Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Teaching a horse to back

Dear Jessica,

I love Horse Sense and your wonderful advice. I look forward to receiving the posts and your responses every week, I have found them to be very helpful. My question concerns an 8 year old mare who has been handled very little over the last two to three years. She has been ridden a couple of times, but her owners just don't bother with her very much. She is wary of people and jumps at any sudden movements. Although she can be handled quite well when she is being ridden, it is her ground manners that are lacking. The other day I was bringing the horses into the barn and instead of going nicely into her stall, she ran up to the front of the barn. I went up to her quietly to get her, which she let me do, but I needed her to back up a few steps and when I asked her to, she didn't budge. It seemed that she didn't know what I was asking of her, whether I put some pressure on the halter, tapped her chest or verbally asked her to back or even made clucking noises - she just would not budge. But when I asked her to turn, she turned without a problem. I would like to know what your opinion is on the best way to teach this horse to back up properly?

Thanks again,

Lisa

Hi Lisa! This mare sounds quite normal -- she just hasn't had a lot of handling, and isn't in the habit of looking to humans for cues about what to do. That's perfectly understandable. I'm glad you wrote to me, and I love your attitude -- it's wonderful to find someone who is willing to assume that the horse doesn't KNOW something (instead of assuming that the horse knows perfectly well and is just being perverse). Thank you! ;-)

Any horse's ground manners will be exactly as good as the humans who taught them and the humans who reinforce them (or not). ;-) You can teach this horse good ground manners if you like; it won't be difficult. Just focus on her, talk to her, ask her for a little at a time, be quick to praise her, and reward even the smallest hint of an effort.

You're no doubt absolutely correct in your analysis: this mare doesn't know how to back in-hand, and has probably never been asked to do it. You can teach her. Using your hand or the butt-end of a whip, poke her in the chest, not hard, but again and again, at the same time leaning forward a little into her space, and saying "Back". Don't get angry or upset, keep everything pleasant, but make it clear that you expect SOMETHING from her. Don't let her step forward or sideways. As soon as she even shifts her weight slightly to the rear -- and she will -- stop poking her, praise her, and stand quietly for a moment. Then begin again, and after a few moments, she'll take a step back. Stop poking, praise her, back off, let her stand. Repeat as needed. After a few minutes of this, she'll get to the point where you can just touch her instead of poking her, and after a few more minutes you'll probably be able to point at her chest and say "back" and have her react by taking a step and looking for her praise. ;-) If she's a reasonably normal 8-year-old mare, you should be able to teach her this quite quickly. Have fun!

Jessica

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