Spins and Rollbacks

Why Spins and Rollbacks Come Last

It is tempting to start working on spins and rollbacks early in a young horse's education — they are exciting maneuvers and visible proof of training progress. This is a mistake. The spin requires the horse to cross its front feet over a planted pivot foot while its hindquarters remain relatively still and its entire body rotates in a fluid, balanced arc. That movement is only possible in a horse that is already deeply confirmed in lateral softness, forward impulsion, and responsiveness to the leg. A horse that is not laterally soft will drag its pivot foot, fall out through the shoulder, or brace against the rein in the spin — and those habits, once established, are difficult to undo.

Building the Spin

The spin is introduced from a standstill using lateral rein pressure to ask the horse to cross its front feet and move around its hindquarters — essentially a turn on the haunches at a slow pace. Clinton Anderson's sessions with Titan demonstrate this introduction clearly: the horse first learns to move its front end around from a standstill before any speed is added. Speed in the spin comes from the horse's energy and confidence in the movement — never from rushing or spurring a horse that does not understand the maneuver.

Key checkpoints at each stage: Is the horse maintaining its pivot foot consistently? Is it crossing its front feet cleanly, not shuffling? Is it staying balanced and not falling forward? Is it moving from a light inside leg cue, not requiring heavy pressure? Each of these must be confirmed before speed is increased.

The Rollback

A rollback is a 180-degree turnaround executed immediately out of a stop, where the horse drives off its hindquarters, pivots over its hocks, and departs in the new direction without hesitation. The departure out of the rollback — the quality of the first stride away — is as important as the turn itself. A horse that drags its pivot foot, falls on the forehand in the turn, or is slow to depart is losing points at each stage of the maneuver.

Rollbacks are built by introducing slow fence rollbacks — loping to the fence at a slow speed, stopping, and asking the horse to turn back and lope away. The fence provides direction and keeps the horse from turning too wide. Speed is added only when the slow rollback is fluid, balanced, and confident.

Common Faults and Corrections

The most common spin fault is the horse that drags or walks its pivot foot — corrected by ensuring the horse is straight and balanced before asking for the turn and by using inside leg to push the hindquarters down and under. The most common rollback fault is the horse that turns to the outside of the pivot foot — corrected by going back to slow fence rollbacks and rebuilding the correct pivot-on-the-hindquarters mechanics before adding speed.

Watch & Learn

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Clinton Anderson: Titan Lesson 4 — Beginning Spin Work

Downunder Horsemanship

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Matt Mills Reining — How to Teach Your Horse to Spin

Matt Mills

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Matt Mills Reining — Perfect a Rollback in Less Than 90 Seconds

Matt Mills