Ranch Trail Sidepass

Being able to effectively sidepass your horse is a must when you’re competing in an event like ranch trail, but this skill set can also come in handy if you’re out on a trail or you need to move your horse toward or away from an obstacle on the ranch, like a gate.

But before you attempt to sidepass your horse over a log, you need to make sure you have control of his shoulders and hips, and you’re able to perform turns on the haunches and forehand. To execute this maneuver successfully, you need to be able to move the front end independently from the hind end, but you also need to be able to move both body parts at the same time. Once you can do that, it’s time to introduce your horse to this sidepass drill.

Cody Crow trains horses and non pros in reining, cow horse, and versatility from his home base in Johnstown, Colorado. He’s won a world championship and a reserve in ranch riding events at the Appaloosa and Quarter Horse world shows, respectively (cody crowhorsetraining.com).