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What Part of Whoa Don't You Understand?
Every horse, regardless of their breed, needs
a
good solid stop. Even if you’re not on a dead run away, the ability to
stop quickly is critical for the safety of both horse and rider. And
every equestrian sport, from cutting to dressage to jumping, requires a
horse to be able to stop when necessary. In the first half of this
article, I discussed the Dead Run Away and some strategies to stop him.
Now I’d like to talk about different ways to cause a horse to want to
stop, and how to manage problems that may arise.
Let’s first consider horses and the different
breeds. "Long horses", such as Arabians and Thoroughbreds, have been
selectively bred for speed and endurance. Gaited horses have also been
bred for going forward for long distances in very straight lines. If
you have one of these horses, their natural talent may be running
instead of stopping "Short horses", such as Quarter horses, on the
other hand, have been bred for working cows, which requires
instantaneous speed, turning and stopping. Mustangs are another
naturally "Short horse", meaning that they usually aren’t very forward.
Since a horse is a prey animal, their ability
to flee from danger is paramount to their survival. But while their
innate nature causes them to seek flight when under pressure, they also
have an innate stopping mechanism, which can be used to a rider’s
advantage. For example, when a horse is startled by a stimulus, they
will usually run a quarter of a mile, stop and turn, face the direction
from which they just came, and snort. At this moment, they make a
decision about whether to continue to run or to stop where they are.
Humans, being predators, use their hands to
try to control their environment. The simple act of driving a car
requires that we mostly pay attention with out hands, that we learn how
to steer in and out of danger. When we ride a horse, however, our hands
are the last thing that should “come on" in order to direct a horse. In
the Circle of Aids, we use our eyes for focus, our seat and our legs
for direction, and lastly our hands to control a horse. In many natural
horsemanship programs, riding bridle less is a talent that is prized
and admired: a horse that can be responsive to their rider’s cues,
without so much as picking up a rein, is a sensitive and well-trained
horse (and a fearless rider!)
I use a variety of techniques to teach a
horse how to "whoa", and I usually employ more than one, since
different situations will require a different stopping cue. Regardless
of how I ask a horse to whoa, the key to getting a horse to stop is for
the rider to simply STOP RIDING. "Position before transition" means
that the rider needs to be aware of what he wants to happen before
asking the horse to do it. A rider should set the tone when it comes to
having a conversation with their horse, acting as their respected
leader and trusted friend. If the rider’s impulses aren’t in check,
their horse’s probably aren’t either. For example, riders are often so
focused on getting themselves back to the barn that they forget that
their horse intuitively senses their desire to be home, and then they
are surprised when their horse becomes jiggy or begins to prance.
Before
you even get on your horse, you can
play a straight line driving game that can teach your horse to stay
with you, not darting ahead or lagging behind. With your horse on line
in a halter and lead, ask them to stay with you, shoulder to shoulder,
as you move forward. If your horse gets too far behind, use your lead
rope or a crop to stimulate their driveline, approximately where the
cinch is located. This should act to bring your horse forward and back
in line with you. Conversely, if your horse is moving ahead of you, use
the lead rope or crop in front of their nose to drive them backwards.
Sometimes it is helpful to begin this task next to a fence, with the
horse moving between it and you. This eliminates your horse’s ability
to flee and gives them (and you) a straight line to follow. Eventually,
you can use this technique when you take your horse from their pen or
aresimply walking around with them. Remember, this isn’t a task about
leading: its about staying next to each other, side by side.
After your horse understands what you are
asking for on line, you can move to the next level, where you ask for
it when you’re in the saddle. With each of the techniques I have
outlined below, it is the rider’s responsibility to be the leader, quit
riding (meaning be quiet in the saddle, become passive, look at the
ground) and THEN ask the horse to stop.
PATTERNING TO A WHOA: There are many patterns
that will help your horse to learn to stop. In most arenas, the center
is known as X, the place where you are required or asked to stop. For
example, in dressage, you enter the arena, go to the center, halt,
salute, and then continue on in your pattern. So it makes sense to
pattern your horse to stop at the center of the arena. Clover leaf
patterns will teach this to your horse: start by going to the left in a
wide circle, then back through the center and left again, until you
have completed 4 turns to the left, and stopped in the center. It may
take several repetitions of the pattern to get your horse to actually
WANT to stop in the center, and when he is resistant, keep riding the
pattern until your horse realizes that the release he is seeking is
found in the center of the arena. Then do the same pattern going only
to the right. This way teaches both sides of your horse’s brain, their
innate nature (right brain) and their thinking side (left brain).
ROLLBACKS: This technique is used a lot by
Western riders but can be employed by anyone who wants a quick
transition and a snappy departure. Use a wall of the arena or a fence
line, canter your horse down it, and then stop, turn and go at the same
pace in the opposite direction. This technique allows the horse to have
their natural forward energy, while asking it to be light on its feet
and responsive to the rider’s cues. Again, the circle of aids comes in,
as we have to first ask with our eyes, then our seat, then our legs,
and lastly our hands. Over pulling on the reins eventually causes
braciness. This leads to humans using bigger bits and spurs to get the
horse to respond. We want our horses to be as light as possible, and to
respond to the slightest cue of our bodies.
RIDING TO WHOA: A variation on the Rollback
is letting a horse go until it naturally tires itself. I recently had
an Arabian gelding in for training, a horse who was naturally suited
for endurance riding, and who had bucked off or run away with several
of its riders. I put the horse in my arena, focused on one stopping
point, and rode him for 2 hours, at the canter, before he finally
stopped. Every time the horse went towards the stopping point, I left
him alone, giving him release: every time he went away from the
stopping point, I drove him forward, in search of it. This technique
requires exquisite patience and persistence on the part of the rider,
but when the horse finally stops it is worth the trouble, because they
really "get it". When the horse I was riding finally stopped, I
dismounted, unsaddled, and let him have his release.
USING A BARRIER: It might seem obvious, but
you can use a fence or a line of trees to stop your horse. If you are
in an open area and are having difficulty getting your horse to whoa,
point him at a fence/tree line/barrier and let him move towards it. As
your horse approaches the barrier, stop riding and prepare to whoa,
quickly. In 30 years of training horses, I have seen horses plow
through a fence, but once they do it, they will never do it again. More
often than that, I have seen riders who weren’t prepared for the quick
stop this technique induces. Again, it is critical to quit riding in
your body and be ready when your horse stops suddenly at the barrier.
With repetition, this technique will teach a horse to stop when you
ask, as they end up having nowhere else to go.
DISENGAGEMENT OF THE HINDQUARTERS: I
discussed this technique in my last article, and while it is an
effective way to stop a dead run away, it also works to put in a stop.
When you’re riding in the arena, and are ready to ask for a stop, run
your hand down the rein, hold the rein towards your thigh. Keep this
position while your horse circles with their hindquarters disengaged,
until he completely stops. It is important to run your hand down the
rein first, before holding the rein to your thigh, as this gives the
horse time to know what’s coming. It is also important to have used
this technique to stop your horse at the walk and the trot prior to
practicing it at the canter. This technique is extremely effective, but
I have seen many horses who have been "over bent", meaning their riders
used disengagement too often and the horse consequently learns to use
disengagement to evade the task at hand.
STOPPING WITH HELP: Have a friend use a
stimulus (such as a stick with a plastic bag on it). Have your friend
ride towards you, while the human holding the bag is backing up. You
have to maintain your horse’s head at the level of the bag, keeping
your horse’s eyes focused on it. Once your horse accepts the bag, they
should back up straight from it. Having someone on the ground acts as a
support system for the whoa, which shows the rider how much effort it
takes to back up their horse and shows the horse how to straighten
itself through the stop and back up.
Horses learn through release, not through
pulling. Pulling on the reins only causes a horse to be claustrophobic
and jiggy. All of the techniques outlined above only work if the rider
has a focus, and keeps that focus through all the chaos that may ensue.
When your horse gives you the stop you are asking for, let go of the
reins, and give him release.
Once you have gotten your horse to stop,
reward him by releasing the reins and relaxing in the saddle. If your
horse moves forward again, put pressure just in front of his drive line
(at the level of the horse’s shoulder) and ask him to back up. For
every step forward he makes, ask him to back up 2 steps. Eventually, he
will learn that going forward has no reward other than having to back
up. It becomes harder for him to move forward than to stand still, and
acts as a cue for him to relax. This technique works especially well
with horses that have difficulty standing still while their rider is on
board.
Using these techniques requires patience and persistence on the part of the rider. It may take 2 hours, 2 days, 2 months or 2 years to effect the changes you desire in your horse, but remain firm and certain of your desired outcome. Horses respond to consistent language. Inconsistency causes horses to be fearful, fractious, and less trusting in our leadership. By being consistent with our horses we build a stronger foundation for partnership. The reward for our efforts is a horse that is more calm, settled and willing to ride with us instead of against us.