What are the benefits of making your horse work more off its hind end?

Question

and what is the downside of your horse working on the forehand?

Answer 1

If he is working on the hind end, then he is much lighter in your hands, and he is working more. He will be more supple, and it is much easier  to sit on your horse's back. If he is on the forehand, then he will be heavier in your hands, and if you are jumping, it will be much more of a hassle. Getting your horse lighter on on the forehand is a benifit for pretty much all disciplines. The gaits are smoother, and so is your riding

Answer 2

Before I learned horsemanship, I experienced the complete and total lack of control of anything that kept me believing that somehow a bit would control a horse.  Years of evidence to the contrary forced me to finally learn what it was all about.  If your horse doesn't work off it's hind end, you are no horseman, and your horse is green broke at best.  A horse that works off the forehand will be lucky to qualify for the "special olympics" of horsemanship.

Virtually everything you ask a horse to do requires that it works this way, including developing the horse's muscles correctly, and not in a deformed and arthritis-inducing-back- weakening fashion.  Wild horses don't carry riders.....if you ask a horse to carry you, the least you can do is learn to ride properly so you don't destroy his back.

Answer 3

YOU SERIOUSLY DON'T SEE THE BENEFITS? OH JEEZ. Riding on the forehand makes you feel like your carrying your horse, its not fun. The horse is un-balanced. He's much harder to turn the a horse working of his back end. Any turns he's likely to race threw. And it keeps him from developing his hind quarter muscles. You see alot of rider these days not bothering to get their horses to work of the hind end, just trying to jump the highest is all they do these days. Your horse is much more balanced when he's working off his back end. He should be softer, rounder, more responsive, easier to control. It develops his hindquarters too.

Answer 4

well if your horse is working on the forehand it isnt really working!! it shows lazyness is a horse works on its forehand it will look untidy and its paces wont be as nice it will also feel less comfy for the rider. if a horse works on its hind end it is more comfy for the rider, the horse is woking more and should build really powerfull muscles on its hind end when a horse works like this it will look nicer and will find it easier to work on the bit and do good paces for you. basically if a horse works on its forehand its not as easy for you or the horse whereas working on its hindend will make stuff a whole lot easier for you and the horse.

Answer 5

Well...... Look at a horse. Where are the largest muscles?

More power, smoother leads, better balance, more agility better stops.etc. Just watch a reining video.

Off the the front. Much harder ride, less balance, less power. etc

Answer 6

Working off the hind end:

Lighter in your hands leads to easy turns and stops

Better transistions, upward and downward

The only way to acheive a true frame

More power

Huge increase in jumping ability

Easier to acheive true collection and extention of stride

Working off the forehand:

Heavy in hands, harder overall ride

Slower transitions, more likely to have to run into upward transitions and "collapse" into downward transitions

Impossible to acheive a true frame

Greater turning difficulty, hard to make turns at increased speed

The horse has reduced jumping ability than what it is capable of

Less power, horse can neither truly collect or extend (they simply speed up and slow down)

Answer 7

okay well wen a horse is working activly from their hind end is tht this allow impulsion to devlop which allows you to collect and extend your horses stride weather it be for dressage or on a jumping course and also it makes it wasier for a horse jump correctly as they are already balanced on their hind end and allows for more "power" which is needed to extend stride. and jump higher...working on the forehand is just INNEFFECTIVE and makes your horse have a standard stride with no collection or extention and it can cause ur horse to chip a fecne and not jump correctly

Answer 8

More propulsion from the rear = greater collection and lifting of the shoulder = more correct movement and lighter on the forehand = smoother ride, more fit horse. If you can Control the head and the hind end the rest falls into place, you can ask for a hip in to bend the barrel and free up the far shoulder for a greater reach while still in collection. Stretching the hips forward and down to get the rear under him tightens the back muscles and creates better carriage. Working off the forehand means the horse is heavy in the front and not lifting the shoulders, the usually means too much head bobbing or a very tense neck, behind or above the bit. It also leads to slower responses (try running leaning forward and stopping or turning really fast without changing the direction or angle of your lean).