# Inside leg, outside leg?? Confused



## steedaunh32 (Jun 5, 2008)

When you neck rein, do you turn your horse away from pressure (outside leg) or to you train to turn around pressure (inside leg)? This always confuses me....


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I've always thought/heard it was moving off your outside aids, be it English or western, and you use your inside leg as a "pole" to bend around. Inside rein stays a nice, fluffy open door.
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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

The way that I ride and train, it depends on what I am wanting to do. If I am asking for a spin or a turn on the haunches (think reining), then I will apply outside rein and leg and leave my inside cues open. However, if I am riding trails or something and I need for the horse to turn around a tree or make a switchback turn on a tough trail, I will often use outside rein to bend their neck, outside leg a little behind to keep their butt from swinging out, and inside leg just behind the girth to bend them around whatever I am avoiding.

:lol: Complicated enough for you?


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## Indyhorse (Dec 3, 2009)

smrobs said:


> The way that I ride and train, it depends on what I am wanting to do. If I am asking for a spin or a turn on the haunches (think reining), then I will apply outside rein and leg and leave my inside cues open. However, if I am riding trails or something and I need for the horse to turn around a tree or make a switchback turn on a tough trail, I will often use outside rein to bend their neck, outside leg a little behind to keep their butt from swinging out, and inside leg just behind the girth to bend them around whatever I am avoiding.
> 
> :lol: Complicated enough for you?


Exactly what I do! :lol:


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## momo3boys (Jul 7, 2010)

As someone who needs to know this too....I'm so confused! Is there a video that explains this, because I need to teach my gelding leg cues. (He is WAY too flexible and can trot to the right with his head touching my left foot!!)


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## SAsamone (Nov 5, 2009)

You never want a horse to turn into pressure- everything you teach horses, even just the simple use of a bridle, is to move AWAY from pressure. It's most natural for them and easier to understand. When you use a bit, let's say...to stop, your bridle puts pressure in the horses' mouth. The horse stops in order for you to relase that pressure. See? Doing it the other way is pointless, confusing, and potentially dangerous- if a horse moves in or "fights" pressure, it's a sign of disrespect and can cause problems down the road.


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

Your horse should move away from pressure; be it your leg or your rein. 

Whether its your inside or outside leg, it doesn't matter.

You can use both of your legs at times supporting your horse through, say a circle or turn.

In general, though, your horse should move away from whatever pressure is being given.


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## steedaunh32 (Jun 5, 2008)

momo3boys said:


> (He is WAY too flexible and can trot to the right with his head touching my left foot!!)


That's funny! I rode a horse that did that, also. Well it looks funny but obviously is something you'd like to train out of I'm sure


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## candandy49 (Jan 16, 2011)

Something you might try doing to help with the leg cues for turns is to slightly twist your upper torso from the waist up through to your shoulders in the direction of the turn you want. What you will find with doing this is that your rein hand will lay lightly on the outside of the neck and your legs will be in proper position to cue for the turn. This is for very basic learning of the cues. As you and your horse get proficent with this excercise then you can proceed on to more refined execution of leg cues. This works whether your riding English or Western.


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## HorseyyGal (Jun 20, 2011)

Agreed with GeminiJumper, you should get the horse to respond away from pressure


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## StormvaleQHStud (Dec 16, 2010)

The way we teach is to look leg rein. Look where you want to go first if the horse doesnt turn you put the leg on(side you want to turn) and lastly you touch the rein. When you look first you will find your whole body turns in that direction including the seat bone and done correctly teaches your horse to turn and stop with seat really softly. Of course it all gets trickier when you head into dressage and other disciplines like me but they are the very basics we teach kids and beginners. Dunno if that makes sense to you though lol. My base is natural horsemanship. Lol.
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