# Reining Spins - help!



## horseluver50 (Mar 19, 2009)

So, I really need help with getting my mare, Lena, to spin properly. I found this video, is this the proper way to do it? because, it looks pretty good! 




 
What are the proper ques to get a well trained reining horse to spin?

We have been trying to do it, but Lena keeps stepping out instead of planting her back foot. 
What my trainer told me to do, (when spinning to left) With left rein pull out to side wide, and with right rein, keep her from moving by halfhalting when she tries to step forward.
It doesnt seem to be working though, because when I halfhalt with the right rein, she tucks her neck in and bends it alot, and as I have my left rein out she walks around in a small circle instead of spinning. When she walks, i stop her, back her up, then start over again.
She can do a couple steps, but then it falls out.

I know she can do it extremely well, b/c when we tried her out, her old owner rode her, and was spinning sooooo fast and really well.
Then, I tried to spin when I was trying her out, and she didnt listen to me.

I think it might be, because she is confused as to what I am asking, b/c I am just beginning reining and dont know the proper ques to get her to spin. And Lena has to have proper ques for her to do what you want correctly.

Please give me your opinions and ideas


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

Do you happen to have the old owners contact info? If it were me I would go ask them for advice. That would be the easiest since they know how they got her to do it properly and could pass on the info to you.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

A spin is really just a very tight circle that the horse is walking. You have to have forward motion. That is why the man in the clip is always pushing his horse forward. Start walking your horse in a circle and get it smaller and smaller making sure to step the front quarters around. The front legs are walking a bigger circle than the back and you just keep pushing those front legs around and pretty soon you are spinning. I hope this makes sense. The best advice is to go back to the people you got her from and ask for a lesson. If I sell a horse I feel alot better if the people want to come to me for a lesson so that all parties are happy.


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## Tasia (Aug 17, 2009)

totally agree with Kevin. Spins are a forward movement. Alot of horses sit back in there spins you can tell this because your horse will be bumping his legs together. And start off really slow if you rush it that may turn into a mess.


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

First work on side passing. See if you can get her to move off your leg. This is very important as this is what you will use if/when the horse move the hip to the outside when you are turning and/or turning on the wrong foot.

Since you said your horse is a finished horse what this guy is saying will be a reminder for the horse but she should not really need it.

What you need to do is walk the horse forward for a step or 2 and then ask for the turn. Move the outside rein (Left turn then right rein) and lay it next to the horses neck with your had just past the middle of the horse. So your hand it JUST in front of the saddle horn. Think of the horses neck as a solid wall and your hand should never pass that wall. As you do this then bump the horse with your right leg or spur. Do not keep the spur on the horse just bump her if you leave your leg on the horse she will become heavy and start leaning on your leg. Once she starts to cross over and turn then just keep your hand where is it and relax it a bit and then kiss to your horse as she is turning. Once you get her going in the correct direction with the outside rein the kiss will let her know she is doing what you asked and for more speed. If you need to go 2 handed do not pull the inside hand very fare out. Just enough to bump the nose to the inside. Like has been stated the turn is a forward maneuver and the horse needs to be fairly straight. You should JUST be able to see the corner of the horses eye but no more. If the horse gets too bent they will toss their hip to the out side and you will lose their rear in the turn and it is all over and all you get is a horse that is swapping ends and not turning. or at the very least turning on the wrong foot. Also once the horse starts to turn you do not need to keep cuing her. Once she starts turning the kiss and the bumping with your leg is all that is needed and she should keep spinning until you ask her to stop which is a relies of the rein leg off and whoa.

That all I have time for right now. Need to check on the horses for the night.


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## horseluver50 (Mar 19, 2009)

Thank you for all your responses, I agree with all of you  The old owners tried to teach me when I tried Lena out, but I didnt really get it.
I will try what kevinshorses, and nrhareiner, sounds like really good info to follow 
I will try it out this next saturday, when I ride her 

Also, even though she is a finished reining horse, she hasnt been really worked in over a year.. 
thanks!


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

If she is truly a finished reiner which it sounds like she is. It should not matter. I have several finished reiners and you can let them sit for years and get on and they know what they are doing. Now you have to leg them back up to really get the maneuver sharp but they know.


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## horseluver50 (Mar 19, 2009)

Yep of course  I know that what I have been doing is confusing to her. She needs the right cues, to understand what to do.


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## Sixxofdiamonds (May 7, 2009)

This may be obvious, so I'm sorry if you've already thought of this.

Did her previous owners wear spurs, and do you? Because my guy spins ONLY when the rider is wearing a spur. Because we never did 100% reining (to be honest, reining was just something we did for fun - he is not a reining horse) we made sure that the cues were very different. 

If you ask him to spin without spurs on, he will do a moderately fast pivot, but definitely not a spin. It's an idea to think about.


Good luck!


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## horseluver50 (Mar 19, 2009)

> This may be obvious, so I'm sorry if you've already thought of this.
> 
> Did her previous owners wear spurs, and do you? Because my guy spins ONLY when the rider is wearing a spur. Because we never did 100% reining (to be honest, reining was just something we did for fun - he is not a reining horse) we made sure that the cues were very different.
> 
> ...


Thanks, her old owners did use spurs, i tried using spurs, she responded really good for like the first 10 minutes, but then she starting ignoring them.
When I tried to do the spins, it was a bit better, but she was still walking out :/ I think I need to learn to be stronger with her, because i am quite timid
Thank you!


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

If she is ignoring your spur you are keeping it on her too much. The spur is an extension of your leg and should only be used to bump her not to push her over or kept on her side. when I ride I maybe tap my horses with a spur maybe 2-3 times though out the hole ride.


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

So most of the things I was going to say were said... But I would like to add that you really need a trainer to be there with you so that they can help correct things as you do them .. If your currect trainer isn't helping find someone who can


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