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Ask Chelsie...
[I am] working on [teaching my horse to back up.] My gelding's feet will not move even after really putting energy in [my] rope. Can I encourage him with [the stick] between the points of his shoulders? He seems to want to move at least one pair then.
-Carol N. in Munford ALabama
Q.
A.
Hello Carol,
If this works for your horse then I would use it judiciously. We are also remembering that when asking our horses to go back when they are first learning this, just a weight shift back is a try, and we should release on that. If your horse seems to understand the taping better then the halter wiggle, then start off asking your horse to back with your body and then the wiggle then if needed the tapping on the chest. Soon you will be able to phase out the tapping on the chest. But as I said release on just a weight shift at first, he does not have to move a lot at this level, you will build on a weight shift till he is backing up a few steps.
Thanks for the question.
-Chelsie Kallestad
