Training Exercise with Adam Sutton

An Exercise for Lateral Bend and Flexion

As seen in the June 2019 issue of Horse Deals.

Horsemanship trainer and educator, Adam Sutton conducts regular training and coaching sessions Australia wide, including starting horses for all different disciplines, foundation training and problem solving. Adam’s caring approach to horses, coupled with trust, respect and confidence, has earned him a reputation as one of Australia’s best horse trainers.

Purpose: To create lateral bend and flexion on a horse. This exercise will enable a softness and bend towards both the left and right reins, the first step in establishing control through the body. This exercise is particularly suitable for a horse who has become hard in the mouth, or rigid through the front end, the poll, neck and nose. Or the initial stages of starting a young horse.

Set up: Bridle, and a lot of patience!

1. Body and Hand Position
Place hand on rein, open the hand outwards and hold a steady pressure on the rein. Hold and wait with the same consistent pressure until the horse softens. The horse might hang out in the hand a little or ‘sit heavy’, continue to hold the pressure on the rein, allow the horse to put pressure on you but don’t pull back or fight the pressure.

2. Creating the Bend
Form an outward semi-circle like an arc shape with your hands on the rein. Apply pressure to the rein by lifting it up to enable the horse to bend in a semi-circle shape motion, coming towards that inside rein.

TIP: The handler needs to demonstrate their own ability to be soft, cool, calm, relaxed and supple as well. We need to wait until the horse is finally able to give to the pressure and then mentally focus to the inside rein.

TIP: The key to this exercise is to enable the horse to “mentally bend” so they give their mind and eye to the rein. Initially a horse might “mechanically” or “physically” bend, but not “mentally”. It needs to focus on the inside of the rein. To determine if the horse is “mentally engaged on the rein” watch their eyes and ears.

3. Hold and Wait
Hold and wait for the horse to physically and mentally give to the direction of the rein. The key to this step is for the handler to demonstrate patience. Your horse might want to move their feet or walk, but by keeping the hand in position on the wither or saddle area it enables the handler to go with the horse as he moves forward. Keep holding the rein on the same pressure until the horse softens and gives his nose, not just physically, but also mentally and actually thinks towards the inside rein.

4. Release
Release the rein and repeat the exercise on the other rein

5. Advancement
Once you have established success on one side, repeat the exercise on the other rein so it is equal on near and off side. It is important to not move on to other exercises until you have established consistency of this exercise on both reins. The time will vary per horse to get this exercise established due to their level of training. A horse that has become hard in the mouth with their lateral flexion will take more patience than a youngster starting out. As the exercise progresses you could change the degree of turn from 10 degrees to 20 degrees, and as the focus improves you can introduce more pressure on the rein, then add in movement at walk, trot. This exercise is just one aid and one of the first ones I use when commencing training any horse. This needs to be established before you can start to add in other combinations. If we don’t have a horse focussed on the inside rein, when we commence this exercise under saddle we won’t be able have lateral flexion and bend with body control.

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