How to get horse to stop?

Question

Sometimes when my horse starts picking up her pace...I pull back on the reines and tell her "wooo" in attempt to get her to stop. Sometimes she just fights me and won't stop unless I pull back real hard. Why is she doing this? Sometimes she is fine and stops well but other times she does this.

Answer 1

There could be several reasons why she chooses to not stop for you at times. She may not have been trained properly, or may have developed a hard mouth, so that it takes an extra strong pull to get her to stop. She may not recognize your cues, or may be "surprised" by them so she doesn't stop right away.

Either way, you need to work with your mare until she becomes soft and listening for you to ask her to stop. I would work in an arena where she can't really go anywhere. Start out at the walk, and just use your body language to control her. Leave the reins alone as much as you can. When she is walking, use the seat of your pants and thigh muscles to kind of "sit deeper" and let her know you want to stop. With this "sitting deep", quietly say "whoa", and THEN tighten the reins. In this way, you are asking first (sitting, and saying whoa), and then telling. Now, if she does not stop at first, keep a steady pressure on the reins, pulling back low towards your hips, not up on the reins. If she tosses her head, continues walking, etc., the pull on the reins should not change. Only when she stops should you let up, and the release of the reins should be immediate--as soon as her feet still for a second, let up. If she begins to move again without being told, I would pull on one rein to bend her in a circle. This still rewards her for stopping (you released the reins) but keeps her from continuing to walk forward.

Then practice it again. Walk a fourth of the way around the arena, then sit deep, say "whoa", and tighten your reins. Keep them tight until she stops. Immediately release, pat her, tell her "good job", etc...don't give her treats, it changes what she's thinking about. She needs to think about your cues, not about the yummies in your pocket! When she is stopping really well for you at the walk, then advance to a trot. Trot her around the arena at least once, and pick different places to stop, avoiding the arena gate (she will be inclined to stop in front of the gate, so don't stop her there or let her stop there.) In the trot, when you are going to stop, first sit down, say "whoa", and then tighten the reins. She will learn to listen for you to sit, and will know she should stop if she doesn't want the pull on the bit. This is why we ask first...it helps her obey the asking, and then we don't have to pull her mouth so much. When she does this well at a trot, then advance to a canter.


Now, the other thing I would talk to you about is you mentioned "when my horse starts picking up her pace"...is she going faster on her own, or did you ask her to? If she is going faster without being asked to, you need to pull her around into a circle. This keeps you from always pulling back on her mouth (makes her mouth get tough and insensitive), it also controls her movement (she can't go really fast if she is turning in a tight circle), and it helps her learn to bend laterally and give to the rein pressure. If she doesn't turn in a circle when you pull on one rein, you need to do this a LOT until she is more flexible.

If you are asking her to trot and she starts going faster, check her (half halt, which is a pull on the reins to slow her) and keep her in the trot. If this still doesn't work, if she is threatening to canter and you don't want her to, make her turn and make a circle, not too small, but small enough that she can't canter. What you are teaching her is that she has to obey what you are asking or else she will have to work (turn circles, which is harder than just cantering). Again, try to avoid pulling straight back on the reins unless she absolutely won't obey. Then do as you did at the walk: pull steadily towards your hips until she shows any indication of obeying (slowing down) and then release immediately to reward her. When you release, you are defining to her what the proper action was. For instance, if she doesn't know what you want her to do when you pull back, she may try different things: tossing her head, lashing her tail, going faster, etc...when she finally tries the right thing, which is slowing or stopping, and you release the reins, she gets instant relief from the bit and thinks "Oh, that's what I was supposed to do! Okay, next time my mouth starts hurting I'm going to slow down and maybe it will stop hurting!"

When you consistently practice these steps with her, she should get better. You don't want to confuse her. For instance, if you ask for a canter, and then immediately pull back when she does start to canter, that is being contradictory and inconsiderate of her. Only a highly trained horse will go into a canter and then stop on a dime, and you shouldn't expect a normal riding horse to do that. Let her canter for a circle or two of the arena. Then ask for a stop by sitting deep, saying "whoa", and tightening the reins. Again, keep the pressure until you get the result you want. If you don't actually want her to stop, just slow, I would just tighten the reins and not do the sitting deep and saying "whoa". Whoa always means "STOP", not slow down to a trot.

Good luck, hope this helps. Again, if you don't train her to obey you, she isn't going to get any better. You can't just fool around on a horse and expect it to learn. It takes practice and lots of training. So I hope these ideas will give you what you need to teach her to stop when you ask.

Answer 2

Pulling back on the reins is not the correct way to ask a horse to slow or stop and will most likely result in the horse pulling right back at you (and they will win a tug-of-war).

The correct way to slow a horse is to squeeze the outside rein, sit up, let your weight sink downwards and think stop. If your horse still does not stop then you can alternate squeezing on both reins. If you cannot stop then turn onto a circle and keep trying. By all means use verbal commands as well, keeping your voice low and calm for downward transitions.

Work on your downward transitions in a school to get her listening to you and consider investing in a few lessons with a qualified instructor to sharpen up your aids if this is a recurring problem.

Answer 3

I agree 100% with Daisy.

When I start mules, they learn whoa on a loose lead and halter with a verbal command and I make sure they have a PHD in it.

I also one rein. If the horse refuses contact with 2 reins, I don't push the issue, I just one rein them into a stop. Pulling on their mouth only creates a hard faced horse.

Do not go to a bigger bit until you have this horse solid. Bigger bits are not for fixing training problems, just finishing a horse off.

Lots of transitions. I also use a rail and walk to the horse to it and do my 'whoaing' procedure which is sit slightly back, legs slightly forward, verbal whoa and then slight rein pressure. I use the rail to stop if that fails. I use the rail at all 3 gaits too.

Good advice from daisy, I would definately study what she said and follow it.

Answer 4

Easy tip. If she starts to pick up speed and is not responding to half halts (short stop on the bit) then I'd pull your outside rein in towards you until your mare runs into the wall of the arena. She won't actually run into the wall...she will stop of course but you will not be able to muscle a horse who wants to run. Once she has been run into a wall a few times AFTER you try stopping her, she will start to get the idea she needs to stop. Try not pulling on her mouth too hard...she may have already developed a hard mouth and won't be listening to anyone pulling on her mouth...if she doesn't respond and start to slow down...try the wall method...she will eventually get it. Good luck and be careful.

Answer 5

I agree with DaisyKJ. You need to work work work on transitions. If in a snaffle bit, you may need to add a drop or flash nose band to maintain more control. If you horse is gapping open her mouth when you ask for halt, this is a clear indication that your horse is evading the bit.

When you are working on transitions be sure to vary the work. For example, ask for 10 steps of trot or canter then walk or halt, then maybe 50 steps then trot or halt, etc. At any time your horse feels strong, ask for a downward transition immediately. Never go faster until you have absolute control slower...

Answer 6

The word is "whoa"

If using snaffle bit, run it through her mouth, then pull back, drive your tail bone down (stop her with your seat) RELEASE as soon as the responds. (reward)

Be sure you aren't clamping down with your legs when she picks up the pace.

Answer 7

it could be a few things,it might be your horses bit,it could be to big or small thats can cause it to start pinching him/her.or its mainly is their teeth if you have not had them checked i would do so they can be painfull for your horse.I had the same problem with my horse

Answer 8

Don't pull back! Squeeze your thighs and sponge your reins.

Answer 9

she's telling you she needs & wants to run for exercise & fun.
when she starts a faster pace, speak soothingly to her as you rub her neck..it calms them down. & if that doesn't work, find a distraction for her that'll make her slow & stop. 'ie a treat or another person...a grazing are...
I trained mine to slow when she saw kids..or offered a healthy treat like a apple.

Answer 10

she's mabe just enjoying it to much or being naughty try using a stronger bit if on a normal snaffle.