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NEWS & ARTICLES : Whoa Nelli!

There is no safe ride without a good halt, so teaching your horse "Whoa" is critical.

Horse racing is a blast! Galloping as fast as the horse can go, wind whipping your face – what a rush! Unless you can’t stop when you want to. Then just try to control your personal panic button!

Teaching a horse to halt while being led is the first step, and connecting the action to the word “whoa” will educate the horse to the meaning of that word. When riding a horse who is frightened or excited, saying “Whoa!” probably won’t be enough, so you need a “physical follow-up” to the verbal command.

While most horses learn to halt with gentle pressure on both reins, there are various methods of teaching an under-saddle halt. If you’re having real trouble with this issue, seek professional help. Here are two emergency-stop techniques everyone should know.

One-rein stop:

This one is controversial, but it’s worth practicing. Teach it before you have a problem, so it’s there when you need it. Caution: don’t perform this if the horse is moving very fast, or you can cause him to fall. Begin at a walk, using a snaffle bit or similar direct-rein bridle. Reach one hand at least half way down the rein, pull up and back, towards your belly button. Simultaneously, apply leg pressure on that same side, and cause the horse to step over (yield) with his haunches. The stepping over “disengages” the horse’s engine, and a halt can be achieved. You’re looking for your horse to soften his face and neck to the rein aid, softly step haunches over, and halt softly. The key is to release all signals when the horse is soft, and thinks of stopping, allowing him to stop while “in release”. He should continue to yield if you continue to apply leg pressure, so you must cease the cue.

Pulley-rein stop:

This is popular among English riders, but will work for just about anyone. It’s the best one to use in a high-speed situation because you don’t unbalance the horse, nor risk a fall. In a nutshell, one hand shortens the rein, makes a fist and buries firmly into the horse’s neck/crest, while the other hand pulls firmly up and back on the other rein, possibly pulsing. There is a lot of leverage, so don’t abuse this tool. It’s imperative to know how to do this, especially if you ride horses at speed, or on narrow trails where using the one-rein stop could cause a wreck.

Ultimately, you want your horse to stop on a dime whenever you even think “Whoa”. “Perfect practice makes perfect”, and a good ride always ends with a great halt.