Teaching a mini to rein?

[SMW]

If I could post the video I would... But my older mini has a promising spin when she's in her stall. I mean ridiculously promising. I thought it would be pretty neat to train her to do this on command instead of when she's awaiting dinner in her stall. But the question is.. Has anyone trained a reining mini? Is it even possible on the ground?

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Anything that the horse (any size) an physically do can be trained. Each maneuver has to be broken down into its component parts and each step trained individually then once they have the parts you can put it together as a complete move. Good luck

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I just wrote a reply and deleted it as I have just realised how silly it would be to teach or encourage her to spin in her stall!!! You need to find a way to STOP her doing this. It should be quite easy to teach her on long reins- a few people on here teach tricks.....

 

[Flying minis]

This is actually something I have worked on in the cart believe it or not. I have one mini that is really talented. She currently can spin, roll back, and slide stop. We are working on lead changes.

It gives us something to do that is "different" and fun. I got the idea because when I was younger I was at an Arabian show where a trainer was working his young horses - and he started them all in the cart before riding. I watched a Western Pleasure horse do walk, jog, lope, hand gallop, stop, roll back, take both leads, and do flying changes in a cart, just as easily and relaxed as you've ever seen. So when I got my minis, and realized my one could do sliding stops and spins (when we were just starting in the cart) I kept it in mind. As she became a "finished" show horse, I decided I could branch out with her and try some "fun" stuff without ruining her show work.

After Nationals I'll see if I can get a video of her doing some reining work. I've always thought it would be fun to do as a demonstration at a horse fair - or a big horse show. . .

Edited to add: When I was just out of college I apprenticed with an NRHA reiner - I just started applying those same types of work to her, and it worked : )

 

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

I actually do in-hand barrel racing and pole bending with my guy, Devil! We run side-by-side, going through the motions. I wish I could get it on video! It sounds weird, I know, but we both really enjoy it! Because he's so small, we run the same speed, so it's really easy to keep up with eachother. He's actually getting to a point where he gets really excited and prances around where the makeshift start line is, and really loves racing back home! He's gotten some really nice butt muscle from it all, LOL! Reining sounds like a lot of fun, I like to believe there isn't anything you CAN'T do with a mini

. Good luck!

 

[SMW]

Rabbitsfitz; she is not stalled anymore. She's done it her entire 22 years of life, no one seems to know why. She's still doing circles in her paddock outside. I've tried everything I've been taught to do to attempt to alleviate the boredom. My old girl is completely uninterested in toys. The point was that I would love to be able to teach her to do spins on command like a finished reining horse. Alas, I'm completely on my own in trying to teach her on the ground. She WANTS to work, but I don't even know what the first step would be in this direction.