When you and your reining horse aren’t connecting, start by looking for signs of a lack of confidence displayed through his actions. He might look worried, or he might be trying to take advantage of the situation. In both cases, the root cause is the same—unclear communication. 

Your first step is to recognize those signs and re-establish clear, confident communication from the saddle. From there, it’s time to go back to the basics and complete a drill that will boost your confidence, leaving a positive mental impact in the saddle. 

Back to Basics

To get both horse and rider on the same page, always start with the basics. I focus on four essential elements: forward, back, left, and right. Until those are solid, there’s no reason to move on to anything more advanced. If you can’t steer your horse, you can’t communicate, and without communication, confidence disappears.

At the start of every ride, test these basics. Can your horse move willingly forward and back? Can you guide left and right with control? Once those pieces are in place, you can build from there. I like to adjust the drill to match the pair’s ability and confidence—starting at a walk, then moving to a trot, and finally to a lope.

When a ride starts to unravel, go back to something small and achievable. Ask simple questions: Can your horse walk a circle? Does he respond to a neck rein? Work on steering and repeat the circle until you can perform it calmly and confidently. Slowing things down allows you to diagnose the problem, see where communication is breaking down, and create an easy fix you can feel. 

Step Into the Stop

With novice reining riders, stopping seems to be a common problem area. When issues show up in the stop, I always go back to the basics and apply the same principles to a straight line. The first question is simple: Can the horse stay straight? If not, that’s where we start.

The idea is to be able to put your rein hand down, pick a point ahead, and head down a straight line at a walk or trot. If your horse drifts, let him go about 10 feet off course, then circle back to the line. The next time, correct at five feet, then two, until your horse starts to understand that staying straight is the easiest option.

Once he can hold a straight line, you can start to incorporate the stop, but at a slower speed. Even at a walk, when it’s time to stop, say “whoa,” sit deep, and back your horse up, using the same cues you’d use when running down. Then move to a trot and repeat. 

Make sure to start working back up toward full speed only when both horse and rider are ready. Too often, riders focus on the full-speed run and slide before the foundation is solid. True confidence comes from slowing down, creating consistency, and developing the muscle memory to react naturally when the moment counts. 

Lock In The Mental Game

At a horse show, it’s easy to feel like everyone in the warm-up pen or in the stands is watching your every move. But here’s the truth—no one is paying as much attention as you think they are. The best thing you can do is stay in your zone and focus on your own ride.

Attitude is everything in the show pen. Even trainers get nervous, but when you walk through that gate, you have to set those nerves aside and sell your run. 

Remember, every horse show is a learning opportunity. If something doesn’t go right, watch the video, identify what went wrong, and take it back to the basics at home. Cheer yourself on and remember, every rider is a work in progress.

Eric Priest graduated from the University of Findlay in 2014 and began his professional reining career shortly after. Seven years ago, he launched his own performance horse business in Belle Center, Ohio, where he focuses on training and developing reining horses, and coaching non-proriders of all levels. In 2024, he was named Horse&Rider’s Trainer of the Year.

—H&R—