did you do? I find sometimes people allow themselves to be distracted by their horse, and change their aids, which in turn confuses the horse as he got you to stop the sideways aids by backing up...so backing up must have been right.

If you KNOW he can do it, and then I would just keep giving the aids until he offers some sideways. Once you get any sideways response, stop the aids and do something else/praise.

Likely the best option though is to go back to basics; make sure he understands your aids by doing turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches, and leg yeilding before trying the more demanding side pass. This may also help you figure out where his issue is.

Karen