Bill Cameron International HorsemanshipLeave a Comment on Training Tip: The Side-Pass

Training Tip: The Side-Pass

The side-pass should should be very easy; however, many people have trouble with side passing their horse.  Starting the side-pass probably should be done before you even get on your horse, with groundwork because your horse may have no knowledge of moving away from pressure.  If this is your situation, start with grooming your horse using a simple brush and while holding your horse’s head short, gently and very patiently bump on the horse’s side where the back cinch would be located.

Just pushing on a horse’s side or squeezing with your leg won’t get some horses to move. This teaches your horse to move away from pressure without the distraction of side passing from the saddle over an object or between two poles.  I personally like to teach a horse to move off my leg by waving my leg rhythmically against the horse’s side.  Eventually there is really no contact, and this turns into more of a signal in time.

The best place for your hand position is halfway up the horse’s neck just in case he tries to back up.  You will find that you won’t need to move your hand and it frees up the horse’s shoulders so that he can cross his front feet making the side pass easier for him to execute.  The only time I will touch a horses mouth is to keep them straight or to keep them from walking forward.

The moment my horse is side passing I am keeping my reins against his neck.  It is also important to keep the reins loose or soft.    Your seat is very important and if you are not on the correct side of the horse (meaning your weight) this can confuse the horse. When side passing left you want to lean to the right side of the horse.  As you are waving your right leg to go left, it helps to look at the leg you are waving with rather than the direction you are going in. If you tip their nose towards the side pass it will make it harder; therefore, in the beginning it is better for the horse if you let him slightly tip his head away from the direction you are moving in.  This allows him to cross over easier.

I coach a couple students at a Ranch Horse Workshop on how to clean
up their sidepass over a pole to get a better score.

Published by Bill Cameron International Horsemanship

Bill Cameron, the International Horseman, grew up in the horse industry and started out wrangling on movie sets and commercials at the age of fourteen alongside his father, Denzel Cameron. He has been a professional horseman for over 45 years! He has competed on the West Coast his entire life taking many horses to their titles and championships in all breeds. When problems arise, Bill is at his best. If a horse is out of control or having problems, Bill can quickly get them to focus and give him their best. He has made a good living all his life with horses. Bill achieved world wide acclaim with the “Tag Heuer Watches” magazine shoot when he trained a horse to jump from one rooftop to another four times in a row when no one else could do it and the horse enjoyed it! Bill’s training philosophy is a unique method based on the horse’s perspective. “This style of training produces a content and willing partner." Bill's riding skills are a combination of European Dressage and Western Riding in which he uses mostly leg. His NaturalBornRidersTM training method and technique produces a horse that is willing to go through obstacles with grace and ease on the trail and in front of large crowds of people. He is known for his soft hands and gentle approach. Bill has set the bar of competition high in equestrian sports. He is a prominent professional clinician and coach. He is a horse advocate who has a passion for the horse’s point of view. Bill is currently competing and training students and horses for Extreme Cowboy Racing, the new and exciting sport that is sweeping the globe. Bill is an Extreme Cowboy Association Hall of Fame inductee, Extreme Cowboy Association World Champion competitor four years in a row and making the EXCA World Finals every time. Bill travels regularly sharing his knowledge, judging and training people and horses throughout Europe and the United States.

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