Teach Your Show Horse to Back Up Properly

Backing up is a simple request of the show horse but we often overlook it during training sessions.

Lets say we are showing a fantastic English pleasure horse who is a fine show horse and a real pleasure to ride and exhibit. We concentrate on his conformation and brilliance, his gaits and movement, his willingness to take the correct leads at the canter. The horse delivers a stunning performance in the class and may well be the winner. We line up and then, oh no! He is asked to back up, and he doesn’t or won’t or sidles around.

The fact is that your horse may have to back after the class lines up – it can become an important factor in winning a class if there is another contender in the running and if both horses had a brilliant performance. Maybe they were both fabulous and it all comes down to the back up. Will your horse be outperformed because the competitor sneaks in the best back up? Now couldn’t you just kick yourself . . .

Teach or reinforce a good backup during ground training sessions. Once your horse understands your signal to back up, he will easily respond; then you will ask him to back up from the saddle.

Here are the basics.

Halter your horse, snap on a leadrope and stand at his left side facing him. The hand holding the leadrope should be fairly close to the horse’s chin.

Observe how your horse is standing. Never attempt to back the horse if he is in the classic English “park position.” If he is even slightly stretched, ask him to step up and stand him squarely. Then, when he is standing squarely, apply slight pressure on his chest with one hand while simultaneously moving the leadrope hand with a steady pull -slightly down and back - toward his neck. Give the command “Back!” If he willingly takes a step or two backward in response to the slight pressure, that is a wow and he deserves a good pat and praise! If he did not pick up on the cue, do it again and exert slightly more pressure and exaggerate the backward leadrope pressure as well. Repeat the command “Back!” Reward your horse when he successfully responds and moves backwards a step or two.

Repeat this several times, rewarding your horse with a pat and praise each time he gets it right. After a couple of sessions, he will step back without difficulty.
After he understands the word “Back,” and he readily complies, continue his ground training while he is in tack. Repeat all the same steps and be lavish with praise and patting. Your goal is to have the horse react solely to the verbal “Back” command.

The Old Gray Mare’s note: As soon as my own horse obeyed “back” command, I substituted “back” with a soft “sssssss” sound – as if I was mimicking a snake sound. He soon responded to my barely, split second long sssss. From the saddle or from the ground, my horse backed easily for as long as I asked.

Now you are ready to mount the horse and continue to practice from the saddle. Use an assistant at the beginning to make it easier for your horse. Apply a slight backward pressure on the reins followed by quick release and slight pressure and quick release to signal your horse to back up. Tell him to “Back” (or make that sssss-sound) while your assistant applies slight hand pressure on your horse’s chest. Repeat the rein pressure/release each time you want your horse to back.
Use leg aids to keep your horse backing up in a straight line. If he pivots to the right, increase pressure with your right leg; if he moves too far left, apply pressure with your left leg. Repeat the training over and over for several days until your horse puts the cues together. Eventually your slightest tug/release on the rein will be enough.

Teaching your horse to back up easily and freely is useful in many ways. Everyday situations require your horse’s willingness to move forward, backward and sideward. Stepping into a horse trailer and backing out is just one example.

Throughout this training, remain firm but gentle. Never yell, lose your temper or use a whip. Reward him lavishly for good behavior. In no time at all, he’ll move back like a pro or a champion Quarter Horse. And, you know, it may even be a class win!

This article and other how to horse articles written by The Old Gray Mare can be found at www.DressYourHorse.com.