LEG CUES!

[Pasolady]

I'm totally lost as to leg cues.

Is there some expert info out there. Exactly when and how do you use these cues. Do you use outside leg to push toward the turn, or the inside leg to move away from object. When wanting to turn in open area, do you use inside leg of turn or outside? Do you maintain leg position, or move to flank? When shifting body exactly how much shift...???

I have been using inside leg on serpentines in straightline while trail riding...along with finger pressure on inside reins using two hands. Is this correct, it seems to work.

Help! Please give me your succesful leg cues. If possible let's just stick to the subject on this thread as I would very much like to print out your responses.

Mahalo! Gracias! Thanks!

[CarolU]

Joni, it really depends on what you are trying to do. I use a combination of leg cues, but yes, inside cues for regular turns. I typically just apply a little pressure with my inner leg, no heel. And the leg cue is farther down the list, since I'm working for a weight shift cue, so I look, turn my trunk in the direction I want to go, then my leg, then my rein. Pretty soon the horse turns when you 'drive with your belly button.'

I use outside heels for sidepassing and half-passing, shouldering in, etc.

A good guide for leg cues is Cherry Hill's book of 101 Arena Exercises.

[Remy]

CarolU: That's some great advice. Thanks. I want to print that out to and post it in my stable. So many people here think you need to use hands and feet (read whip and spurs). Thanks again.

[PattiB]

I train my horses to move off pressure at three places (it is a small difference between each place) slightly forward of girth(more front edge of girth)moves the horses forehand, at girth (natural hang of leg)for bending in the middle, slightly behind girth for moving the rearend..

The amount of pressure you use with each leg depends on how big or small you want your circles or turns. To do a circle -- inside rein to tip the head slightly, inside leg at girth (to bend the horse in the middle) outside leg behind the girth to control the rearend. Weight to the outside will make the circle larger, weight to the inside will make it smaller.If I want a big circle I use more inside leg, weight to the outside, a smaller circle-weight to the inside more pressure with outside leg. The amount of pressure needed depends on the horse.

To do a tight turn or reverse-slight tip of head with inside rein, inside leg at girth to keep them from turning too quickly, outside leg forward to push forehand around (like a turn on the haunches) Sometimes a slight lift to the inside rein to keep the shoulder from dropping in the turn but I can use an inside forward leg most of the time to stop it.

Sidepass- head slightly bent to the outside, inside rein open (hold off the neck) weight to the inside, outside leg at girth or slightly back (depends on horse)

Turn on the haunches-slight inside rein, outside leg forward to move forehand, weight back (like you are going to back up) slightly to inside

Turn on forehand-slight inside rein,inside leg behind girth to push hindquarters around.

For serpetines- they are half circles with a slight straightening of the horse as you bend them the other direction. NOT a wavy line!

Figure eight- two intersecting circles with a slight straightening of the horse as you bend the other direction. NOT an infinity sign!

[appyday]

Sorry I am not allowed to give riding advice to Paso people...sawreeee... :(

[pnalley]

Joni,
You asked about using your weight to help cue. One thing most people don't realize is if you LOOK where you want to go, it automatically shifts your body and leg position.

I'm sure you do this automatically when trail riding. Try it when your doing sepintines, circles etc. See if it makes any difference in the response you get.

Used in conjuction with the above posted leg cues, it should make a huge difference. As for how much pressure, it depends on the horse. Ladda I just have to barely touch with my leg for a response. Scooter I have to over emphasize and really use a LOT of leg. Each horse is different.

Next time we trail ride together we can ride side by side some & play around with our cues & see what works for whichever horse we ride that day.

[CarolU]

CarolU: That's some great advice. Thanks. I want to print that out to and post it in my stable. So many people here think you need to use hands and feet (read whip and spurs). Thanks again.

Remy...it is and it ISN'T good advice. This is how I train MY horses...it is not how I train other people's horses. Other people's horses I avoid leg and weight cues and train to neck rein (that is because I live in the west).

I have found that Paso Finos (in particular, but some other breeds, like Arabs may be too) are SO sensitive, that in no time at all, they are turning wherever you look. This is REALLY COOL (believe me) and a great way to show off when you're riding without tack...but, when other people ride your horse, that horse is going to turn where they look, regardless of if that is what the rider wants or not.

There is a great saying "Be careful what you ask for"... you just may get it. I have two 'belly-button drive' horses here, but they WILL leave people in the dust who aren't ready for a VERY responsive horse.

This is a great way to train a horse to do anything though. Horses always remember their choices.

[motorgypsy]

We have one so sensitive you can "drive her" by touching her withers with one finger on either side. She will follow any serpentine path by doing this. A touch on the left side she moves to the right and the revers. It's kinds of scare that she responds with such light cues because when you're riding trails and looking at the scenery you're afraid you might accidently cue her but somehow she seems to know what you mean.

[CarolU]

You know Nancy, I think that's interesting and I've noticed it too. When I'm trail riding I do so with a camera. I frequently turn and take pictures, talk to people, etc. Zar also knows the difference. Yes, they ARE very sensitive horses!

[Pasolady]

To those of you who responded to my question...many thanks, I have saved and printed them...hope to make use of them in the coming months.

joni

[motorgypsy]

I read this thread again and remembered two people giving me adivce that applies in general and that works very well.

One said she wanted her horses trained so rolling the toes out which puts pressure behind the girth was the "go forward" cue. Rolling the toes inward on both sides which is pressure in front of the girth is the slow or stop cue. One toe forward and the other backward was the turn about the center cue.

Another trainer said she simply taught her horses to move away from pressure. That's the whole key and if your horses learn this they will respond to the cues from trainer number one or anything else. In other words if your horses are taught to move away from pressure you can use anything to direct the horse from body to seat to leg to a touch on the side of the withers. So start with them as babies and teach them to move away from pressure and all the rest will be easy.

[Pasolady]

thanks Kyle...added to my growning file!

[hast]

We have one so sensitive you can "drive her" by touching her withers with one finger on either side. She will follow any serpentine path by doing this. A touch on the left side she moves to the right and the revers. It's kinds of scare that she responds with such light cues because when you're riding trails and looking at the scenery you're afraid you might accidently cue her but somehow she seems to know what you mean.

Michico is that sensitive too. In the arena I have to make sure exactly where I look because he'll turn the way my head does, and if I look down :roll: on the cones I'm turning around he'll stop. He is training me pretty good ;-) but on trails I can look around where ever I want -almost. It took some time for him to realize that I did not want him to go straight into a tree if I looked at it. However, if there's a trail and I look that direction he'll go there but I can turn backwards in the saddle and he'll continue forward. He usually knows what I want him to do, but there have been times when we've been galloping down the trail and I've been mesmerized by a huge spiderweb on the side of the trail and he automatically will go there. (YUCK :shock: )