# Teaching a youngster to bend



## lpu06lec (9 April 2009)

I rode a 3 year old at work yesterday who has recently been backed and is in the process of learning the basics. Boss told me to take him into the school and ask him to bend and do lots of circles. Anyway, I found it very difficult to ride a circle on him. As soon as I opened my inside rein, he fell in. He has zero respect for the inside leg (and outside leg for that matter!) and so to correct him I had to use my outside rein. This resulted in him not bending correctly to the inside. Any ideas how to stop him falling in? Or how to teach him to move off the inside leg? When he was first backed he wouldn't move forward off of the leg, and he is extremely green.


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## little_flea (9 April 2009)

I would start with working on this from the ground to make sure he actually understands what you mean by "bend"- just start in the stable with a headcollar, bending his neck to both sides (if he doesn't get it, use a treat as a motivator), later in a bride from the ground, before asking to bend with a rider on top in halt - won't hurt to have anyone on the ground helping when you first try it with a rider.

But start off gently in hand and increase gradually - release and praise when he understands. It is good to start this in the stable as there is less space for him to move his whole body round, so he will understand that you only want his neck to bend.


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## CBAnglo (9 April 2009)

Please dont take this the wrong way, but you dont really sound experienced enough to be schooling and bringing on a newly backed 3 yr old.  He probably doesnt understand the leg rather than have "zero" respect for it.  

At this stage I wouldnt be trying to ride him in circles at all, I would just be trying to get him to understand the aids.  Asking for a horse to work on a correct bend requires a lot of balance and suppleness, which this horse wont have at this stage.  

When teaching a horse to flex and bend, it is always better to teach it on the ground first, asking it to do simple turns on the forehand and to relax its jaw, progressing to shoulder in and leg yield.  Then you can progress to ridden work, asking for it to alternate flexion, and then performing simple lateral moves, shoulder in and leg yield, so that its body can become supple so that it can actually bend round your leg.


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## Kenzo (9 April 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
Please dont take this the wrong way, but you dont really sound experienced enough to be schooling and bringing on a newly backed 3 yr old.  He probably doesnt understand the leg rather than have "zero" respect for it.  

At this stage I wouldnt be trying to ride him in circles at all, I would just be trying to get him to understand the aids.  Asking for a horse to work on a correct bend requires a lot of balance and suppleness, which this horse wont have at this stage.  

When teaching a horse to flex and bend, it is always better to teach it on the ground first, asking it to do simple turns on the forehand and to relax its jaw, progressing to shoulder in and leg yield.  Then you can progress to ridden work, asking for it to alternate flexion, and then performing simple lateral moves, shoulder in and leg yield, so that its body can become supple so that it can actually bend round your leg. 

[/ QUOTE ]

ditto above, Sounds perfectly normal for a newly backed horse, in fact bending would not even be on my adenda yet, let alone expecting him to react to aids that you would give a more advanced horse.

He will learn to bend in time, in fact it will come naturally when he becomes better balanced, used to being ridden and understands what is being asked and this will only come with time.

I'd concentrate on getting him used to going forward from your leg just walking and standing when you ask him to, simply by blocking the movement from your arm so he rides into a halt getting used to your voice too, ride a freshy you need to go with there head movement to encourage them to go forward and keep there mouths nice. 

Flexing the head from side to side by gentle squeezes with a reward pat will get him used to responding to your hands, even if he just bends just a tad, that is good, give him a scratch and say good lad etc...eventually you can apply this when walking which then puts you in good stead for the next part, riding a squares as I believe gentle turns are more important than bending at this age, riding large squares asking the horse for a half halt before asking for a turn, to prepare them for the next move, this the horse is by slowing and listening for your next aid, this makes it easier for them to pick up and understand, also by using the correct leg aids they learn to associate that our legs are their for guidance and support...eventually what you'll then use them for when bending and riding circles and lateral work etc

If you expect or try to ask too much the horse wont understand and will just blow up, loose concentration or just be put of from bing ridden and start playing up and that's when you'll get problems.

I'd stick to ten minutes a day, just making sure he moves forward walking nicely and standing when you ask, around the outside of the school, once he is doing this well and enjoying his work, then introduce more.  Then eventually opening that inside hand and supporting him with the inside leg he'll start to come in and learn that yor asking him to come in, as your offering a hand rather than taking his mouth.

Long reining will help also, however my boy was not long reined and he soon picked it all up, I had no breaks, no steering or anything and i had to school my boy all through winter outside in the poorly lit school on cold windy horrible winter nights...with not a sole about! 

Just take it easy and keep things real simple it pays off in the end and doest give your horse an excuse to p*ss about and do anything dangerous.


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## lpu06lec (9 April 2009)

"Please dont take this the wrong way, but you dont really sound experienced enough to be schooling and bringing on a newly backed 3 yr old. He probably doesnt understand the leg rather than have "zero" respect for it."

I have brought on my own 3 yr olds for 8 years and have lots of experience with training young horses. The reason this one is difficult is because he is not mine and so I don't know exactly what he does and doesn't understand. My boss said that he was ready to start bending and circling so I assumed that the groundwork was in place. Thankyou for your advice, I think I will suggest that more groundwork is needed before anymore circling is done.


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## millitiger (10 April 2009)

i also am not sure if you really sound experienced enough to be riding this horse i am afraid. you may have done a brilliant job with your own youngsters but if you cannot get on this particular 3yro and know what he needs from you as his teacher then i don't see how you can educate him.

so much of 'teaching' a young horse to bend cannot be explained on an internet forum as it is all down to feel.

also i am very much of the school of thought that unless a horse is truly straight (which about 1% of 3yros are!) then there is no point in trying to teach them lateral flexion as they will simply fall through their shoulders and onto the forehand.


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