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Step 1
Start the workout normally with plenty of walking, jogging and loping, keeping the horse steady and full of forward impulsion. You can't train a horse to spin unless he is fully warmed up and flexible.
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Step 2
Halt the horse several times from the jog and lope, encouraging him to remain on his hind end, finishing out the stop. If the horse already knows how to slide, you can throw in a few slides and rollbacks as well.
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Step 3
Create a poll-to-tail arc with your horse so that his nose is following his hind end into a circle. Push him forward so that he has some energy to his walk, and use your outside rein to create a barrier that will eventually cue him to plant his inside hoof.
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Step 4
Tighten the inside rein to ask for a deep bend in the correct direction, using your outside leg to push him forward if he tries to slow his pace. As the circle tightens, start to apply more pressure to the outside rein, but don't allow him to slow down.
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Step 5
Maintain even contact with the reins, shifting your hips so that they face the direction of the arc. This is the beginning stage of training your horse to spin, and your consistent position is critical. If he starts to fall out or if he resists moving forward, widen the circle again and start over.
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Step 6
Lift your inside rein about three inches away from the horse's neck, then use your outside leg behind the girth to ask him to spin. Look forward the entire time with your hips shifted slightly inward, and focus on keeping the momentum without allow him to move out of the spin.
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Step 7
Reward the horse for a few good steps by allowing him to walk forward. Training a horse to spin takes quite a bit of effort on the horse's part, and asking for too much at one time will frustrate and tire him.
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Step 8
Try again after walking one lap of the arena. Repeat all of the above steps in the exact order they are described until the horse seems to understand what you want. Only then should you increase pace.
