Turning Your Horse: Why It Starts With Your Body, Not the Reins

Unlocking smoother, more responsive rides with simple body cues

Have you ever watched an experienced rider turn their horse as if by magic, with hardly a flick of the reins? It’s not sorcery – it’s the power of subtle body aids at work! Many riders (especially when starting out) think turning a horse is all about pulling the rein, but in truth, your body is the first and most important cue your horse will feel. Let’s break down how you can cue your horse to turn using a simple sequence of body aids, making your communication smoother, clearer, and kinder for your four-legged mate.

The following steps should be tried at a walk, when your horse is calm and attentive to you.

Step 1: It All Starts With Your Eyes

This one’s almost too easy, but it’s often forgotten! Before you even think about moving your hands or legs, look with your eyes where you want to go. That doesn’t mean turning your whole head dramatically – just let your eyes shift/glance in the direction of the turn. Horses are incredibly sensitive to changes in your focus and energy. When you softly direct your gaze, your body subtly prepares for what’s next, setting up the rest of your aids without you even realising it.

If you turn your head without the next steps, you have already unbalanced the horse as the weight shift from your head travels down through their back and into their shoulders. You will notice the horse will go heavier in the reins as it moves to the forehand. That makes it super hard to turn in a balanced way.

Did you know that when you look down about 4.5-7kg (or up to 10%) of your body weight goes down to the horses back, shoulders and front legs! This displacement is huge for the horse so can you imagine the impact even when turning your head sharply has? This is because our head works like a lever, and our horses try to counterbalance any changes in our weight distribution to accommodate this.

A lever example, where the load would be our head and the horse would have to put in the effort to cover the resistance arm, and effort arm to balance this lever

This is what an incorrect turn would look like - notice the clamping arms at the elbow, even the wrist is tense, the weight in her right side travelling down her body, causing a twist with a dropped pelvis and head tipping downwards:

An example of an incorrect position for turning - you would find a horse would want to almost move in the opposite direction just to accommodate the weight on the outside

Did you know, horses will go in the direction where the weight from you is placed! So in the above image, the horse will go more to the right!

Step 2: Let Your Chest Lead (Yes, Really – Think “Boobs/Nipples” Like a Cars Headlights)

Now for the next step in the sequence: gently turn your chest towards your intended path. Here’s a handy trick: imagine you’re pointing your boobs or nipples where you want to go. Like when your car turns a corner and the headlights light up the way with two distinct beams of light (you have your very own personal laser lights here!). This isn’t about twisting your shoulders or over-exaggerating the movement – a gentle, confident rotation is all you need. This small shift realigns your balance and clearly tells your horse, “we’re headed this way.” If you ride with intention through your upper body, your horse will pick up on it in an instant.

A big note here, check in to see if you are having your arms squish your boobs together - this is a sign of tension through your arms. Allow them to be softly by your side and the elbows act as shock-absorbing sponges. If you are squishing your boobs together, the horse will struggle to feel your turn aid. Think, "unsquish my boobs" (open the chest), soft elbows and then "turn my boobs" in the direction I would like the horse to travel. What does this do? It opens your chest/sternum, it allows the body changes to travel down into your pelvis and seat, clearly telling the horse we are moving together in a balanced way.

Take note of how your hands should naturally follow as you turn your chest! Make sure you don't leave them behind!

Step 3: Trust Your Outside Thigh

As your chest moves, you’ll notice your outside thigh (the thigh furthest from the direction of the turn) naturally comes into play. This isn’t something you force; it happens because your body is following the curve of the turn. The outside thigh closes softly against the saddle, encouraging your horse’s ribcage to bend and follow your line. This subtle cue helps guide your horse’s shoulders and body, making the turning process feel balanced and effortless for both of you.

And guess what, you haven't even touched your reins yet? Magic!

Step 4: Rein Aid – Only If Needed

Here’s the clincher: your reins are there as a back-up, not the main act! If your horse hasn’t responded to your body cues, then and only then, gently use the rein as a supporting aid. Think of it as a polite reminder rather than a command. The aim is always to create a conversation where your horse listens to your body first, and the rein just clarifies if they miss the initial cue.

If you apply the above "seat cues" in the steps prior, you will only find that the rein aid will be small and, as in the below diagram, you will see the outside rein have more contact and feel full (not heavy) and the inside rein will potentially get a small loop in it. This means you are definitely on the right track! The below image also shows the outside thigh and leg staying in position and not sliding back down the horse's ribcage (left side of the image - is the incorrect way!).

Left side: an incorrect way to turn your horse; Right side: a correct way to turn your horse

Here's an excellent example by Mary Wanless:

Sequence

1. Look with eyes

2. Chest as headlights, with hands following

3. Outside thigh to close

4. Then reins, only if needed

Conclusion: The Joy of Body-Led Riding

When you turn your horse by leading with your eyes, chest, and outside thigh, you’re tapping into a communication style that’s natural and comfortable for your horse. Not only will your turns become smoother and more precise, but your horse will thank you for being clear and considerate. Next time you’re in the saddle, give this sequence a go and enjoy the feeling of your horse floating through the turns – no tugging required! Happy riding, and remember: trust your body, and your horse will trust you.

Let me know how you go when you try this. Just remember it takes time so it make seem a little messy at first, give you and your horse a good few goes at this. Keen to hear how it goes!