Reinsmanship

(Pg. 233, 4-22-15) Ground driving, whether single or double, is not just a driving-based activity. Whether you plan to drive or ride your equine, ground driving will help you to improve your Reinsmanship skills and the connection with your equine. Ground driving gives your equine the opportunity to learn direct rein cues that come from the corners of his lips with the snaffle bit (pull right, go right – pull left, go left) before actually riding or driving. During ground driving in the snaffle bridle, surcingle or lightweight saddle and my “Elbow Pull” (covered in my Equus Revisited DVD/Manual combo), his balance in good equine posture can be maintained throughout the exercises to develop symmetrical core strength around the skeletal frame. Bosals, side pulls and bitless bridles cannot affect good equine posture the same way. Walking in sync with your equine’s back legs will help you to establish rhythm with your equine to obtain a prompt response from him with the slightest of drive line (rein) cues. By the time you finally ride or drive your equine, he will know how to be light in the bridle. Your own body will be more flexible, in sync with your equine’s movement and relaxed from the ground driving exercises. Your seat will be more stable and your hands will be light and effective from this practice. You will be less awkward during those initial riding and driving lessons and better able to stay balanced and in control. The only real task that remains when your equine is finally mounted and ridden is to establish clarity in your seat and leg cues. When finally driving, your hands will then be ready to encourage your equine’s forward motion and responsiveness unobstructed from overcueing. This extra step in the training process avoids throwing too much at your equine all at once, keeps things logical and sequential and lessens the chance for confusion and resistance. Learn more in the various sections under TRAINING for FREE on my website at www.luckythreeranch.com or go to OUR STORE at www.luckythreeranchstore.com to purchase your own copies of our books and videos.