When your mounted horse is backing calmly and well, his legs will be working together in diagonal pairs, his head and neck will be somewhat extended, his mouth will be closed, and his movements will be smooth, straight, and relaxed. You’ve probably seen just the opposite many times at horse shows or lessons – a horse rushing backwards crookedly, one leg at a time, often with jaw set or mouth open, chin tucked or head up.
Judge Kitty Bowland says two common rein-back problems she sees at shows are shuffling backwards and resistance to the hand by opening the mouth with head up, behind the vertical, or pulling. “These problems are usually a result of incorrect training, or training at too early an age,” she says.
To execute a proper mounted rein-back, the horse must first be able to back up correctly when handled from the ground. When learning to ride the rein-back, note that the cues for backup are not the same as the cues for stopping. In the stop, most of the horse’s weight is on the hindquarters, while in the backup the horse uses mainly his front legs to propel himself backward.