1. First one I tried after watching one of Clinton Anderson's shows on RFD-TV. With a snaffle put even pressure on both sides of the bit (Keep your legs loose hanging down the sides of the horse.), and keep pressure until the horse lowers it's head the slightest bit. The horse might back, raise it's head, try turning it's head, or any way to get the pressure off, eventually he'll lower his head and thats when you let go of the reins and reward them. Then pick up the reins again with pressure until they give again. Keep doing this each time holding the pressure longer until the horse lowers his head to the desired level. When the horse flexes at the poll with the slightest raise of the reins move the horse into a walk and squeeze with your legs and have the horse flex at the poll and as soon as it give release the pressure. As you get the horse to walk around with it's head tucked in, you can try it at a trot, but make sure the horse flexes with a slight raise of the reins. And continue the pattern through all the gaits. When tou want your horse to fex when backing, have him flex his head and sit deep on your tailbone and tell them back and squeeze with your legs. They might try to raise their head, and if they do let up on your legs and have them lower their head again and try it again. You shouldn't have this problem if you've taken time to teach them that when pressure is on the bit to lower and tuck their head.
2. Seconf method I used was after I used Clinton Andersons method on a Welara amre and it worked on her, but when it cam time to get a paint gelding to flex he would not flex no matter how hard or long I waited (15 minutes). So I finally thought of laying down on him and pulling his head down that way. (I was riding bareback) And as soon as he lowered his head I let up on the reins. (For some of you older trainers, this might not be an easy way to teach this because I'm still young and I was sore the next day.) But then I ran into a problem, I had him flexing when I was laying down but as soon as a sat up we wouldn't flex. So I gradually had to raise myself back to the proper position. Once you have yourself in the proper position and the horse flexing well, just follow the steps of the above method. It took longer this way, but now he flexes at the poll with the slightest tug on the reins and will back with his nose between his front legs.
