How to Train a Horse to Rollback
A rollback is a basic maneuver in horse riding that involves the use of reins to guide a horse backward and to reverse its direction. This simple yet key maneuver will allow you to ride more efficiently and to retreat from danger if necessary.
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Instructions
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Train your horse to rollback by practicing the stop command. You should be able to get your horse to stop consistently through either verbal cues or by adjusting your body in the saddle. Practice this move until the horse seems to anticipate each command and seems eager to respond to your movements.
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Position your body evenly and squarely on the horse, ensuring that you don't lean in one direction or the other. You are trying to get the horse to recognize your hand movement and verbal commands, and shifting your body in the wrong direction can easily confuse or annoy the horse. Avoid leaning back in the saddle when you pull the reins.
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Handle the reins softly, yet firmly when you train your horse to rollback. Never jerk at the reins suddenly, especially if there is danger ahead. Pull in the direction in which you want to turn in an even, predictable manner until the horse obeys your command.
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Twist your body to look in the direction you want to travel. This will give you both a sight line as to the best direction in which to travel, and your horse will be cued by your body language to turn in that direction as well.
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Pull the reins firmly in the appropriate direction, allowing your horse to bend its neck in response. Your objective should be to have the horse's movements mirror your own so that the rollback is executed in one fluid motion.
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Reward the horse as you train it to perform the rollback maneuver. Scratch the horse in its favorite spot, and speak in soothing tones as it progresses and improves toward the objective. Never hit and yell at a horse during the training process, which will increase its natural fears and interfere with its ability to learn new commands.
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Tips & Warnings
Before you train a horse to rollback, you should ensure it responds to simple commands, such as stop. In addition, the horse should be responding well to your body language, such as a shift in your saddle prior to a command or gentle leg pressure before a change in direction.
