Working on the Turn Around
- January 25, 2025
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- Anna Foulger
Posted in: Featured, Horse Training, Uncategorized
Working on the turn around is such a fun point in training a horse. The softness and correctness you have come to, to be capable of asking a horse to turn around correctly is really a great place to be with any colt or horse you have been working on. A turn around is a maneuver that has to be forward in action as well as soft and supple. The horse has to be perfectly balanced to turn around at a higher speed as well as remain in control. In the reined cowhorse, your horse will not be judged on which hind foot it leaves in place (in reining they will be). I usually aim for the inside hind foot to be the one that stays in place, as I find it easier to move the horse forward and around that hoof, but some horses do better with the opposite legs and I tend not to worry about it either way.
There are three exercises I love to use to work on turnarounds. The first drill is really simple; imagine a large square about five to ten feet on each side. Side pass your horse on the edges of that square. This is really an important step because in order for a turnaround to be correct your horse has to be willing to move off your leg. When side passing, work on that horse being completely supple and in a smooth motion, moving away from your leg with minimal effort from you. This may look ugly at first, you may have to get aggressive with your feet to start, but work on making it as soft as possible. Now for the corners of the box, make sure your horse’s hind end plants and the front end moves around it, like the beginning of the turn around. This will really help your horse move his shoulders over and away from your leg. Make sure to move your leg slightly forward and your hands are asking for a different movement than the side passing. This is a great drill to start your horse out with.
The second exercise that is really helpful if your horse is struggling with the forward aspect of the turn around is: starting with your hands really wide, working your horse up and into the bit. You are going to want to really use your feet with this drill. Work your horse in a wide circle, but do not ask him for a turn around yet though. You want your horse really driving forwards off his hind end, into your hands. Work this drill until your horse is soft and driving forward, when you feel like the horse is floating off your hands, open your hands up and allow that horse to start into the turn around. This is where you let your horse stay in the turn around until he draws back, if he does this drive him forward and continue working the drill. Work both directions until your horse will stay forward in the turn around and smooth.
The last drill that I really love to use if your horse is too far forward is backing. Essentially, ask your horse to turn around, if they lean forward or go to walk out of the turn, you pull that horse into a back. You back the horse until he feels like he is really hunting that backwards motion and using his hind end, also make sure he feels like his front end is really off the ground and light on your hands. This will help them really use their hind end through the turn around. Keep working this drill till the horse no longer wants to leave the turn around and move forward.
There are all great exercises to work with your horse at any level. A big thing to remember is consistency and not giving up till you see the results you want. When working any maneuver you have to stick with it, till you are at least one percent better than when you stepped on the horse. Your horse is learning from you, good and bad, if you release before that horse even tries the maneuver, you just taught them the opposite of what you wanted to. Stick with it and pretty soon you’ll be spinning holes in the dirt!


Posted in: Featured, Horse Training, Uncategorized
About Anna Foulger
Hey there! My name is Anna Foulger, I am a young mom of soon to be two; a toddler daughter and little boy on the way! Me and my husband ranch in Eastern Montana with his family and we love every minute! My background is in...