Why I Teach My Gaited Horses The One Rein Stop
By Gaye DeRusso
The one rein stop can be used for many purposes. Most people use it for emergency stops, but I use it to teach the horse to listen to my body and seat and to stop. It also teaches the horse to give with its head and neck and not to brace against the rider.
Most horses that come in for me to train, do not listen to the riders very well. So, this is one of the first things I try to teach the horse, is to listen to what I tell you, but also wait and relax when I ask you to wait.
Many have been ridden with large bits and too much contact that the horse did not understand, so they have learned to pull on the bit instead of giving to the bit and to lean on pressure.
After I teach lateral and vertical flexion, this is my next step in retraining. So many of these horses have not been on a loose rein, that when you do put them on a loose rein, especially a forward horse, they just want to run, since they are not use to this freedom.
Also, many will not stand in place on a loose rein. This is not the horse's fault. They do not want to act like this, but they were taught to act this way. People keep them on short reins all the time. Then when standing, they hold the horse there. Since the horse has no breaks from this constant pressure, it usually makes them more and more anxious, so they want to move their feet which gives them some comfort.
Once they understand that when you put them on the loose rein, they get to relax, put their head down and take a break, they become so much more relaxed and comfortable and are happy to stand there for very long periods.
I start this exercise in a round pen or small enclosed area, using a snaffle bit. I like to be somewhere alone, if possible, since it is easier to teach the horse this exercise without distractions. I put the horse on a loose rein, usually holding onto the buckle of the reins (closed rein or loop rein- single rein with buckle in the middle) and ask the horse to walk.
The horse usually starts walking then gaiting and sometimes just running away. As soon as they speed up from anything other than a relaxed walk, I do a one rein stop, by sitting back, make sure all leg contact is off, I take a deep breath in and out with my mouth, I say whoa with a low calm voice, then if they have not stopped, I hold the buckle up with one hand and with the other hand, I slide my hand half way down the rein, and pull toward the hip on the same side. I hold till the horse stops circling and stops moving his feet and then gives to the rein laterally, then I release the rein and go back on a loose rein.
If the horse walks off before I ask them, I immediately do a one rein stop again. I stand for about 20 seconds, but if they try to walk off anytime before that I just do another one rein stop. In the beginning you may have to do it 20 times to get them to stand but that is what need to do. Also, make sure when you ask them to walk off, you use contact with your legs. So, they understand they should not move until you put your leg on them.
If they still are having issues understanding, then I add in disengaging their hindquarters and then ask them to stand again. It can take a lot of time in the beginning, but they will get the message. You can also give a small treat when they stop if they are not making the connection. But once they understand you will take the treat away.
I practice walking and one rein stops around the round pen or arena about every 10-20 steps. I do not steer, that's why it's helpful to be alone. I just let the horse wander where he wants to go, that way he also does not feel confined. It is easiest to work on one thing at a time, so steering will just add more distraction. Just let them go where they want but always make sure you are in an enclosed area to start.
Repeat the one rein stops, for a half hour to an hour, or until your horse has the idea and that's all you do this day. Repeat this exercise as many days in a row that you can, your horse will learn faster.
In time if you do this right, what will happen is, when you sit back and take a deep breath your horse will slow down, then it will stop with the whoa before you even get to pull on the rein. Then over more time it will start to stop when you just sit back and breath before you even get to whoa. Once you get to this point then you can move on.
Next, I teach the horse to stop with two hands. So, I walk off on a loose rein, but shorter than before not on the buckle. I sit back, take my leg off, take a deep breath in and out with my mouth, and say whoa in a low calm voice. If they have not stopped, I pull on both reins until the horse stops, then I hold pressure on the rein till they put their head down (vertical flexion) and gives to the bit.
If they made no effort to stop, once they are stopped I back them up 5 steps then I ask them to stand on a loose rein. If they walk off, you can either go back to one rein stop or go to both reins and stop them and then back up 10 steps, so every time they walk off, you make them go backwards twice as much until they make the connection, that standing is better then backing up.
For the gaited horse, I like to do this just at a walk. When I start to gait them, they can switch to so many gaits, that I don't like to do one rein stops. Now that the horse understands how to respond to my seat, breathing and hands, I can start to gait and if they get too fast, I can now use my seat, breathing then both hands to slow them down or stop them.
When you do this exercise, you must be obvious with your body in the beginning to the horse for them to feel what you are doing up there. So, when I say sit back, you should sit back a lot, when I say take a deep breath through your mouth, I mean a big deep breath, so your horse feels what you are doing up there and won't be confused. If you only sit back a little in the beginning or you take a breath but not big or you, do it through your nose, they will not feel it as well and will not make the connection.
I find this exercise very helpful for forward horses that have just been gaited all over and do not know how to walk and relax. With enough practice, in time they will walk on a loose rein with a lower head and be relaxed. This is very important for their gait. A relaxed horse will gait better. A relaxed horse will listen better. A relaxed horse will understand better.
So, it is very important that your horse understands this exercise well before moving on. In time once the horse is better, I will only do one rein stops here and there, so they do not forget what it means, but then I do not practice it repeatedly. It served its purpose as a building block to teach my horse to stop well and relax, now I will mostly use two hands to slow them down or stop.
You can use the one rein stop in an emergency if the horse takes off, but you must be quick with it. If a horse starts to take off you must do the one rein stop within seconds, and make sure you have room to do a one rein stop, never do one on a single track, with a drop off or you will go off the trail.
Also, if you were not quick with the one rein and now the horse is bolting off, you want to make sure you have room, then circle your horse and make the circle smaller and smaller, until he is no longer galloping and has slowed down some, then do your one rein stop.
If your horse is bolting and you do a one rein stop, once they have a lot of speed, you will put them off balance and can cause them to fall down, so it is best to slow down first to be safe. If you have ever watched western movies, you will see them, make horses fall all the time for the movie, slow the movie down and you will see this is how they did it. So, you must know when it is safe and not safe to use the one rein stop.
Remember, when having issues with your horse, many times it is because the horse does not understand, not because he is trying to be bad. Many times, you need to go back and redo training to help them understand, but if you just keep complaining and do not take the time to fix it, it will never get better.
So yes, this will take some time to teach, but it will help your horse to understand better and, in the end, help you to have a happier, safer horse.
Bits
Snaffle bit https://amzn.to/3WPY1Qh
Short Shank Bit https://amzn.to/3Z0TbRl
Longer Shank Bit https://amzn.to/3vsMcDq
Longer Shank with Port for more tongue relief https://amzn.to/3vtCVLc
Wonder Bit https://amzn.to/3jGSqgj
Wonder Bit with Twist https://amzn.to/3WTCndn
Bit Guards https://amzn.to/3Cd3EQ4
Curb Chain https://amzn.to/3voPGqy
Correction Bit https://amzn.to/3jEOGfj
Reins with colors to help hand placement https://amzn.to/3VyMlzU
Rubber reins to help grip https://amzn.to/3jBub34
Clip for easy attachment and added weight https://amzn.to/3Q1ited
How to use your hands with gaited horses https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDIfbdCzbdtRr1geDTygOjetBmhpukIWc
Free Training Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018259835184485/
Gaited Books
Easy Gaited Horses By Lee Ziegler https://amzn.to/3vFuk8w
The Gaited Horse Bible by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3It0Imf
Gaits of Gold by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3jGXam0
Heavenly Gaits By Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3ieKGBP
Training the Gaited Horse By Gary Lane https://amzn.to/3jPcAVq
DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission if you buy something. This helps support the website. Thank you for the support!
By Gaye DeRusso
The one rein stop can be used for many purposes. Most people use it for emergency stops, but I use it to teach the horse to listen to my body and seat and to stop. It also teaches the horse to give with its head and neck and not to brace against the rider.
Most horses that come in for me to train, do not listen to the riders very well. So, this is one of the first things I try to teach the horse, is to listen to what I tell you, but also wait and relax when I ask you to wait.
Many have been ridden with large bits and too much contact that the horse did not understand, so they have learned to pull on the bit instead of giving to the bit and to lean on pressure.
After I teach lateral and vertical flexion, this is my next step in retraining. So many of these horses have not been on a loose rein, that when you do put them on a loose rein, especially a forward horse, they just want to run, since they are not use to this freedom.
Also, many will not stand in place on a loose rein. This is not the horse's fault. They do not want to act like this, but they were taught to act this way. People keep them on short reins all the time. Then when standing, they hold the horse there. Since the horse has no breaks from this constant pressure, it usually makes them more and more anxious, so they want to move their feet which gives them some comfort.
Once they understand that when you put them on the loose rein, they get to relax, put their head down and take a break, they become so much more relaxed and comfortable and are happy to stand there for very long periods.
I start this exercise in a round pen or small enclosed area, using a snaffle bit. I like to be somewhere alone, if possible, since it is easier to teach the horse this exercise without distractions. I put the horse on a loose rein, usually holding onto the buckle of the reins (closed rein or loop rein- single rein with buckle in the middle) and ask the horse to walk.
The horse usually starts walking then gaiting and sometimes just running away. As soon as they speed up from anything other than a relaxed walk, I do a one rein stop, by sitting back, make sure all leg contact is off, I take a deep breath in and out with my mouth, I say whoa with a low calm voice, then if they have not stopped, I hold the buckle up with one hand and with the other hand, I slide my hand half way down the rein, and pull toward the hip on the same side. I hold till the horse stops circling and stops moving his feet and then gives to the rein laterally, then I release the rein and go back on a loose rein.
If the horse walks off before I ask them, I immediately do a one rein stop again. I stand for about 20 seconds, but if they try to walk off anytime before that I just do another one rein stop. In the beginning you may have to do it 20 times to get them to stand but that is what need to do. Also, make sure when you ask them to walk off, you use contact with your legs. So, they understand they should not move until you put your leg on them.
If they still are having issues understanding, then I add in disengaging their hindquarters and then ask them to stand again. It can take a lot of time in the beginning, but they will get the message. You can also give a small treat when they stop if they are not making the connection. But once they understand you will take the treat away.
I practice walking and one rein stops around the round pen or arena about every 10-20 steps. I do not steer, that's why it's helpful to be alone. I just let the horse wander where he wants to go, that way he also does not feel confined. It is easiest to work on one thing at a time, so steering will just add more distraction. Just let them go where they want but always make sure you are in an enclosed area to start.
Repeat the one rein stops, for a half hour to an hour, or until your horse has the idea and that's all you do this day. Repeat this exercise as many days in a row that you can, your horse will learn faster.
In time if you do this right, what will happen is, when you sit back and take a deep breath your horse will slow down, then it will stop with the whoa before you even get to pull on the rein. Then over more time it will start to stop when you just sit back and breath before you even get to whoa. Once you get to this point then you can move on.
Next, I teach the horse to stop with two hands. So, I walk off on a loose rein, but shorter than before not on the buckle. I sit back, take my leg off, take a deep breath in and out with my mouth, and say whoa in a low calm voice. If they have not stopped, I pull on both reins until the horse stops, then I hold pressure on the rein till they put their head down (vertical flexion) and gives to the bit.
If they made no effort to stop, once they are stopped I back them up 5 steps then I ask them to stand on a loose rein. If they walk off, you can either go back to one rein stop or go to both reins and stop them and then back up 10 steps, so every time they walk off, you make them go backwards twice as much until they make the connection, that standing is better then backing up.
For the gaited horse, I like to do this just at a walk. When I start to gait them, they can switch to so many gaits, that I don't like to do one rein stops. Now that the horse understands how to respond to my seat, breathing and hands, I can start to gait and if they get too fast, I can now use my seat, breathing then both hands to slow them down or stop them.
When you do this exercise, you must be obvious with your body in the beginning to the horse for them to feel what you are doing up there. So, when I say sit back, you should sit back a lot, when I say take a deep breath through your mouth, I mean a big deep breath, so your horse feels what you are doing up there and won't be confused. If you only sit back a little in the beginning or you take a breath but not big or you, do it through your nose, they will not feel it as well and will not make the connection.
I find this exercise very helpful for forward horses that have just been gaited all over and do not know how to walk and relax. With enough practice, in time they will walk on a loose rein with a lower head and be relaxed. This is very important for their gait. A relaxed horse will gait better. A relaxed horse will listen better. A relaxed horse will understand better.
So, it is very important that your horse understands this exercise well before moving on. In time once the horse is better, I will only do one rein stops here and there, so they do not forget what it means, but then I do not practice it repeatedly. It served its purpose as a building block to teach my horse to stop well and relax, now I will mostly use two hands to slow them down or stop.
You can use the one rein stop in an emergency if the horse takes off, but you must be quick with it. If a horse starts to take off you must do the one rein stop within seconds, and make sure you have room to do a one rein stop, never do one on a single track, with a drop off or you will go off the trail.
Also, if you were not quick with the one rein and now the horse is bolting off, you want to make sure you have room, then circle your horse and make the circle smaller and smaller, until he is no longer galloping and has slowed down some, then do your one rein stop.
If your horse is bolting and you do a one rein stop, once they have a lot of speed, you will put them off balance and can cause them to fall down, so it is best to slow down first to be safe. If you have ever watched western movies, you will see them, make horses fall all the time for the movie, slow the movie down and you will see this is how they did it. So, you must know when it is safe and not safe to use the one rein stop.
Remember, when having issues with your horse, many times it is because the horse does not understand, not because he is trying to be bad. Many times, you need to go back and redo training to help them understand, but if you just keep complaining and do not take the time to fix it, it will never get better.
So yes, this will take some time to teach, but it will help your horse to understand better and, in the end, help you to have a happier, safer horse.
Bits
Snaffle bit https://amzn.to/3WPY1Qh
Short Shank Bit https://amzn.to/3Z0TbRl
Longer Shank Bit https://amzn.to/3vsMcDq
Longer Shank with Port for more tongue relief https://amzn.to/3vtCVLc
Wonder Bit https://amzn.to/3jGSqgj
Wonder Bit with Twist https://amzn.to/3WTCndn
Bit Guards https://amzn.to/3Cd3EQ4
Curb Chain https://amzn.to/3voPGqy
Correction Bit https://amzn.to/3jEOGfj
Reins with colors to help hand placement https://amzn.to/3VyMlzU
Rubber reins to help grip https://amzn.to/3jBub34
Clip for easy attachment and added weight https://amzn.to/3Q1ited
How to use your hands with gaited horses https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDIfbdCzbdtRr1geDTygOjetBmhpukIWc
Free Training Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018259835184485/
Gaited Books
Easy Gaited Horses By Lee Ziegler https://amzn.to/3vFuk8w
The Gaited Horse Bible by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3It0Imf
Gaits of Gold by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3jGXam0
Heavenly Gaits By Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3ieKGBP
Training the Gaited Horse By Gary Lane https://amzn.to/3jPcAVq
DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission if you buy something. This helps support the website. Thank you for the support!