Ollie The Appy: Groundwork/Riding Part 2......Rollbacks and Bareback Riding

Hello, and welcome to Part 2 of this 3 part series!

After I did the plastic bag desensitization and basic round pen work that I showed in my last post, I worked on some Rollbacks On The Ground. Ollie LOVES doing these, and I love doing them with him. It is kind of like a dance, and sometimes I put on my headphones and listen to music with a beat that matches our Rollbacks. It is a lot of fun. This particular time I didn't have my headphones on, and for half of these Rollbacks I didn't use the Handy Stick.

To ask Ollie to Rollback, I put him out on the circle. When he is loping (trotting also works, but you will get a better rollback out of a lope) I step in front of the horses' drive line (shoulder) change my lead rope into my other hand, point, look the new direction, and cluck (or kiss. I typically kiss because that is Ollie's lope/canter cue).

It is important to have some energy in your body for this exercise because it takes a lot of energy for the horse to Rollback. Rollbacks are EXTREMELY good for hot horses who need to move their feet, and get on the thinking side of the brain.

Clucking, or kissing, will "scoot" the horse out the Rollback. A Rollback needs to have (like I said) a lot of energy. The horse needs to get on his haunches and turn using his hindquarters.

He is on his forequarters right now...this is because he is about to turn on his hindquarters.

Turning on his hindquarters

This lesson can also be done at the trot once the horse is used to it. I wasn't using the Handy Stick for any of these Rollbacks...just getting in front of the drive line.

Getting in front of the shoulder, and changing the lead rope to my other hand...

Pointing and looking the new direction.

See him turning on his hindquarters?

After doing each side 4-5 times (so around 10 total rollbacks) I bring Ollie into the center for a good rub. When horses are first learning they may need to do more "rollbacks" before they start to understand. Don't finish too early, but at the same time don't ask too much of the horse in one lesson. This is where timing and feel, and knowing the horse's capabilities come into play.

After rollbacks, I decided to just hop on Ollie bareback. Well, let me actually re-phrase that.....

I cannot swing on the back of horses. I am working on it, but I just cannot seem to be able to use momentum and swing my body up on Ollie without the help of a bucket/fence/round pen fence.....if y'all have any suggestions or tips that could help me, I would love to know a few!