Simplify The Turn

Use a snaffle bit, and ride two-handed to begin. You can go to the bit you regularly ride with and use one hand as you gain confidence and control. Return to the snaffle bit when you feel like your horse needs a tuneup or special attention to any of the parts of the drill. Pay attention to how your horse learns in any drill so you can tailor your methods to get the best response. 

- Shadd Parkinson With Jennifer Paulson

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Do you ride one direction and cue your horse to go the other? Yourhorse can’t start a turn correctly—or execute a set of spins—if you’re riding right and telling your horse to go left, as shown here. My body is facing away from the turn cue I’m giving him. These counter-cues confuse your horse and put his body out of position, making it nearly impossible for him to turn correctly.

Two

This confusion leads to your pulling harder for the turn than would usually be necessary, your horse leaning against you instead of responding to the pull, and further problems down the line. It’s easy enough to  fix with a simple alteration to your body’s position, which will improve your horsemanship in the long run and lead to a better  response from your horse in all activities. 

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