Training Tip: Horse Backs Up When Asked to Go Forward

Question: I have a Tennessee Walker that is used mainly for trail. When I ask him to stand, he will stop and then he proceeds to back without me asking him to. Yesterday, I asked him to move forward on the trail and he gave me a few bunny hops before finally moving forward. He is completely sound and properly fit in his saddle. He is always eager to continue walking, but only in the direction he would like to go in. How do I stop him from backing when I’ve asked him to stand? I’m at a loss. – Eritchie_17

Answer: Your horse is telling you that he doesn’t respect your cues to go forward. In other words, you haven’t put a very good “gas pedal” on him. Your problem can be solved by going back to the arena or an enclosed environment in which you can work on the Cruising Lesson from the Fundamentals Series.

Once your horse is doing the Cruising Lesson well, meaning that as soon as you cue him to move forward with the calves of your legs, he picks up the correct gait and maintains it until told otherwise, then you can practice developing the same control outside of the arena. Two exercises to focus on are Controlled Cruising and Confused Loping. I explain how to teach both exercises, as well as the exercises that lead up to them, in the Fundamentals In Action on the Trail Series.

If you’re thorough about teaching your horse the exercises, when you’re out on the trail and you gently squeeze his sides with the calves of your legs, he should willingly move forward in the direction you ask. If he backs up, turn his idea into your idea. Ask him to back up and back him up a lot! Back him up until he doesn’t want to back up any more. After backing him, bend him around your leg in a few circles to soften him up. Then ask him to move straight forward.

What you’re doing with the horse in this situation is making the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult. The horse needs to realize that you can back him up all day, and that backing is MUCH more difficult than calmly going forward. Once you have addressed the horse’s lack of respect and his lack of confidence, his refusal to go forward on the trail should become a thing of the past.

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