Yield Hindquarters - Part 3 - Mounted @ Standstill

Now the horse can progress into the mounted portion of the yield hindqtrs exercise since the horse is starting to understand how to sidepass from the ground. (See 1st article and 2nd article).

Lesson 10: Yield Hindqtrs (& Backup), Mounted @ standstill in round pen
The first exercise I teach mounted is at the standstill... This is the next logical step to our goal. The goal being to have our horse sidepass mounted while walking, jogging, trotting & loping.

I do this exercise in the round pen for safety. (A small enclosed area is fine too).
Once the horse is saddled, bridled, mounted & flexed.... I get the horse to yield hindqtrs 1 step using these general training steps:

1. Reins in bridge position, one in each hand.
2. Ask horse to flex laterally on left side. While flexed....
3. To Yield Hindqtrs: Press our left leg (& keep pressing) into horse’s side, just behind cinch to get horse to yield hindquarters away 1 step. Immediately release leg for reward.
4. Repeat steps 2&3 until horse understands to yield hindqtrs to leg pressure. Then rest for reward.
5. Always repeat for other side.
6. Repeat until horse understands to yield hindqtrs smoothly from both sides.

Goal: For the horse to flex laterally, yield hindqtrs with cadence while mounted.

Notes:
1. Opposite rein is loose to allow give.
2. Clinton Anderson: “Be as gentle as possible but as firm as necessary.”
3. Press leg as hard as you need to yield. Use a spur gently if necessary (don’t ever harpoon).
4. Longe horse bitted up first to get the fresh off.
5. Work on weak side more often to even out sides.
6. This is important to teach horse to move their hip over for leads & lead changes.
7. Yielding hindqtrs is the beginning lesson to teach a horse to sidepass & 2 Track.
8. This is part of my Body Control Colt Starting lessons. Please see colt starting lesson for more information.

Advanced Work: (more on this next article)
1. Horse will yield several steps (ie. Sidepass).
2. Horse will yield hindqtrs at walk, jog, trot & lope. This will take months. Please be patient.
3. Horse will yield hindqtrs while walking along fence (ie. Sidepass at fence).

Other Notes:
1. A backup is also taught at the end of this lesson. See article here.
2. For more information on lateral flexion while mounted, please see my article. Also Horse&Rider, Jan.09, Clinton Anderson Do-It-Yourself Training article, "Flex Time"
3. For more information on yielding hindquarters, see Horse&Rider, Feb.09, Clinton Anderson Do-It-Yourself Training article, "Back-End Over"

Question and comments are always welcome.
If you need any help with this, please contact me.
Putting my spin on mounted groundwork.
Reinersue
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