Sending exercise

Goal:  To be able to send your horse forward in any direction you choose.  This exercise can be done at liberty in the roundpen or on a halter and lead.

Steps: 
1. Choose a direction to send your horse.  Hold your rope in the leading hand (that is, if you are sending your horse to the left, your left hand holds the rope)
2.  Lift and point with your leading hand.  Use the following escalation of aids until your horse moves off:

• Lift your other hand holding the tail of your rope
• Cluck or kiss to your horse
• Swing the tail of your lead rope progressively harder and closer to the horse

3.  As soon as your horse moves off, return to a neutral position and allow him to move forward.  

Backing (driving pressure)

1.  Stand four to six feet away from your horse, facing him.
2.  Walking toward him with energy; if he doesn't step back out of your way within a foot or two, use the following escalation of aids:

• March towards your horse, picking your knees up high and swinging your elbows
• Continue marching and begin to shake the lead rope up and down, putting a small wave in the rope
• Continue marching, sending a bigger wave down the rope until the horse responds.

3.  As soon as your horse takes a step back, relax your body and rub him on the face.  

Backing up (direct pressure)

1.  Hold the lead rope about 12 inches from the horse's chin
2.  Facing your horse, walk towards him with energy.  If he doesn't step back out of your way, use the following escallation of aids:

• move your hand back towards the horse's chest
• Put gentle pressure on the rope, pushing back towards the horse's chest
• Put moderate pressure on the rope, pushing back towards the horse's chest until he steps back

3.  As soon as your horse steps back, relax your body and rub his face until he relaxes.

Moving the shoulders across

1.  Desensitize your horse to your tools
2.  Standing at the horse's shoulder, place your rope hand up by his eye, and your other hand back by his shoulder.
3.  Walk towards his shoulder with energy until he crosses his outside front foot over his inside.  If he doesn't move off at your suggestion, use the following escalation of aids:

• Tap the air rhythmically toward his eye and shoulder
• Tap the air near his eye while taping his shoulder
• Tap his face and his shoulder progressively harder until he moves

4.  Once your horse takes a step with his shoulders, relax your body
5.  End by desensitizing your horse to your tools again. 

Disengaging the Hindquarters

1.  Desensitize your horse to your tools.  Toss your lead rope over his back until he relaxes. 
2.  Position yourself at a 45 degree angle from your horse's shoulder.   Use the following escalation of aids:

• Crouching slightly, look at your horses hip.  If your horse doesn't move, 
• Walk towards the hip with some energy.  If your horse doesn't move,
• Swing your lead rope towards his hip.  If your horse doesn't move,
• Allow the tail of your lead rope to tap your horse on the hip, progressively harder, until..

3.   Your horse should step his hips away from you, crossing his inside hind leg in front of his outside hind. 
4.   Relax your body to cue your horse to stop.
5.   Finish up by desensitizing your horse again. 

Personal Space

1. Start by standing about 7 feet from your horse's nose; draw an imaginary circle around you. 
2. Any time your horse steps within the circle, back him out with energy.  
• Wiggle the lead rope back and fort with energy until your horse steps back.  

Desensitizing

1. Stand at a 45 degree angle to your horse's shoulder.
2. Toss the tail of your lead rope towards your horse 
• Toss the rope over the withers
• Over the rump
• Around the front legs
• Around the hind legs
• Over the neck
3. Continue flicking the rope until your horse relaxes, or stands for 15 seconds, which ever comes first.

• What are the signs of relaxation?
• lowering the head
• cocking a hind leg
• licking and chewing
• sighing
• blinking the eyes 

Troubleshooting:

• If your horse moves off while you are tossing the lead rope, get two eyes and keep flicking the rope until he stands still for fifteen seconds. 
• Doing too much too soon.  You're goal isn't to create a wreck, it's to prevent one.  Start far enough away that you don't terrify your horse; you want to gradually get closer, and progressively use bigger, scarier stimuli.