In this episode, Ryan Rushing continues his work with the 3-year-old by Modern Gun, shifting the focus to refining body position and improving the quality of the turnaround.

Ryan emphasizes the importance of keeping the horse square and balanced underneath himself. He explains that he doesn’t want the ribcage drifting out or the body falling apart through the maneuver—instead, the horse should stay aligned, with each part working together.

Rather than demanding perfection, Ryan encourages the horse to think through the process. This stage of training is about awareness and understanding, not drilling for a flawless result.

He breaks down the key elements that lead to a better turnaround, including creating lightness in the feet, elevating the withers, and ensuring the front end stays free from the outside leg. Proper hind end positioning is also critical—if the hip gets too far to the inside, it blocks the front end from stepping across correctly. Ryan focuses on keeping the hock underneath the horse and out of the way so the movement can stay fluid and correct.

When something isn’t right within the maneuver, Ryan doesn’t fight through it. Instead, he steps out of the turnaround, fixes the issue separately, and then returns to the maneuver. This approach allows the horse to find relief and clarity, reinforcing the correct response and maintaining a positive attitude.

Throughout the session, Ryan highlights the importance of keeping training light, simple, and progressive. He reminds riders not to fear mistakes during practice—progress matters more than perfection, and creating a willing, confident horse is always the goal.

This episode offers valuable insight into fine-tuning advanced maneuvers while keeping the horse soft, balanced, and engaged.