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[RC] How should horse back? - Laurie Durgin

Now isn't a horse (according to my 'training books'), supposed to backup with both legs on the same side at the same time?(sort of like reverse pacing?) I have read and heard that.
Now my green mare backs lightly and easily,like that on the ground with just a finger or under saddle witha rein/voice cue.
Enter Rascal, now being ridden 2X a week working his way up from his long EPM healing (after 3 years of trailriding/then conditioning, then 10 months off).
We a beginning in the ring to bring back muscle and working on some 'holes in his training."
Like stopping, transitions and backing. He never backed , or did it badly and hardly wouldn't under saddle. So I began on ground and added a carrot reward as he was rather resistant to it ; always (just wanted to see if he could or just didn't know how, orjust doesn't want too).
Well, he'd move legs one at a time, sort of shuffling and never wants to do more than one step or so, couldn't figure out why he couldn't back straight (he'd always done it this way).He'd much rather turn tightly than back.
Well today, doing some ground work first,it suddenly hit me. He backs with alternating legs, like a trot stride backwards.Sometimes placing a foot separately, sometimes together.
So Honey backs both legs on one side,and does it easily and gracefully and on cue.
Rascal resists, and is crooked and backs like trotting.
Is there a right and wrong way, and how do I teach the right foot placement and does it matter? Laurie


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The whole ride experience can be very hard, and at times you question why
you put yourself through such abuse. But then you remember all those
moments when you pop up over a hill and are suddenly surrounded by the most
stunning views. It's just you and your horse and for a moment time stops
and you can hear the angels sing. Therein lies the addiction, at least for
me. ~ Leslie Beyers


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