Working Equitation ~ Reversing or 'Rein Back' Obstacles

Lise LeBlanc
May 23
6 min read

The sport of Working Equitation is gaining is popularity all around the globe. The obstacles are fun and challenging. In Ease of Handling phase, riders maneuver through the obstacles with precision, and calmness. In the speed phase, riders demonstrate adjustability, obedience, agility and smart course lines to beat the clock. With so much to learn in the sport of working equitation it can be overwhelming. Sometimes it's important to focus on the important foundational skills that are the building blocks that lead to success and higher scores when applied to the challenges in Working Equitation.

Today, I will discuss reversing / rein back obstacles. The 'rein back' is one of my personal favourite maneuvers in training. It is a valuable training tool for teaching engagement, balance, core strength, strong haunches, self carriage and submission. At all levels, a good rein back will be an indicator of higher scores. However, all too often the rein back is weak. There is often resistance, hollowness and tension. Often horses are not moving straight backward, and many find the turns while reversing quite challenging.

It's very important to understand that a good rein back is a prerequisite for engagement, balance, submission. Reversing is foundational training for - everything! This is why it is tested so many times in Working Equitation. When the rein back is good, so will be the connection, transitions, halts and forward gaits. Reversing teaches the horse needs to bend the hocks, and lower the pelvis. Without bending the hocks, and sitting, the horse cannot but load the forehand. These 'flexions' are what gives the horse power, suppleness and engagement. Impulsion.

Training horses to reverse is dear to my heart because it is the birthplace of connection. In fact, the name 'rein back' is quite deceiving, and I think it should be named differently. So I'm going to call it 'reversing'. Why? Because 'rein back' seems to imply pulling the reins back. That is NOT how we reverse properly. Pulling the reins backward will cause a poor reverse. Why is that?

Pulling the reins stops the back legs. The back legs are the engine of the horse. Why would we want to stop the engine when we are asking the horse to 'go'? When we reverse, we are asking the horse to 'go' backwards. It's still 'go'. We need those back legs moving. We don't use a stop aid to 'go'. Think about it.

For this article I will not break down training techniques but simply offer tips for success and discuss the reverse obstacles, their execution, judging criteria and what is necessary to achieve higher scores in the reversing obstacles of Working Equitation.

The EOA reversing obstacles

Bell tower / L

This obstacle is ridden to a halt at the bell. Different levels (check your rulebook for gaits required at different levels) can halt from the required gait or walk before entry . I have broken down the halt and transitions in other articles so I will not go over that here.

Once the halt is achieved, wait 3 seconds before ringing the bell.

As soon as the bell has been rung, the reverse may begin.

Reversing should be straight, when on a straight path, and steps should be on the path of an arch, when turning. All steps backward should be in the line of travel. It is a sign of disengagement when the horse steps off the line of travel with the hind legs.

The horse should move with clean diagonal pairs. (2 beat rhythm)

The horse should maintain rhythm, and not get sticky.

The hocks should be bent, and horse appears to be lower in the hind

The shoulder should lift.

The front legs should lift, not drag backwards. (on the shoulder)

The mouth of the horse should be quiet, or, should be softly 'chatting' mouthing, licking.

There should be no sign of resistance / tension (a mouth softly chewing/licking/busy with the bit is not resistance. Open gaping mouth, grinding, pulling, inverting is resistance)

All 4 hooves must clear the obstacle before turning on the haunches (showing engagement again) and resuming required gait.

Establishing canter from the reverse, on the haunches, without intermediate steps is worth higher points.

Having outlined all this - believe me when I say, 'this takes training'! Having a properly engaged reverse is not simple, but it is worth every second of training and practice.

Now let's look at reversing a turn.

Reverse EOH obstacles that require turning

The reverse turning obstacles (Bell 'L' / Rounding Posts / Reverse Figure 8)

When reversing a turn, it must stay fluid. This is a higher level of difficulty. At each step the back legs deliberately step into the curved path while the shoulder fallows. One direction of turn will always be more fluid for the horse than the other. Usually it is easier reversing to the right. This can have impact depending on which hand you are using for obstacles. In rounding posts you will go around the middle pole on the side of the cup you pick.

Rounding Posts

Entry to Rounding Posts is in the gait required (check your rulebook)

Halt between the posts with the cups

Once halt is established wait 3 seconds before taking the cup

The reverse begins as soon as you have your cup

Depending on your level (check rules) you will either need to go straight back, or reverse around the middle post on the side you chose the cup.

Then you must straighten and continue to reverse past the last post.

You place the cup on that post (same side as you chose from)

Continue to reverse completely free of the obstacle before moving forward, or turning on the haunches to resume gait.

A turn on the haunches is better than reversing farther and moving forward.

Reverse Figure 8

Reversing the figure 8 appears in the EOH at the advanced levels. This may be its own obstacle, or it may be an extension to the forward figure 8 exercise.

The starting point of this maneuver is with all four hooves clear of the midline between the two features that make the figure 8 obstacles.

The horse must enter between the two features, and move forward past the imaginary line between them with all four hooves clear. Then, establish halt.

The reverse begins after the halt is clearly established.

The reverse should flow step by step along the path of a volte.

Both circles (voltes) should be the same size and round

Steps should have a clear 2 beat rhythm.

The smaller the volte the harder to keep the flow.

Higher scores go to the horse that can maintain the bend of the arch being travelled. It's easier to counter bend in reverse than to bend with the volte

One direction will be easier to acquire bend than the other. Training to reverse with bend takes practice. But it is worth higher marks.

After the second circle is finished, the horse must cross the midline between the two features again with all four hooves, before moving forward at the required gait

Training the reverse figure 8 exercise with Elix 2024. You can see that he is still working on reversing, to sit deeper, lift his shoulder and have more freedom. The bend and steps around the circle are better to the right. This is very progressive training. It takes time. Mastering the reverse will improve all forward maneuvers and gaits

The trickiest thing about reversing is preventing the horse from weighting the forehand and dropping the shoulder.

Pulling on the reins

As soon as you pull backwards on the reins, you lose the shoulder. The thoracic sling falls. The horse's neck inverts and goes hollow. There is resistance in the mouth. The front legs drag instead of lift with steps. The back legs get stuck. The rhythm is not 2 beat.

Instead of pulling back the reins, we must first establish engagement with the haunches under the horse. Back legs must be supple and ready. Then we ask the horse, 'go' - backwards. I have taught my method for reverse in numerous clinics and participants are amazed to see the difference in their connection. They cannot believe how quickly a horse will become round.

The reverse is the golden key for connection and engagement.