ONE REIN STOP *VID*

[jo]

which is why rhillahorse I said
"...looks pretty much like a one rein stop (half tap)... "

yes I think you're right to point out the full Tap is more extreme, purpose being to be to put the horse on the ground according to his videos, comments.

[misty]

I was taught this practically 30 years ago by a fabulous riding instructress. I also taught it to my o/h when he first started riding about 20 years ago. I do practise this with our horses and last used it a few years ago when Rosie bolted (concrete bolder was going to eat her) when riding in a field using a string halter and rope reins. Worked brilliantly. Forgot I also used it riding on the beach in India. When riding in a group who do not speak English I had to actually push the horse on further ahead to have room to do the stop. It is so much better than tugging and yanking on a horses mouth.

[joto]

Fantastic site, have a look at the guys web site very informative. i've bookmarked it.

[janetgeorge]

jinks said:

this is a good way to stop i was shown it many yrs ago when I had a horse that was hard to stop, you need to be carefull though as I did it too tight one time and the horse fell over. .

Ah - you spotted the problem! The one rein stop has been around at least as long as I have - I even tried it once or twice in emergency situations (and it's an excellent way of turning a drama into a crisis!)

It doesn't matter HOW carefully you teach it to a horse in a situation in which you don't NEED it, if you have the misfortune to be on a true bolter - do NOT bother trying it! IF it works at all, you and the horse will be getting cosy on the floor together! And there are better ways of stopping a horse that's just 'running away'. And what's the difference?? A runaway will stop if HE wants too - like if he suddenly comes head-to-head with a 6 foot fence - the bolter will go through it.

[sarahfox]

Sorry Janet,but you and I will have to agree to disagree on that one.
I have had the misfortune to ride a bolter ( 2 in fact) and I can assure you that this does work if done properly,and that was in a situation where the only way he stopped the previous time was when he slipped on a muddy track at full gallop and went down.

[Deleted]

jo said:

I think it was LizP who was so vehemently against anything I said about the guy.

Also interestingly, Endospink or The Tap (Endorphin Tap) was discussed on this board a while back and that looks pretty much like a one rein stop (half tap) taken to more use than just stopping the horse's forwards movement, his videos are very interesting too especially the 1 - 6 he posted on the stress of horses being broken in (his way) and the heart rate. These guys are doing much for horses screwed up by people I hope.

Indeed I was, based on the clips you posted then, Maggot, and I still think those clips were dreadful. And I agree with rhillahorse about the difference between disengaging the hindquarters and the "the tap". Not the same thing at all.

This clip is better. He appears fair to the horse, which I don't think he was on other clips, and what he is saying generally makes sense. It's not, though, something I'd practice 6 times a day, just enough that you and the horse both know what you're after.

[janetgeorge]

sarahfox said:

Sorry Janet,but you and I will have to agree to disagree on that one.
I have had the misfortune to ride a bolter ( 2 in fact) and I can assure you that this does work if done properly,and that was in a situation where the only way he stopped the previous time was when he slipped on a muddy track at full gallop and went down.

There had to be SOMETHING!

I've known too many racehorses who could gallop flat out with their noses in your back pocket - and too many horses who could fall over their feet if they stopped looking where they were going for 5 seconds to have ANY faith in it. And I DO know someone who used it (a professional trainer) until the day he ended up with the horse on top of him - breaking his leg in two places!

I have several methods for stopping a horse who won't - which one I use depends on the horse and WHY it's bolting/running away - but that one I'll never use again.

[sarahfox]

LOL!

Come on then Janet,share please??!
I find life saving tips are always useful.
Although actually I do have a fail safe method of not being bolted with/dumped these days:
I only ride lovely well mannered iberians,I am a complete wimp really

[butterfly]

What other ways are these Janet? Pleeeeeze tell.

[aliceinwonderland]

ive seen quite a few videos by this guy, and although initially not convinced, his method does seem to work well and I have come to admire the way that he works with the horses.
I would certainly practice this however many times it takes if i had a horse that had a problem that could be helped by using this technique.

[june]

The one rein stop - or a slight variation of it with a small lift of the hand - is the method the stunt yards use to get horses to fall over. The lift of the hand is the key part but I'm not sure I'd trust myself not to lift my hand in a bolting situation!

The way I was taught to stop a runaway horse was to dig the knuckles of one hand into the neck and to do a one rein stop with the other rein. That way you don't get the neck bend to any great extent but you have more power as you have the other hand locked in the neck. I've had to use it once on a runaway horse but it wasn't a bolter and it did work well that time.

[janetgeorge]

sarahfox said:

LOL!

Come on then Janet,share please??!
I find life saving tips are always useful.
Although actually I do have a fail safe method of not being bolted with/dumped these days:
I only ride lovely well mannered iberians,I am a complete wimp really

I confess I don't DELIBERATELY get on things that might buck and bolt these days - too old, too decrepit and too frit! But funnily enough, my 3 year old took off with me this morning. Absolutely NOT her fault - I was a total TWIT to take her out on her first solo hack in extreme high winds! But she was brilliant until 150 yards from home when a combination of a strong, noisy gust, a large branch cracking and falling 30' from her, a shot-gun blast about 100 yards away AND a car coming at speed up behind her were just TOO much. I managed to stop her just before the turn-in to our drive and she stood and waited while I waved cars past and thanked them - then pranced down the drive. With her it was just a combination of voice and repeated half-halts. It wasn't a true bolt - just a fearful runaway.

I've experienced about 10 SERIOUS bolts in my life (lots more runaways.) Probably the worst bolt in terms of possible consequences was when swimming a 17.2 TB racing colt. In those days it was bareback, racing bridle, swimsuit, no hat! A school of dolphins came into the bay and HE thought they were horse-eating sharks - so hit the beach in gallop. He jumped 3 foot up to the carpark and was heading for the main Beach Road. 9 am Monday morning with 3 lanes of traffic in each direction - travelling reasonably fast.

I kept right rein short and hand anchored in his mane, and did some almighty fast, repeated pulls on the left rein. Initially it had no response - he wasn't listening - and I had my baleout spot (a clump of bushes) lined up. But it DID work - with about 10 yards to spare. When I got off, my legs wouldn't hold me - I just SAGGED to the ground!

IF I have the benefit of a saddle, then some VERY strong half-halts (not pretty - but effective) usually works; and if all else fails there's a modified see-saw on the reins - turning the horse's head half-way right, then left - in quick succession. Throws their balance and COULD result in a fall but as long as you keep the outside rein contact and don't pull TOO hard on one rein - and repeat quickly enough - it does break through the deep fog that a bolting horse gets into.

But the BEST method is ensuring your horses KNOW the command 'whoa' - with youngsters who run in fear, I can usually stop them on voice alone if I've done their ground work.

[laura]

I agree that the one rein stop is certainly not the only effective tool in the tool kit .... so I will hover between Janet and Sarah ( call it sitting on the fence if you like , dont care as I wont fall off )

I think its using the best tool at the time ...... since we have "trained" the one rein stop have only ever really used it before she's really got the engine going full blast. Not sure if I would want to do it if she was full blast because I doubt my own balance more than anything I think. Try to avoid full blast and frights at all costs really these days..... like Janet I am not young enough to bounce very well

It was several years ago now ( about 5) we had a runaway ..... and I used the "see saw" that it the dr cook bridle emergency stop

.... and that worked ..... just in time as I did not like the look of the car bonnet coming towards us


The worst though is the combination buck and run thats the B****** to stop ... last time I had one of those and saw the trees coming up I choose some long soft grass to land in !!!!!

[sarahfox]

Yes,I see what you mean Janet.The one rein stop is definitely best used AS the horse is about to get out of control,I must admit I havent tried it when a horse is already bolting,running,yes,but not that awful flat out bolt.
BUT,I do still think that if you train it well then it is extremely useful to stop the horse just before it goes,or when it is running.Mine do it the way Laura shows in her pic,they do it from a really light lift and get a sweet,this is similar to the voice training,I use both anyway,but the first thing I ever teach a youngster is the stop response from a unilateral or bilateral lift.I really am a wimp and I like to know I have stop before I have go!
The first horse I did it with did become a bit of a pain for a while actually as she kept stopping just in case!haha!!
But tbh,I would sooner start with that than the opposite.
I also find the turn useful when taking a horse out for a first time which is why I posted it in response to using stronger bits for hunting.
It goes back to being told to circle your loopy horse,I just find it is far more effective to do the circle mostly off the one rein,rather than trying to ride a proper circle and failing,which is what happened to me in a clinic with my first horse who would ( literally) bolt in the school,prior to me learning the one rein stuff he didnt stop until he went over on a corner( 3 times,what joy!)
Not sure what I would do in your swimming scenario though,bail out before we even left the water perhaps?!lol!

[sarahfox]

MTA,

The reason why the reward based training works so well with this is that it needs to become an automatic response,you train it until it is and then do it once or twice ( from halt) each time you ride,that way the horse doesnt think about whether or not he would like to stop,he just does.

Also,if anybody is thinking of trying it,you need to sit as upright and square in the saddle as possible,its the rider leaning that often causes the horse to fall,oh,and do make sure your girth is tight,I slid off along with my saddle once!lol!