The rollback is a critical finesse maneuver in reining, testing the precise communication and partnership between horse and rider. This maneuver involves a 180-degree reversal of motion after a sliding stop, where the horse transitions from a high-adrenaline stop to a controlled turn and a smooth lope in the opposite direction. The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) defines a perfect rollback as a continuous motion without hesitation, where the horse turns its shoulders over its hocks and departs in a lope. While a slight pause for balance is permissible, any step forward or backward before the turn is considered a fault.
Expert Insights for Perfecting the Rollback
Professional reining horse trainers utilize various exercises to refine this complex maneuver. Each trainer brings a unique perspective, focusing on different aspects of the horse’s response and rider’s cues.
Ashley Villmow’s Approach
Drawing from her cutting horse background, Ashley Villmow uses a method involving a second horse to encourage a faster departure from the rollback. By lining up two horses parallel and backing them up to engage their hindquarters, the rider then rolls their horse towards the other, prompting the horse to chase and lope off in the opposite direction. This exercise is particularly effective in helping horses “snap out” of the rollback and depart more quickly.
Bobby Avila’s Foundational Training
Bobby Avila emphasizes the importance of the horse’s inside leg reaching forward during the lope departure, which promotes a longer stride and a more powerful lead. He advocates for repetitive practice, starting with loping across the arena, stopping, and turning. This conditions the horse to associate the stop with a turn. Further refinement involves stopping, holding the square, backing up, turning, and then loping off. The final step is to stop and stand, then walk off, decoupling the rollback from the stop itself, ensuring the horse only turns when explicitly asked.
Brandy and Terri Murphy’s Bridleless Practice
For practicing rollbacks without the need for a full rundown and stop, Brandy and Terri Murphy suggest starting at a walk. After a few steps forward, the rider halts the horse, backs it up a few steps, and then cues for the rollback by looking in the desired direction, placing a hand down, and then picking it up to guide the turn. If the horse lags, repeating the turnaround or trotting in a small circle to build energy before cueing the rollback can be beneficial. This method helps build the horse’s understanding and responsiveness.
Dallas Cunningham’s Spontaneity Training
Dallas Cunningham stresses that a good rollback begins with a square stop, a brief pause, and then looking in the direction of travel while drawing the rein back at hip level. The rider then cues for the lead departure in the opposite direction with their new outside leg. Cunningham advocates for practicing rollbacks at random times during a lope around the arena, believing the horse should be able to execute the maneuver on demand, as if chasing a cow. This unpredictability helps prevent the horse from anticipating the cue.
Jay Dee Anderson’s Hip and Shoulder Engagement
Jay Dee Anderson focuses on two key exercises to improve the rollback and departure. The first involves backing the horse up in a small circle, using the outside leg to push the hip into the circle. Simultaneously, the reins are used to bend the horse’s head slightly outward. This prepares the hips and shoulders for the rollback. Once the horse is moving well, the rider asks for the rollback to the outside of the circle. The second exercise involves loping in a circle, stopping, and rolling the horse back within the circle, teaching them to turn completely into their tracks and drive out in the other direction.
Mack Weaver’s Four-Step Process
Mack Weaver breaks down the rollback into four distinct steps: the run down, the stop, the release (allowing the horse a brief moment to stand up and releasing their face), and the rollback itself. During the rollback, the rider’s hand, shoulders, and head all turn in the desired direction. The new outside leg is crucial for driving the horse through the maneuver and into the lope departure. To address slow departures, Weaver suggests an exercise where someone pretends to be a cow, and the horse must shadow their movements, mirroring their backward steps, turns, or runs.
Mike Davis’s Circle Work for Relaxation
Mike Davis employs circle work to enhance the rollback. Starting with a lope in a circle, the rider stops, waits, backs up, looks in the desired direction, brings their hand to their outside hip, opens their outside leg, and follows through with the lead departure. Practicing rollbacks repeatedly in the same direction within the circle can also improve speed control and teach the horse to relax in the center of the arena.
Nathan Kent’s Cow Flag Training
Nathan Kent introduces an innovative approach using a cow flag. This exercise aims to get the horse to “snap out” of the rollback faster by giving them a visual cue to follow. The flag, mimicking a cow, moves along a pulley system, providing a dynamic target for the horse. This method helps sharpen the stop, rollback, and departure, encouraging the horse to move with increased responsiveness and agility.
Patti Cusker’s Seat and Leg Drive
Patti Cusker emphasizes using the rider’s seat and legs to drive the rollback, rather than relying excessively on rein pressure, which can cause the horse to drag. She advises a deep seat for balance and feeling the horse’s engagement. The exercise begins by trotting small circles near the fence, then stopping at a 45-degree angle. The fence assists in directing the horse. The rider looks in the desired direction, lays the inside rein on the horse’s neck, and opens the outside leg to encourage forward motion. If the horse’s hips aren’t engaged, the rider may need to stop, reposition the horse’s shoulders and hips into a two-track, and then re-attempt the rollback.
Sean Johnson’s “Mental Gymnastics”
Sean Johnson’s “mental gymnastics” exercise focuses on loading the outside hock in preparation for the rollback and departure. This is achieved by backing in a circle in the opposite direction of the intended rollback. For a left rollback, the rider backs in a right circle, maintaining specific hand and leg positions that mirror those used in a standard rollback. As the horse softens, the rider lowers their hand and cues for the rollback. This preparation helps the horse engage their hindquarters and achieve a more powerful exit.
Key Takeaways for a Successful Rollback
- Communication is Key: The rollback is a testament to the partnership between horse and rider, requiring clear and consistent cues.
- Hindquarters Engagement: Proper engagement of the horse’s hocks and hips is crucial for a powerful and efficient turn.
- Smooth Transition: The maneuver demands a seamless transition from a sliding stop to a lope departure, minimizing hesitation.
- Rider’s Role: The rider’s body position, hand cues, and leg pressure are vital in guiding the horse through the rollback.
- Practice and Patience: Consistent practice with varied exercises, tailored to the horse’s needs, is essential for mastering this maneuver.
By implementing these expert-recommended techniques and understanding the nuances of the rollback, riders can significantly enhance their horse’s performance and refine this essential reining skill.
