The six-milliondollar technique
“Start this exercise with your horse close to and parallel with the arena fence,” explains Richard. “The aim is for him to turn on his forehand, bringing his quarters around 180o and ending up parallel to the fence facing the other way.” Start with your horse positioned so his offside is along the school wall and stand at his head facing him, with your left hand holding the reins. Hold a schooling whip in your right hand. “Tap the horse gently on the side with the whip to ask him to move his quarters away from the wall. He will ask why at first, and may even have a little tantrum, but keep at it with regular, light taps,” says Richard. “Horses always move into pressure. You see this when you try to push your horse over, when you’re in the stable for instance. Your horse will push back or lean into you before finally doing what you ask. This is the natural instinct you’re working with here. “Keep touching your horse with the whip and eventually the pressure of this will draw his quarters towards you. Don’t let him walk forwards, which is a likely response while he’s deciphering what you’re asking of him.” Once he makes a move in the right direction stop immediately and let him rest. “This is the way we praise — not by patting or using our voices because he’ll find that confusing. Instead, stopping the thing that he doesn’t want us to do is his reward. It takes the pressure off and gives him time to analyse what just went on,” says Richard. Be quick though. Once your horse makes even the slightest movement in the right direction, give him his reward — otherwise he won’t connect the two and it will mean nothing.
Why the technique works
“With this exercise, you’re setting up a situation where doing what you want him to do feels better than not,” explains Richard. “Communication is clear. I’m saying to him that if he doesn’t co-operate I’m going to keep annoying him. The second he does what I want, it all becomes nice.” This is how horses learn everything, including the riding aids. For instance, if you put your leg on and he doesn’t go forwards, keep asking until he does and then stop asking and don’t ask again unless he stops or slows down. It won’t take him long to understand what the leg pressure means. “He may try to walk off while you’re working with him as this is a form of release for him — an escape route,” Richard explains. “If he does, calmly stop him and bring him back to you. It may take a few sessions before your horse fully understands what you’re asking him to do. Just be confident and consistent and it will click.”