The problem: The
horse will stop only if rider applies rein pressure.
Why does this problem
happen? The reason a horse needs rein contact to stop (anything from firm contact
to a hard pull) is simple – he has not been taught anything different!
How to correct this
problem:
Ideally, for the stop that looks the best to the judge, the
horse should stop with the rider’s hand low (no rein contact). In other words,
he should respond to rider aids other than rein pressure for a deep, sliding
stop. This can only be accomplished if he has been trained that way – by asking
first with seat and voice and using reins only for a back-up plan.
From the very beginning of training, I use a sequence of
aids to teach my horses to stop without any contact with their mouth. I re-enforce
this every day with every horse and if I encounter a problem at a higher level
or with a damaged horse, I spend even more time teaching this sequence of aids.
The exercise is the same whether the horse is young and learning to stop or seasoned
with problems that need correcting.
Exercise: At a long trot, I head out in straight line
anywhere in the arena (diagonal is good) with my hands low. When I am confident
the horse is straight (See Stop Fix #1: Straighten the Rundown), I ask him to stop, first by
changing my body position from the center of balance to behind the center of
balance (step forward in to the stirrups, sit down and lock the small of my
back, square shoulders) without moving my hands from the low position. Still
with hands low, I say “whoa” (a nice long, low “whoa”). Whether he stops or not
(and he probably won’t if he’s waiting for my hands to move), I wait (count to
‘two’) with my body still in stop position. Then I slowly pick up both reins
and apply pressure until he gives to the bridle and backs up a step or two, at
which time I release rein pressure, relax my body and allow him to rest for a
few seconds or longer. Note: Backing off
the bridle accomplishes two things – asking him to give to the bridle (which is
part of the stop) and a correction if he does not stop. If he does not give
to the bridle when I back him, I turn him off one rein instead of resting,
straighten him, trot off in a new direction and repeat. When he does not resist
the exercise, I ask for a stop with only my body and voice and if he does (the
ultimate goal – stop with no rein contact), I don’t back him. If rider’s aids
are consistent, almost every horse will stop without rein contact in only a few
repetitions.
Although I prefer that my horses stop without rein contact,
I school my horses to stop with any one
of the stop signals – body, voice or hands. It changes up the exercise and
insures that he is tuned to any one of the aids.
Note: Ground
conditions vary from show to show and sometimes it’s necessary to pick up on the
reins to help a horse stay in the ground (If the ground is very heavy or deep).
If that happens, I want him to respond willingly to the pressure on the bit. I always ask for the stop
with body and voice but am prepared to add rein pressure if needed.
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| Example of horse stopping without rein contact |
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