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The First Easy Piece

by Suzanne Drnec as told by Les Vogt

Please review "Introduction: The Five Easy Pieces" for best results, then read on about our first exercise...

The First Easy Piece is teaching your horse to yield his nose to pressure. We always train a horse from front to back, so we start with his nose. For this exercise, we simply walk in a small circle- about a ten foot diameter- and gently pull the horse's nose to the inside, using slight contact with the our inside leg to help the horse maintain a correct vertical frame. The instant the horse yields to the pull of the rein, release the pull. A horse's mouth or nose (if you use a bosal or side pull) can be sensitized to the slightest vibration of the reins.

This exercise teaches the horse, whether he's a baby colt or an old wise-guy, that he must let his nose follow the most gentle or subtle pull on the rein. It teaches a horse, and later reminds him if he forgets the rules, that he should always be anticipating movement of the reins, and that he should instantly respond by yielding to the cue. By teaching the exercise in a small circle, your horse will also begin to swing his outside front leg over the inside leg as he turns, because it's more efficient and comfortable than taking a bunch of little crab steps. You'll be teaching your horse to turn, pivot, or even spin, while he thinks you're just training his face!

Keep practicing this First Easy Piece, then advance to Easy Piece Number Two.

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