How to Get Your Horse to Stop
Imagine being on a horse and he bolts.
You pull those reins to slow him down but it’s no use. He
resists and the fence posts go whizzing by you as you panic and
pray he doesn’t shift his bodyweight and you fly off his back
into a post.
It’s scary to be on a horse that runs on his own volition
and can’t be slowed down. Many people will sell their horse
because they’re so scared of that happening again. How do you
keep a horse from bolting like that?
There is a way to temper your horse even if he spots
something that scares him and he wants to run in fear. I call
it, “Installing an emergency brake.”
This is done on the ground while you’re doing ground
training. Every time you work with your horse you should spend
a few minutes doing this – even if you know your horse “gets
it.” It simply cannot be done enough.
What does it look like when you use the emergency brake on
your horse? While you’re riding, you reach down to either rein.
You tightly grab the rein, slide it up your legs along the seam
of your pants up to your hips. At the same time, you are
loosely holding the other rein. As you do this, your horse’s
nose will be pointing back towards his rear end.
Why does this work? Ever try to run forward while looking
backwards? Need I say more? (There are exceptions. Some horses
are so limber they will run forward with their nose buried in
their sides – but not many)
But you can’t simply get on your horse and expect to pull
his head back if he takes off. You must do some ground work
first. And here’s what you do.
Put a halter on your horse and hook a lead rope to the
halter. Stand on the left side of your horse. Stand by your
horse across from his back leg. Take your right arm and put it
over his rump. Next, pull the lead rope towards you and rest
your left hand on his back.
At this point your horse will resist some. If he pulls his
head forward you hold the lead rope in place. Eventually he
will move his head back towards you and give into the pull you
have on the lead rope. The second he moves his head back
towards you then you release the lead rope tension and praise
him. In other words, when you see the lead rope has slack in it
because he moved his nose back towards you, then release.
Eventually, you want him to touch his nose to his body.
That’s the goal you’re shooting for because the more his head
comes around the better control you will have. Also, there’s a
second goal you’re shooting for. When you pull the lead rope
around to bring your horse’s head back, you want it to be where
you don’t pull. He moves his head back for you.
As you pull on the lead rope his head moves back with no
exertion from you. His head follows. It’s called being
responsive. This is important because when you’re riding your
horse and you have to pull his head around you don’t want to
have a tug of war while you’re riding a bolting horse. You want
him to automatically do it.
At first your horse won’t be able to touch his nose to his
body. So you start with small successes. At first you pull his
head back towards you until you get resistance. When you do,
hold the lead rope tension. Don’t make the tension more or
less, simply hold it there.
The second he looks back toward you more and creates slack
in the lead rope, you give him immediate relief and take the
tension off the lead rope completely. Then you tell him what a
good boy he is. Pet him too. Let him know that’s just what you
wanted.
As you do this, you will want him to bring his head farther
and farther back until he begins to touch his nose to his body.
Don’t try to get him to touch his nose to his body within the
first one or two ground sessions. That’s rushing it and you
likely won’t make it happen. This takes time to get your horse
to understand what you want him to do.
Remember to do this on the other side of your horse too.
What your horse can do on his left side, he should be able to
do on his right side.
When you have your horse touching his nose to his side, then
you’re ready to get on him and test his emergency brake. Get on
your horse and go for a test ride. If he starts to run and you
don’t want him to, grab a rein and pull his head around. Don’t
jerk the reins…pull. Then boot him into a circle. When he slows
down or stops like you want him to then release the pressure.
Remember to do it on the left and right reins.
If your horse doesn’t easily touch his nose to his body
while riding him, then you need to have him practice it more.
Also, before you go riding have him touch his nose a few times
on each side with the bit in his mouth. Doing these things will
cinch your riding into a pleasant experience.
About The Author: Andy Curry is a nationally known
horse trainer and author of several best selling horse training
and horse care books. For information visit his website at
www.horsetrainingandtips.com. He is also
the leading expert on Jesse Beery's horse training methods
which can be seen at
www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beerya.htm.
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