by William Nadeau Esq

Created on: December 05, 2009   Last Updated: December 06, 2009

Being able to have your horse back up is an old piece of training. Horse riders learned to develop it way back when horses were rode around just like automobiles are today. Over a hundred years ago one could have to back their horse out of extremely tight situations just by tying it up outside the village bar and grill.

I grew up around horses at my grand father's diary farm and my father used to team calf rope with my uncle. Since I was the oldest son they usually had me let the cows out of the hold slot. They would always have to back their roping horses up into the spot right beside me. That's how I got to learn the old fashioned way of backing your horse up.

My family team would ride their mares up in front of the roper opening facing away from it and then they would start pulling on the halter rains and start commanding the horse by saying back. Since their roping horses were well broke they would always back softly up like they were supposed to.

When I got a little older my father started showing me how to break a horse. While still a kid I was allowed to ride the colts while they still were unbroke. That was done because the colts usually were not two years old yet and they were too young to handle carrying adults. While a child weighs so much less than an adult he can be used to help break the colts. Because the colts hadn't been broke we would always just use a lead halter on them while they were ridden by me. We would twist the lead rope around the colt's neck and tie the end on the other side. That was done to make sure the colt's mouth didn't get messed up by any thing. Since the colt hadn't been taught how to rain yet I could just yank on the lead rope to get it to turn in any direction.

While growing up that way I got to learn several ways to actually break a horse. It even allowed me to see how a horse could be trained to rein from side to side. The way to start that was to just pull the one rein that was on the side you wanted the horse to turn to. That way the horse's head would be pointed in the right direction when you spurred the horse. After that one would start using both reins as they pulled them over to the side they wanted the horse to turn to. When the horse didn't turn you could pull up the leg opposite from that direction and spur the horse neck.

Teaching a horse to back up had to be just as gradual. The horse owner never wants the bridle bit to harm the horse's mouth right away. That's why trainers usually start out by using one of those bridles that come without a bit. The horse is jerked back on and the shank digs into the side of the horse's jaw while the rider says back or back up. After the horse learns how to back up the owner can start using a bit in the horse's mouth as they ride. Many riders believe that helps the horse rein and stop better.

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