Some Thoughts on Backing

A common question I receive is on backing horses. The questions "How do I get a horse to back up" or "How do I get my horse to back up better" are consistently common questions. Unfortunately I also get questions pertaining to what bit to use to get a horse to backup.

In the Arena Challenges I run, I always have one or more stations where the competitor has to back a horse straight, or back while pulling a log, or, back up in a "L", Serpentine or Circle. With respects to my competitors, few do backing well.

In my opinion, backing well actually starts on the ground when you are gentling your horse getting him sacked out and giving to pressure, getting his head soft. In the beginning we usually use a light but steady pull backwards on the lead rope to get the horse to back up. It's common to do this when leading a horse and the horse begins to get too close or even forward of your position. This rear ward pressure on the lead generally works if you provide a release when the horse takes a step. This can be refined to giving the release as a front hoof comes off the ground, and even as we are just starting to introduce the horse to backing, giving a release when there is even a weight shift off a foot, as the horse prepares to take a step. Because a horse can brace pretty easy against this rearward pressure, sometimes combining the rear ward pressure while moving his head left and right will often break a foot loose easier and get a step to the rear, where you can give a release and build on that.

However, we are not always going to be positioned on the ground, at his head, to use rearward pressure on the lead rope, or it could be the reins, to effect a backup. The previously mentioned side to side movement of head makes it easier to transition to just wiggling the lead rope which comes in handy when you are in front of the horse and want the horse to backup. This is handy if you are on the ground repositioning a loop on a calf and need the horse to come forward to give slack and then to backup to get the rope taunt. Another situation may be that you are dismounted fixing a fence and horse gradually move up next to you - if you can back them up with a wiggle of the lead, or reins, you can keep him out of trouble with the barb wire. Again, it's just handy to be able to back your horse from the ground. In the last Arena Challenge I ran, one of the tasks was to dismount, stand inside a 2' x 2' PVC frame and stay in that frame while the rider had to back the horse away from the feel transmitted through the reins or the get down rope.

Everyone has seen horses being pulled back with their head raised and mouth gaping. Occasionally I get the question on what bit works best for backing a horse, and, equally unfortunately, at various events I have heard comments like "I need to find out what kind of bit that guy is using, as his horse backs so well". This kind of question or comment exposes the thinking that backing is achieved and maintained by pulling the horse back using pain or the horse's response to avoid pain to get the horse to back.

Watching a horse being backed with his head thrown up and mouth gaping open - it is not only inefficient and frankly, ugly, it is not fair to the horse. The horse's puts additional weight on the front end, where about 60-65% of his weight normally is anyway, and ends up off balance pushing with his front end. It's like falling backwards almost.

I used to do something like this: ask the horse for softness (to break at the poll), sit on my pockets deep in the seat, then apply alternative pressure on the reins, as gently as I could but firm enough to signal the horse to take a step back, and I would use leg pressure on their belly with my calf, heel or spur. The problem with this is that when we are trying to collect a horse with forward momentum, we are doing the same thing - asking them to break at the poll and using our legs to bring their belly up rounding the back and driving the back end underneath themselves. It's confusing to me, then again I'm not known as a particularly smart man, but it has just got to be as confusing to the horse - we are asking the horse to differentiate the different between a backup and collection at forward momentum with only with a slight weight change in the saddle.

So it was only when I started not using my legs on their barrel that I had the desired action I was looking for. You still have to ask the horse for vertical softness, and a slight weight change in your seat as you put some feel into your reins in an alternating fashion. Give the horse a release and build to where you are giving that release on the same side rein that the front foot is coming off the ground.

Working on this timing will help with us with connecting the reins to the feet in other things we do. I do use my feet, but off the barrel, in a wiggling motion (for lack of a better word) which creates energy that the horse can feel. I work on all these cues with a voice command, so that when I am in a position where I can't use my reins or seat to effectively signal a backup, nor maybe even my seat sometimes, I still have a voice command with the energy created by moving my feet in the stirrups to get the horse to backup. I hope this helps someone else.  Safe Journey.  

Backing in an Circle

When some people start backing their horse in a circle I think they assume since they ride in a forwards circle in an arc,...... with the horse's nose slightly tipped in the direction of the circle and using the outside leg to push the horse around the inside leg,.... that they think they can do the same only going backwards to achieve the backing in a circle.  I sure as heck can't get it done that way.

At some point the rider will usually use his outside leg to move the back end into the circle and because the nose is tipped to the inside this slows the momentum, usually to a stop, and then the horse may make a large movement with the back end sort of like a roll back and his head comes up. The end result is that both the horse and the rider are frustrated as the horse can't figure out what you want and the rider....

When I back in a circle, I'll start with my horse straight then ask him for some softness and back him a step, and as he begins to finish that first step, I tip his head very slightly in the opposite direction of my circle or arc.

It's likely a good starting point to do this initial movement a few times giving the horse a short break in between each time so he understands that's what you are asking. And without much outside leg pressure, you also likely see the beginning of an arc.

In the beginning I had to have a light hold on outside rein to keep his head tipped slightly to the outside and with the inside rein I use pressure and release to get him to back, using my outside leg to apply a little bit of pressure on the rear of his barrel to keep the back end moving inside the arc.

You'll have to forgive my drawing above (I'm only slightly more advanced than drawing stick horses) as well as my narrative on how I back a horse in a circle. It's hard to describe accurately what you do in the saddle,.......probably easier to describe how to castrate a house cat, that's why I shot the video below, it should do a better job at explaining.

In the video below, while my horse is not backing in a collected manner (broke at the poll) as I'm not so much in contact with the bosal on his nose,....it's at the end of a long day, but he does have a natural head set and that's okay with me as long as he is not being bracey and keeps his momentum. 

Lonnie's Horse Won't Back Anymore

Lonnie wrote me about her horse who is getting worse on backing up. As she tells it "Hello, I often read your site and decided to write about my horse Yankee. He is an 5 year old gelding who I bought 3 years ago but only really started riding him again late last year. He and I are both still rusty, but he is safe to ride. He re-learned quickly but within the last couple of months he is getting slow or stubborn on backing up. Not only is he slow to backup but now stops after a steo or two and throws his head up.ccCould this be a phase where I need to go to a different bit?"

Hey Lonnie, before you try some different leverage in your horse's mouth, I would start over teaching him to back on the ground then in the saddle. It may be that when you are asking him to back you are not providing enough release so your horse gets confused with what you are asking then just stops - the head tossing is a sign of frustration. It is pretty common actually, not providing a clear release, the late timing of the release or a inadvertant release where you acidentally teach the horse that the wring thing is the right thing.  

I would try to use as little pressure as I could and release upon his try. Be unmistakable on the release.  Then ask for alittle more. Give him time to think between asking.

Your timing on the release is key here. Once a front foot leaves the ground moving to the rear, release the pressure you have on his mouth through the bit. Same with your legs, if you are using them to help move his feet, release the pressure as he starts to move back.

Your release can be subtle and still provide your horse a understanding that he is doing the right thing. Again, this is common.....not providing a release and confusing the horse. Another mistake is the timing of the release as when we do not provide a release, then the horse just plain stops, then we release - we are actually teahes him that he id the right thing by stopping and not continuing to back.

Let me know how it's working out for you and Yankee. Safe Journey.

Backing Uphill

Kathleen wrote to me saying she was having trouble getting her horse to back up hill.

Getting a horse to back, which is really unnatural for them past a step or two, begins on the ground under halter moving to backing on level ground under a saddle. Your horse will have to do this well, moving his feet when you ask them to. Many horse back well enough but at an angle, I think because they can’t see directly behind themselves so it is natural to move a little laterally to be able to see behind and in the direction of movement.

Horses keep the majority of their weight on their front end and backing up a hill, or going down hill for that matter, will cause them to add more of their body weight to the front end. This can be aggravated by the rider placing their weight over the saddle horn or otherwise leaning forward making it hard for the horse to pickup and move their front legs.

Not being able to back well on level ground could cause a horse backing up hill to get his back legs underneath himself, not being able to move them and can lead to a horse flipping over worst case.

It would be common for the horse to turn his head and neck to try and look behind himself which will probably result in his back end moving the other direction and getting off a line perpendicular to the incline you are trying to backup. Keep the horse between your legs and control his movement side to side with leg pressure.

I think the keys to backing uphill after backing on level ground can be performed well, is for the rider to look over each shoulder making the rider lean backwards somewhat releasing some of the weight bearing on the front end. Only use rein pressure as necessary, back slow and provide the horse with a release on each step or try. It may be a good idea to get one or two steps out of your horse backing uphill, then ride forward, give him a short break then try again maybe for an additional step this time. I’d say start slow, accept your horse’s smallest try, build on that and shortly your horse will be backing uphill just fine.