Ever wonder how to teach your English-trained or green horse how to neck rein?  Maybe you've got a horse used to going in a hackamore.  The one thing you have to know is: most horses trained with snaffle bits, gag bits or hackamores are used to working off the side the bit is pulling.  That can cause a problem when teaching a horse to neck rein.  For example, if you lay the rein on the right side of the neck, asking for a left turn, the horse thinks you're asking for a right turn, and acts accordingly.  Very frustrating for both horse and rider!  The easy way to teach a horse who will direct/plow rein (term depends on the discipline) is to cross the reins under its neck.  This causes a neck rein to pull the correct side.  If the reins are crossed under the neck and you lay the rein on the right side of the neck, it actually pulls the left side of the bit and you get the correct response.  Same for the left side.  Halt still works the same: pull straight back.  Work the horse with the reins crossed for a while, and when you uncross the reins and ask for the neck rein, you should get the correct reponse.  This method also works as a refresher for horses who have not neckreined in a while, or which are used for riding classes.