Training Tip: Don’t Drill on Backing Exercises

When you first introduce the Fundamentals Backing Up exercises to your horse (Method 1: Tap the Air; Method 2: Wiggle, Wave, Walk and Whack; Method 3: Marching; and Method 4: Steady Pressure), spend just three to four minutes each training session working on each method. Backing up is not natural for horses (think about the number of times you’ve seen a horse back up on his own) and is a very difficult thing for them to do both physically and mentally. So it’s best to keep backing sessions short, rather than drilling on it for an hour and a half. Also keep in mind that all horses will have one method of backing up that’s not quite as good as the others. Work on that method a little bit more every day until it is as good as the others.