Two-tracking is when your horse moves laterally and forward simultaneously at any gait. On the trail, this movement enables you to deftly move away from a potentially dangerous obstacle. Here, trainer J.F. Sheppard teaches Breeding Stock Registry Paint Horse mare Chiefs Poco Reed the two-track at the walk.

Question: I’ve been trail riding for about a year. My 9-year-old Paint Horse gelding does pretty well on the trail. Someone told me that a maneuver called “two-tracking” comes in handy on the trail. What is two-tracking, and does it really help? If so, how do I teach the maneuver to my gelding?
Mary Anne Jenkins
Barstow, California

Answer: Mary Anne, two-tracking can indeed come in handy on the trail. Simply put, two-tracking (also called the two-track) is when your horse moves laterally (to one side) and forward simultaneously at any gait. This movement is helpful on the trail, because it enables you to deftly move your horse away from a potentially dangerous obstacle, such as a barb-wire fence, a low-hanging branch, or a precipice. You don’t have to stop your horse, then change direction to move him away from the potential hot spot — you can keep him going forward while moving laterally at the same time.  

Before You Begin
Before you teach your horse how to two-track, make sure he’s in good physical condition and very supple. He should know how to work well on the ground and under saddle. He should stop, back up, move forward, and flex laterally in both directions on cue. 

Tack up with a proper fitting saddle, headstall, and smooth snaffle bit (either full-cheek or O-ring snaffle). Use either a one-piece loop rein or leather split reins. Apply protective boots on your horse’s legs to protect them in case he bumps them together while learning the maneuver.

Lead your horse to an enclosed arena with good footing, and mount up.

Step-by-Step Technique 
Teach your horse the two-track by executing the following steps.   

Step 1: Ask him to flex. Begin by performing lateral flexion exercises under saddle. Essentially, at the stop, you’ll gently use direct-rein cues to bring your horse’s nose to his shoulder, on both sides. (Your horse will first need to know this maneuver on the ground; for details, see “Flex for Control,” Ask the Trainer, May/June ’06.)

Step 2: Circle. Walk your horse in several large circles in both directions, then bring him into smaller circles. Next, trot him in several large and small circles in both directions.  

Step 3: Take a break. When you’re sure your horse is listening to you, stop him, and allow him to stand for about five minutes so he can rest and soak in what he’s already done.

Step 4: Go forward. Send your horse forward at the walk. Keep him walking for a few strides. Stay relaxed. When your horse knows you’re relaxed, he should stay relaxed, as well.

Step 5: Two-track to the right. To teach your horse to two-track to the right, you’ll first ask him to move his hindquarters to the right, away from left leg pressure. You’ll do this by applying three cues simultaneously: a rein cue, a leg cue, and a voice cue. Performed at the same time, these cues actually become one cue. 

Walk a few strides, then slide your left hand down the left rein, slowly tip your horse’s nose slightly to the left, and move your left calf back alongside his rib cage toward his flank. Don’t move your calf all of the way to his flank, though; place it about four inches in front of his flank area. Cluck in a high-pitched tone, and apply pressure with your calf against his rib cage while keeping his nose tipped to the left with your left rein.

In response to this cue, your horse should free up his hindquarters and cross his left hind leg in front of his right hind leg. Since you’re also going forward, he should simultaneously move his forequarters over by crossing his left front leg in front of his right front leg.

Do this a few strides, then stop him, give him a pat, and tell him in a soft voice that he did well.

Step 6: Take a break. Stop your horse, and allow him to stand still for about five minutes so he can rest and process what he’s just learned.

Step 7: Work on the maneuver. Repeat Step 5 until your horse will move his hindquarters over smoothly. Don’t get frustrated if he’s sloppy at first. Be patient, and be sure to release all pressure each time he tries to do as you ask. The more you work patiently with him, the smoother he’ll become. You’ll also eventually get to a point where he’ll move off your leg cue when it’s about halfway down his rib cage.

Step 8: Two-track to the left. When your horse is two-tracking smoothly to the right, teach him to two-track to the left by reversing the cue you used in Step 5.

Step 9: Change gaits. After your horse two-tracks well in both directions at the walk (this may take several days or several weeks), teach him to two-track at the trot. To do so, ask him to trot, then apply the two-track cue given in Step 5. After he two-tracks well at the trot, you can teach him to two-track at the lope.

Note: Most horses two-track well at the walk. Some horses do better at the trot than at the lope, but for others, the opposite is true. Horses learn new maneuvers at different speeds, so be patient, and give your horse a chance to learn. If you run into any problems, ask a reputable trainer or certified riding instructor to help you.