[Super_Trooper]

I spent time with the horses today and lunged/rode Veruca. I didn't trot today because she had 'some beans' so we just walked and steered. Her stopping isn't going that well. When I apply pressure to stop, she fights it, I use my voice, seat and pressure and she barely stops. When she does I release and praise but I think her stopping should be getting better by now.

I use a full check, french link on her. Perhaps it's just consistancy?? I should be working with her more? Any other ideas???

[GriffinsGirl]

I dunno ST, does a voice command help? What about teaching her the "one rein stop"? I've never used this, but Blistering Winds and many others on this forum swear by it - might be worth looking into (especially for safety's sake!).

[PoochtheMighty]

I think the one-rein stop would confuse her at this point, she's still a baby and that's for horses who KNOW to stop, they just DON'T.

Super Trooper-perhaps if you let her stop herself along with the cues? Ride her directly toward the fence (keep her straight) and pretty soon you'll feel her start to get confused, just sit quiet and start to ask for the whoa to help her out, perhaps the fence will encourage her to cease forward movement- or just confuse her. When she DOES stop, make a big big big production out of it. Lots of praise and pats, and if she'll stand still, then let her stand and think about it for a second. She might wanna walk off, if that's the case then move her off yourself.

Good luck!

[wyldterv]

Originally Posted by PoochtheMighty

I think the one-rein stop would confuse her at this point, she's still a baby and that's for horses who KNOW to stop, they just DON'T...

I'm sorry I have to completely disagree with this line of thought on the one rein stop... We have trained it into our youngsters from the ground and then on their backs before we train ANYTHING else... it is actually designed as a 'safety brake' so it's definately something to train into a youngster from the get go... the one rein stop is really just a total bend that forces the horses forward momentum to decrease drastically and normally brings them into a complete stop.. the MOMENT they STOP... you RELEASE all pressure and that is their reward for stopping. If they go to walk off you just calmly pick up the one rein again until they stop and stand adn then RELEASE all pressure again for reward.

Once my horses understand how to do a one reined stop completely and know that pressure means stop and you'll get a release (reward) I begin to introduce the two reined stop.

I do this by relaxing my back and sitting down in my saddle while gently pulling back on the reins and just waiting out the horse... they'll normally want to fight the pressure somewhat at first but I don't give..> I just sit very quietly up on them until they stop forward momentum... then RELEASE and I mean DROP those reins onto their neck TOTALLY slack and give tons of praise. Then ask for some forward momentum and then sit deep, relax your back, ask for the face and just calmly and quietly hold until the horse again stops. I do NOT introduce any kind of a voice command until they are stopping consistently THEN I intro a stop or whoa command so they can associate exactly what that word means in conjunction with the behavior they're performing and the reward to follow.

[John]

I agree with Wild on the one rein stop first for safety reasons if nothing else. I would like to add that when you are introducing a two rein stop ask first with very light pressure and give the horse a chance to respond.A responce gets rewarded (less pressure ) ,no responce gets more pressure. The horse must stop even if it means a one rein stop. Never hold the same pressure that your horse is pulling. You must always be more or less or wou may end up with what is known as a hard mouth. Always start with a minimal amount of pressure and give the horsea chance to learn to get lighter and lighter. Any bit that fits will do