How to teach my horse to neck rein?

Question

I need to teach my TWH to neck rein. She works best so far on the wonder bit. I am going to try a snaffle bit on her. PLEASE only experinced horse people that have had suscess in training a horse to neck rein perfurable trainers!

Answer 1

Use a snaffle bit and cris cross the reins behind the horses chin. Try it, it works.

Answer 2

Try the simplest methods first. Assuming she plough reins when you apply right rein pressure to turn right lay the left rein over her neck and neck rein at the same time. The same thing left pull with the left and cross the right over. she should very quickly learn that the two things happening mean the same thing. I never realized that horses didn't automatically do both until a few years ago. I always rode with one rope on either side pull one way neck the other. Horses should give to pressure whether your on the ground or in saddle. If she wouldn't lean into your leg when you ask her to step over she shouldn't lean into and ignore the rein. Good luck

Answer 3

Like Everone Else SAID DO NOT I repeat DO NOT USE A TIE DOWN WHAT EVERY YOU DO!!!
Ride in a pasture and use a halter if you can and tie the lead rope over her neck like a single rein and just walk turn her and give her suttle clues if she doesnt turn right away (try not to use spurs in this stage). Next try trotting, you will have to work with her for a couple of weeks b4 she neck reins very well.
On, the first day I would just walk her and kind of introduce her to the neck reining. Before you move on to trotting, or any other gate make sure she and you are both ready to do so.

I hope this helps

Answer 4

TWHs are awesome! I have a Spotted Saddle Horse, he also uses the Wonder Bit.

What worked for me was direct reining, but also laying the rein across the neck, too. Soon the horse figured out that rein on the left side of the neck meant go right; on the right side, go left. So I didn't have to direct rein anymore. Don't forget to use your legs like you normally would.

Answer 5

You need to get real advice from someone that can show you hands-on. Neck-reining is something that takes time to teach and can be frustrating. It takes a lot of supportive outside rein with an opening inside rein and a LOT of leg. I suggest going to a trainer as a one-time thing just to learn how to teach your horse. Someone telling you how to do it online isn't a very trustworthy answer. Good luck.


PS---- *****DO NOT***** Use tie-downs or draw reins or ANY of that crap unless you properly know how to use it, and have NO other options! Too many people immediately jump to "oh, lets use this gadget to do it cause I can't do it myself." It's NOT hard to train a horse to neck rein, you DONT need any of that gadget junk like the person below me told you to use. That's just disgraceful!

Answer 6

There are two good ways. #1. As you pull the horse to the right with the right rein (to turn to the right), lay the left rein firmly against the left side of his neck and vice versa for teaching the left turn. #2. Cross the reins under the horse's neck and when you pull the right rein, (lean it a bit toward the left) it will put pressure against the right side of his neck and tug lightly at the left side of the bit at the same time, causing the horse to turn left. He will feel the rein laying against and pushing on the right side of hie neck...his signal to turn left. Opposide for turning right of course. I know what I am saying, just hope I worded it so it's understood like it's meant. It's simple, quick, no complication to it at all and has worked for us all these years Best wishes

Answer 7

start in a areana or small fenced in area. set up something so your horse has to turn the way u want by being neck reined. just cross the rein over the neck the right way and plow rein at the same time. my thoughbred learned this way quickly. with some horses using a bossel ( im not sure how to spell that ) works better then a regular bridle. with some horses it doesnt. remember to use ur legs if ur horse knows what that is. happy trails : )

Answer 8

First things first...I don't recommend using draw reins or a martingale or a tiedown on a green-broke horse (I'm assuming that your horse is green-broke because it doesn't neck rein). These training tools work better on a horse that is broke, but in a green horse, it can actually take away some control from the rider - a horse needs to get its' head down to buck, and these items don't let the rider pull the head up if the horse should try to buck. Now that's said...

First, when I'm teaching a horse on the bit, I usually plow rein (one rein in each hand, and pull the horse's head in the direction you want to go). Keep your hands low, near the horse's withers (this also eliminates the need for a device to pull the horse's head down - you're already using your hands), and use your leg aids. Different trainers use different leg aids - mine are taught to turn around and give their hind quarters away from the pressure of the leg. If I'm turning to the left, I press with my left leg and relieve any pressure from my right leg. This is the signal to move the rear legs away. After the horse begins to understand leg aids, then I start the neck reining.

With one rein in each hand, hands down low, I will begin to turn my horse (for the sake of example I'll assume we're turning left) by pressing with my left leg, releasing pressure on my right leg, lightly pulling with my left hand, and taking my right hand to follow my left and pressing the rein against the horse's neck. You don't want your right rein to pull the horse back toward you - that will be confusing to the horse - you want to put pressure on the side of the horse's neck just enough that he feels it, and begins to associate that feel with turning away from the pressure.

This takes a lot of time and patience, but you can do it. One of my favorite sayings is that "It takes however long it takes". There's no set time line on anything in training a horse, so don't put a time limit on it. Just make sure that the horse knows each step before moving on to the next one.

Good luck!

Answer 9

I crossed the reins on my horse just beyond the bit.That way pressure on the left side of the neck actually was giving the signal to turn right. Take it slow.Once he connects the pressure on his left neck to turn right undo the crossed reins.I have known some to put tacks in the reins at this point to speed up response.Not to hurt but to make the horse more easily aware of the lightest pressure. Good luck.

Answer 10

I'm in the process of teaching my quarter horse how to neck rein. i started with heavier rope type reins that were kind of scratchy so he would feel it and am now down to a heavy leather rein. i also use leg pressure and very light plow reining as a reminder of where we are going (he still responds better to the leg ques). it just takes time and patients and always remember to end your lessons with the horse on a good note