How To Back Up A Young Stallion

by Jennifer
(Holland)

It's not easy to get my pony doing a few steps back. I ask this of him because I don't want him in my personal space.

What can I do to back him up without any struggling?

When i walk with him, i want him to stop as soon as I stop. So that he stays behind me. But every time he must take 1 more step.

Answer:

Hi Jennifer:

One of the reasons it can be hard to teach a stallion to back up is because they have a more natural resistance to do such a thing because it demonstrates submission to the other. They are not hard wired to submit easily because they have a more instinctual need regarding survival of the fittest and want to be leaders.

We know we have domesticated the horse, but the horse doesn’t know that! :0)

What needs to be taught here is for the stallion to understand to move away from pressure whether it is pressure from a touch or pressure from a suggestion like waving your hand as if to say go back. The other is for him to understand and respect your space at all times. No exceptions. But he won’t learn this unless you remain clear and consistent regarding your personal space.

You can approach this with either using positive or negative methods. You may also need to add further support from the halter along with touching if he is really resistant. Hold the lead rope about a foot length under his chin and only add this pressure if he does not yield to your touch first.

Everything movement counts! Even if all he will offer at first is to lean backward, quickly release with a Good Boy and start again. Then if all you get is a foot lifted of the ground, quickly release etc. There is actually four parts to a complete back up. First the horse needs to take his weight off of one foot, then he leans back, then he lifts his leg, then he puts his foot down further back. (The same applies to how we would take a step back. Go ahead and try for yourself and feel every movement your body needs to do in order to take a step backward.) If you reward for each of these steps, he will learn to move away from pressure with the least amount of resistance. Your challenge and job from this day forward is to ask him to move back every time you interact, even after you just say Hello to each other. The consistency on your part will become second nature to him.

Elaine Polny
Training Horses Naturally