How do you teach a horse to move his front end left or right without any forward motion, as in trying to back a cart to a loading dock? My horse will gee and haw at a walk to voice command but I am concerned that it will confuse her to use these same command words from a halt. Do you have to start by teaching her to move her front end over while at halter on a lead rope? She can't do that. My cart is in pieces and right now we are just ground driving.

I use gee and ha "OVER" or gee and ha a "LITTLE". It works good for me. I hold my line snug and don't let them take a step forward, but don't pull to hard so they don't back. Some times you have to give a little bit more pressure on the one side that you are wanting to go. Every time I try to teach my horses something I find that they are much smarter than me to start with. lol
be patient and you be surprised how smart they are. Works for me.
Shanen

I just bump them with a gate. Some need a bigger bump than others. She can do it, she just don't know she can. Had one that didn't know she could back up. Once bumping her on the brisket finally took hold, she could run backwards.

I taught all of mine, including the donks, the meaning of *back* with a gate. Doesn't take long! Gee and Ha with *over* and a nudge got my Pinta Pony backing and turning a wagon like a pro. When on the wagon seat, I lightly tap her shoulder with the end of the whip along with the word commands. Not many drafts can do that. Pity she has arthritis in her knees and can't be used much. She is a jewel! I suspect her problem is due to Lyme or some other tick borne disease that got past me and the vet.

I don't know much about horses BUT with OX training we
rig a pole that won't move move forward or back only rotate around the rear end.
(pin a pole to a stump)
hook the team and call for a GEE or HAW.
they can only rotate about the stump.
This should be used only 2 or 3 times as you are teaching them how to shufel their feet.
follow with a lot of training.

Pretty cool, Ken. But horses don't need no fancy equipment! They are smart enough to learn when you show them what you want IF you are smart enough to explain it to them correctly and don't bore them...

Usually the backing gets taught when one does the ground-driving in the early stages of training. Even a saddle-horse needs to back up well at the slightest pressure and/or voice-command. Any opportunity can be used, such as when getting a horse out of a tie-stall for example.

We do most of our early training right at the hitching rail. This holds true especially with any new horses. It also teaches them to respect your space. When they are hitched after that they pretty much understand what you are asking of them.