Sidepass While Walking - Part 5

We made it! ..... or rather.... You made it! .... You & your horse are here.... See how quickly you can get your horse to the point of sidepassing....

And that's the biggest part of body control or western performance horse development! It's an essential skill for every rider!

You'll be amazed at how quickly a horse learns how to sidepass (& yield hindqtrs) since the steps are easy and simple to follow.

For horse.... For trainer.... For rider..... Gotta love it!
(photo above showing YouTube video of Bob Avila explaining sidepassing)

Here is a list of the first 4 pre-sidepass exercises leading up to sidepassing:
1. Yield Hindqtrs while being handled .
2. Yield Hindqtrs (&Backup) - Groundwork.
3. Yield Hindqtrs, mounted at standstill.
4. Yield Hindqtrs While Walking.

Sidepass While Walking (Body control/Western Performance Horse Development)
The only difference between sidepassing while walking and yield hindqtrs while walking, is that the horse has to become perpendicular or 90 degrees to the fence before walking on. The horse has to have their body straight and all 4 legs moving sideways. (Yielding hindqtrs really dealt with the hip and not so much the ribcage when moving along the fence).So.... to Sidepass while walking....In round pen, mounted& flexed, neck reins in bridge position, one in each hand:
1. After warm up, walk briskly several strides along round pen fence. Tip nose towards fence as you…
2. Do a Yield Hindqtrs While Walking. (See previous article.) While still walking.....
3. To Sidepass while Walking: Bring your outside leg forward to girth & press ribcage to move ribcage straight over 1 step. (Sidepass!) Release legs & walk on. Reward horse. Keep walking!
5. Walk out briskly ½ circle & repeat. Keep horse moving!
6. Once horse can do several sidepasses at one time, flex horse to stop perpendicular to fence, praise & rest horse for reward.
7. Once familiar in one direction, always go in other direction.

Goal: For horse to yield hindqtrs &to do a sidepass while walking smoothly & with cadence.

Notes:
1. Tipping nose stops horse from scooting forward.
2. Do not let horse stop or get stuck. Use your legs either at hip or ribcage. Alternate your leg.
3. Front & back legs will cross over with practice.
4. Work on weak side more to even out sides.
5. Teaches horse to move off your leg really well for all maneuvers.

Advanced Work:
1. Work to increase length of sidepass.
2. Increase distance away from wall.
3. Use riding crop or spurs to improve responsiveness.
4. Do exercise at walk, jog, trot & lope.
5. Do sidepass without yielding hindqtrs first (next article).

6. Add a backup. (See article here.)

Other Notes:
1. For more information on yielding hindquarters, see Horse&Rider, Feb.09, Clinton Anderson Do-It-Yourself Training article, "Back-End Over"

2. For more information on sidepassing, see Horse&Rider, Mar.09, Clinton Anderson Do-It-Yourself Training article, "Simple Sidepass" pg. 37

3. Update: Horse&Rider article titled Western Dressage by Al Dunning, July 2010 pg.64. What I would call western dressge for performance.

Questions and Comments are always welcome.

If you need help with any of this, please contact me.

Putting my spin on Sidepassing!

Reinersue

©Copyright KISS Reiners