In Australia and the USA any rancher,who backs his own working horses and is worth his salt, uses this technique to teach the young horse to move away from the leg in order to open gates and maneuver around cows or sheep.

This technique and exercise also has classical origins, Baron Von Blixen tutor of UK rider Christopher Bartle, monist other famous Swedish,British and Swiss trainers who prepared horses for battle in the military. Moving correctly away from the leg can be a matter of life and death in battle.

To prepare for this exercise, come to a halt against the wall on the long side of the arena. If you are traveling left you will start to ask for turn on the forehand to the right.. This way you can use the wall to your advantage.Sometimes a person on the ground, may be able to help. With a slight bend to the right you ask for just one step to the right with the hindlegs moving around the active and marking time front legs.. You ask by applying the right leg behind the girth, the left rein prevents the horse from moving forward. If the horse takes even one step with the hindlegs to the right, you stop and praise him.

Gradually build the exercise up to a complete turn on the forehand, some four or five steps in walk to complete the turn an 180 degree turn. Practice this exercise on both reins, the left and the right.Once you can perform the turn on the forehand on both reins you can make the exercise more challenging by riding a small square with a 1/2 turn on the forehand for each turn of the square. Do this on both sides and you will find that your horse will accept your inside leg so much better and also understand to always move away from the inside leg when applied on the girth.