Pivots vs. turning?

Question

I am having problems with my new horse. He was mostly leg cue trained...when i want to turn i put my heel up by the heartgirth..the problem is that thats also how i cue to pivot. For just turning should i just be pressing with my calf, and then using my heel with a spur up by the girth to pivot? i don't know what to do because he keeps getting confused.

Answer 1

If I were you I would almost re-train that a little amount of pressure (let's say you're trying to turn to the left, but don't want a pivot) on the left rein as well as your leg cue, and think and look up. If you want a pivot, I'd think more down, and you'd be surprised how horses can tell. I also wouldn't use the rein cue. Thinking "up" will keep all the feet moving, but thinking "down" will keep two feet in place while you pivot, in theory. It might take him a little while to understand the difference, but once he does I'd slowly take away the rein cue so he relies on you thinking "up" or "down" and the leg cue. That's so cool that he knows how though,  I've been teaching both my horses from scratch and I just have to be persistent with my cues, the exact same every time, to get any results. Both are greenies (but one has a lot of trail experience). Good luck! :)

Answer 2

Any way you could contact the prior owner to find out how the horse is trained to respond?  If not, I'd start with just shifting my weight...see if he responds...slight leg...and so on, just to see how much leg and where to place it with him.

Answer 3

Many western horses that I've ridden are leg trained.  

The best advice was given...try to reach the previous owner and ask what cues were trained into the horse.

If you can't...the horses that I have dealt with...only the calf pressure for a 'turn.'  And the heel of your boot to move the shoulders for a pivot.  The slight difference in the 'feel' of pressure.

A 'broad' pressure from your calf...or a 'direct and pointed' pressure from the heel [with spurs or not] for different actions.  Heel toward the girth for a pivot...and heel back for a forehand turn.  Heel and calf for sidepassing.

Hope I explained this so you could understand the difference in the pressure...

Answer 4

its going to take awhile with your new horse. he has to get used to how you ride. hes used to his old owner's ways. you just have to cue how you want him to be cued. use your calf and gently squeeze the leg in a little different place then where you ask the hose to pivot and turn your horse. if he pivots stop and ignor it. try to walk your horse in circles with a LITTLE TINY leg pressure and reins. then walk in a straight line and see if you cant get him to turn with more rein pressure. turn his head where you want to go and then add a touch of reins and QUICKLY release. reward all the correct things your horse does and soon he will learn to take a normal turn. make sure you don't mess up the pivot cue. make the two cues ( a turn and a pivot cue ) be in somewhat different positions. good luck