Mi horse wont go backwards. She absolutly refuses! Is this a respect issue or what? Someone told me it was?

Question

She absolutly refuses! Is this a respect issue or what? Someone told me it was.

Answer 1

In order to get your horse to go backwards, make it go forwards at a trot. Apply pressure to the reins and stop riding. Slowly apply pressure, as the horse begins to stop it has to bring its hind legs under it, this is the perfect position to begin going backwards. When the horse comes to a stop you have to immediately start backing while its legs are under it. Don't stop and then start to back or you may as well be backing from a dead stop to begin with. A horse learns faster when its moving forward. Keep applying the pressure until you get just one step backwards. As soon as you get one step, immediately release the reins pushing your hands forward. Keep doing this. Always release as soon as you get one step, you're there because 20 steps is just a series of one steps.  Then increase to 2 or three steps, as soon as you get to the third step again immediately release. Your horse will now back up as far as you want it too.

Answer 2

It is not a natural movement for a horse to make.  Have you ever seen a horse reverse from a gate or stable?! Probably not.  Take your time teaching it  to step back slowly.  I repeat the word 'back' with a little point of my finger at the bottom of his neck.  I've got a 2yr old quarter horse - not broke or trained and this seems to work for us.  Remember - it is not natural for a horse to make this manoeuvre.

Answer 3

Try teaching her from the ground.  Stand in front of her and using the handle of your schooling whip give simultaneous hand, voice and whip aids.  Push or evenly pull back on the reins, jabbing her with the whip end into her chest (not hitting her) and Say "BACK".  Give lots of praise when she does move back, but immediately walk her forward as horses can start to go into a backward mentality.  Only ask for one or two steps at a time.

Once this has been established on her back you will need to make sure you have a square halt.  Sit tall and square yourself, a common mistake is to lean forward or tense up when trying to do rein back.  This confuses the issue and the poor horse is wondering what the heck is going on?!  Gently feel on the mouth and squeeze the legs at the same time.  When she finds you stopping her going forward chances are that she will go back.  Again you will need your voice and to begin with an instructor or assistant to do the "groundwork".   Ask for one or two steps and then go forward at a strong walk or trot.  Do not spend too long going in reverse or trying it.

It could be that she has a physical problem or simply has not learned the concept of backing.  Some horses find it harder than other.

Good luck.

Answer 4

okay.. you might have to re-train her.. bend/flex her head by taking the reins and shortening one side until the horses nose almost touches your boot. then release that rein and do the same to the other rein. next start walking to horse. flex the head to the right or left and once the head is in postition cue the horse to walk.. do the same to the other side.. when ever you get on your horse flex their neck before you go off and ride. after she is really good at this then take the reins how you would if you were to ask her to back up.if she still doesn't move still grip the reins tightly but use your calves to suggest to her.. still dont work? use your heels and ask her.. no results? u have to demand.. kick her while holding the reins and don't drop the reins until she backs up.. it doesn't have to be a full back up. even half a step.. emediatly release and pat/praise her. keep repeating process. or while your on the horse have some one walk the horse and turn the horse.. but make sure you keep cueing the turns with your reins too.. then ask a friend to take a lead rope and push the horse to back up while you are cueing the horse as wel. or you could start from the ground work all by yourself. you can take a lead rope and go through the process above and then back up.. be sure to praise when she moves even slighty back. another trick i learned in my riding school is you take a lead rope and you wiggle it slightly and then get rougher until the horse backs up..

good luck

Answer 5

Might be a fear issue or a conformation issue...respect wouldn't be my first guess.

Answer 6

If youre riding her when she wont go back and she  swings her rear out when you ask her to, when she swings her bum out, put your leg back on the side where she's trying to swing but is it effecting you a lot if she doesn't? Unless it is a major issue, I wouldn't get too worked up as something may well have happened in the past.

Answer 7

it can be a respect issue, make her move back by standing towards her and pushing her in the neck or on her chest, she has to move away to be comfortable, when she does take a step back, release pressure off her so she knows shes done good and look slightly away

Answer 8

I would start her on  ground work to back up, what I did with my horse is I grabbed a long lunge line and had her on a lead line and would hit the ground back and forth infront of her hooves saying " Back Up" and she would back away from me and start to back up and I would praise her so much and then I would after three days get on her back and do a slight tug on the back reins and she would back up. try that hope I helped!

Answer 9

My husband and I train all of our horses to back.  We work as a team.  While one of us is on the horse with reins in hand, the other stands in front of the horse and pushes against his chest.  You have to work simultaneously.  When the horse takes one step back, the rider stops pulling the reins, the person on the ground stops pushing against his chest and you praise the horse.  Repeat this several times and give the horse a break.  Our horses have all learned to back fairly quickly this way.

My friend trains his horses to back by riding them between say a fence and a hay wagon where the end is blocked and the horse has to back up to get out.  He seems to have good success with his technique as well.  The key is to leave just enough room for you and the horse to ride into the chute, but not enough room for the horse to turn around.  For particularly stubborn horses, you may have to dismount and push the horse backwards.

I hope these ideas help!

Answer 10

No, she has probably not been trained or is just being stubborn. Try doing it on the ground, put your weight against her shoulder and pull the reins back to make her back up. Hope this ehlps! :) Good luck! <3

Answer 11

Try turning her head towards you as you ask. Also try looking at her, horses don't like that and it may encourage her to step back.

Answer 12

id say she wasnt trained to. you have to teach her! not so bad.