There is a fairly easy solution to horse clippings. It begins, as the resolution of all problems begins, on the walk. Walking is the slowest and easiest pace on a horse to control, and it’s where all training begins. Practice horseback riding on the walk around the sand, having him walk around corners to a point where he has almost no room before allowing him to turn; At the same time, firmly apply the leg facing the center of the sand (inner leg) behind the girth. This tells the horse that it is not allowed to take shortcuts. Do this at every corner of the sand you hit, each time you firmly apply the inside leg; thus telling the horse that he has no choice but to get into the corner. You will want to do this in both directions, which will teach the horse to always stay on the edge of the arena when riding a corner; Also, congratulate him every time he walks around the corner without fighting his aids, this will really reinforce his good behavior and his desire to please you.
Once you’ve got him going well around corners on a hike using those cues, and feel confident you’re doing well, give it a try at a jog. That way you can tell if you are ready to listen at a faster rate. If the horse continues to listen to prompts, reward him with praise and soften your signals. If he chooses to ignore his aids, take him back for a walk and resume the exercise on a walk, giving him strong cues with the inside leg behind the girth and bringing him almost to the corner. This tells you that in order for the aids not to be applied abruptly, you need to go to the corner. Once he’s obeying you again, try jogging again. Every time you don’t listen at a faster pace and start taking shortcuts again, take him back on the hike and use his signals forcefully.
As he becomes more docile and listens to the trot, you can ease his aids – use your softer legs and give him more rein to allow him to get around the corner without cutting into it. He will tell him that his good behavior made you trust him and that he will be happy to please you. Trust him, but if he reverts to the old shortcut behavior, rectify the problem immediately by making him walk again and pushing him into corners. Over time, you will learn that to move at a faster pace you have to reach corners smoothly and avoid jerks towards the center of the arena.
