Keeping a trained horse engaged and happy in their work is often more challenging than the initial training itself. Repetitive exercises can lead to boredom and a lack of enthusiasm. To maintain a vibrant partnership with my horses and ensure our training sessions remain enjoyable, I constantly seek innovative ways to challenge them. A few years ago, I began incorporating tricks into the training of my experienced horses, those who have “been there and done that.” One of the foundational tricks I introduce is teaching the horse to sidepass towards me. This not only adds an impressive skill to their repertoire but also crucial for controlling their movements without physical contact as more complex tricks are introduced.
This technique is fundamental to developing precise body control over your horse. The ability to direct their feet in any direction—forward, backward, left, or right—significantly simplifies teaching new behaviors and correcting mistakes or misalignments. In trick training, horses may occasionally shift away from you or get out of position. Being able to guide their body back towards you without physically maneuvering to their other side is an invaluable skill. A solid understanding of teaching the horse to move away from pressure is a prerequisite for this exercise. Attempting to teach them to move towards you without first mastering movement away from pressure can set you up for unnecessary difficulties.
Setting Up for Success: The Fence Method
The core principle of this exercise is to teach the horse to sidepass toward you while maintaining a straight line from head to tail, all without direct physical contact. This is achieved by utilizing the fence to limit the horse’s movement options.
1. Positioning the Horse
Begin with your horse facing the fence, their nose gently touching it. Position yourself on the horse’s left side, with your belly button oriented towards their head. Maintain a distance of about one foot from the fence; this ensures that if you extended your elbow, it would touch the fence. This close proximity to the fence is crucial as it eliminates the horse’s option to move forward when pressure is applied, preventing them from running through a potential gap. Always strive to make the learning environment as straightforward as possible for the horse.
2. Equipping for the Task
With the reins looped casually over the horse’s neck, hold the left rein securely in your left hand. Your training stick should be in your right hand, ready for use.
Step-by-Step Training Process
The key to teaching this maneuver lies in breaking down the movement into manageable steps, focusing initially on isolating each end of the horse’s body.
3. Isolating the Hindquarters
Start by asking your horse to move their hindquarters towards you. Reach the training stick over the horse’s spine and gently tap the air on the right side of their hindquarters rhythmically, about four times. This phased approach helps the horse understand the request more easily, as complex movements are simplified. The initial objective is to get the horse to move each part of its body independently towards you, which will later combine into a smooth sidepass. If your height makes it difficult to reach over the horse’s spine to tap the air near their hindquarters, extend the stick as far across their side as you can. Even with a less exaggerated cue, as long as the tapping occurs on the opposite side of the horse’s spine, the signal will be effective, though it may take a bit longer for the horse to grasp the concept.
4. Responding to Pressure (Hindquarters)
If the horse does not respond to the air tap, begin lightly tapping their hindquarters with the stick, rhythmically, four times. Should they ignore this, gradually increase the pressure with each subsequent set of four taps until they take a single step towards you with their hindquarters. The instant they comply, release the pressure and use the stick to rub their hindquarters, guiding them to a stop. Focus on achieving just one step initially. The goal is for the horse to comprehend the core principle: pressure applied means they should move away from it. Immediately after they move, cease the tapping and provide a rewarding rub with the stick until they relax.
5. Isolating the Forequarters
Next, prompt the horse to move their front end towards you. Reach the stick over the horse’s spine and tap rhythmically near the base of their neck, just in front of the withers. Begin with gentle taps, and with each set of four, incrementally increase the pressure until the horse takes one step towards you with their front end.
6. Responding to Pressure (Forequarters)
As soon as the horse takes that initial step with their front end, immediately release the pressure. Use the stick to rub their withers, guiding them to a halt. Similar to the hindquarters, the aim is for a single, responsive step. Be prompt in rewarding even the slightest effort.
7. Combining Movements
Continue this process, asking the horse to “crab” towards you by moving their back end, then their front end. Practice moving each part of their body until they willingly step towards you with light pressure applied to either end. Once the horse confidently moves each end towards you, cue them to move their entire body simultaneously. To achieve this, extend the training stick over the horse’s spine, across the middle of their back, and tap the air four times. If they don’t respond with a step, begin tapping them lightly on the opposite side of their spine. Gradually increase the pressure with each set of four taps until they take one step towards you with their whole body. Always start by tapping the air. If the horse doesn’t react by stepping forward, then commence tapping, progressively increasing the intensity. Through consistent repetition, the horse will begin to respond to a light tap in the air. Remember to reward any attempt, no matter how small. Initially, aim for just one step, and build from there. Fostering the horse’s confidence will lead to a superior outcome.
Refining the Sidepass
8. Achieving a Coordinated Step
The moment the horse takes a good step – moving towards you while maintaining a straight body line – release the pressure, adopt relaxed body language, and guide them to a stop with your stick. In the early stages, you might observe more of a sideways shuffle than a perfect sidepass. Don’t be overly critical of their footwork at this point; remember, this is about understanding the concept. The primary objective is for them to grasp the general idea.
9. Building Duration and Consistency
Allow the horse a brief rest, rubbing them with the stick, and then prompt them to take another step towards you. Continue along the fence line, repeating the same steps. Once the horse can consistently sidepass one step towards you, gradually increase the request to two steps, then three, and so on. Each day, aim to increase the number of steps you ask for. If the horse struggles to take two consistent steps, do not push for three. Ensure mastery of each step before advancing.
Key Takeaways for Success
The initial lesson is fundamentally about conveying the concept. It’s important to recognize that when first teaching an exercise, the execution may not perfectly mirror the desired final result. Horses learn imperfectly, and in the beginning, they will inevitably make mistakes and experience confusion. Your role is to simplify the learning process as much as possible. Start by asking for just one step. Even if it’s not executed flawlessly, reward it to signal to the horse that they are on the right path. As their confidence grows, you can gradually ask for more steps and become more discerning about the quality of their movement. This is akin to teaching children; you wouldn’t expect a kindergartener to write their name perfectly on the first day. Celebrating their ability to form a single letter would be a significant achievement. The first lesson is about the concept, and from there, you can refine the execution towards perfection.
For those interested in further developing their horsemanship skills, resources like “Ask the Expert: Teach the Sidepass” and “Video: Circle Driving with Clinton Anderson” offer valuable insights. Clinton Anderson, the clinician behind these methods, is renowned for his work in transforming horse-rider relationships through his unique horsemanship approach. His training program is accessible through RFD-TV and www.downunderhorsemanship.tv. You can find more information at www.downunderhorsemanship.com. This article originally appeared in the January 2015 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Subscribe to Horse Illustrated to access more content.
