He can get a pretty fast run neck reining. So should i just stick to neck reining? Would i get a faster run if he direct reined the pattern?
Answers:
It is good to direct rein your horse in training, as horses that are solely neck reined tend to get stiff, and as has been mentioned, you end up with a horse dropping their shoulder and just generally not being as supple. If your horse has the right foundation, and you continue to excercise the flexibility, I reccommend neck reining your horse when you are in competition.
If you are riding with a curb bit, definitely neck rein your horse. a curb bit - any bit with leverage - is a one handed bit. There are some contemporary "combination" bits that work on both principles, but when in doubt - it is best to stick to the rule.
All that said, if you want to teach your horse to neck rein, you first need to be sure you are in the right bit, so find yourself a snaffle (and not a tom thumb or shanked snaffle - these are actually CURB bits, as they act on leverage. There is no such thing as a shanked snaffle!), a direct-rein-pressure bit. Chances are, your horse was started with one of these, but some people do go straight to a curb, for whatever reason. It is best to start in a pen, because you never know how much control you are going to have when inttroducing a new bit, and also best to start ON THE GROUND. When your horse is comfortable enough with the new bit, making sure it fits properly, and they stop chewing on it, introduce (light) direct rein pressure on one side from the ground. As soon as your horse responds by lightening the pressure - RELEASE it. If your horse responds immediately, chances are they have been through this lesson, and you can mount up and ride in small circles and serpentines, in the pen, at a walk.
Progess at your horse's speed. When your horse responds quickly and fluidly at a walk, move the excercise up to a trot, and so on. Be sure you have stopping power, and that should come from your seat and voice more than from your bit. Also, for safety, practice the one-rein-stop. When you are confident that you are in control, you can move up to a lope, or, if your pen is too small, move out of the pen. Make your excercises interesting by including objects that you are riding around/weaving through/riding over.
If you want more help, you let me know.
I have four horses. One is neck reigned (My horse), and the others are direct reigned.
I find that my horse is much more agile, responsive, fast and willing to please being neck reigned other than my other horses.
Direct reigning also requires a tad bit more effort on the rider's part. You need to be paying attention to what you're running. I highly suggest staying neck reigned.
just one saying for you "IF IT AINT BROKE WHY FIX IT?"
Any horse should be taught how to direct rein for proper suppleness. Should he be taught to direct rein a pattern (?); good question. A horse that does speed events that neck reins will be more likely to throw a shoulder towards a barrel or pole. You can get a quicker cleaner turn if your horse has it's inside shoulder lifted during the turn. Although proper bending during your training time should compensate for not direct reining. Personally I like to neck rein my horses.
keep , him neck reining , he will go faster when he knows what your asking %26 not trying to learn somthing new %26 you wont ruin his mouth by pulling him round the barrels.
It is easier for both of you
May the horse be with you.
I prefer neck reining. The reason is I feel the horse knows I am asking to turn by a touch on the neck. In straight reining I feel I am telling or demanding. That's just my opinion. I have ridden neck rein, 4 reins 2 bits, and straight. I prefer the freedom of neck reining
Ok the way i see this is "if its not broke dont fix it" if hes getting a good time with neck reining thats awesome most horses cant do that. If you think he would get an even better time if you used direct reining then i would teach him. Walk him through the patter a couple times and then start using a direct rein while your still at a walk. Then once he realizes you want him to direct rein and he responds as well as with the neck rein move to a trot repeat and then move to a lope.
Why would you want to direct rein the pattern? It is so much easier to neck rein through the barrel pattern. Plus, if you direct rein %26 get off balance, there is a tendency to move a rein wrong and that could cause a problem. I would never want anything but a neck rein horse for barrels or pole bending.
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