How to set your horse up with direction change

Eva Sunday 14th of March 2021

In preparation for setting your horse with good direction change we suggest the following:

Your horse has to be comfortable
A direction change is a transition
You must be focus therefore the horse becomes focus
Once you have your focus then you need to get the horses attention in the direction you wish to go
Think of it like tapping someone on the shoulder to get their attention. This doesn’t mean just pulling on the rein and pulling their head
It starts with a slight shift in your seat
Depending where your horses is at, they may require further guidance with your hands and feet
Having them move off the outside leg towards the direction of travel
Slight contact with direction rein and the inside leg.
To get the most out of this, timing helps immensely. There is no point in pulling the rein heavily when the inside leg is on the ground
Most opportune time is when the front leg is just about to leave the ground, it’s a lot easier to direct with your seat, hands and feet
If you can achieve that you are well on the way to a nice smooth transition and direction change

– Peter Biggs