How do you train your horse to whoa? and what do you do if they dont, like how do you disipline them?

Question

So I have a 3 year old colt he's a welsh pony/quarter horse and he's bobbing his head and and wont whoa. so my trainer says bring him in circle and try again she has him in a really harsh bit i think its like a twisted snaffle I dont agree with that either, what should I do to make him stop and if he doesnt stop, what should I do? Also do you think I should tell her that we should use a regular D-ring snaffle?

Answer 1

keep pulling back on the reins until he stops. (i agree you should use a softer bit) and while pulling back say "whoa" a lot. Also sit back and deep in the saddle. This will get him used to you using your body weight and your voice. soon he will be able to stop just when you sit back and "whoa". I have a 5 year old mare and she is terrible and wont stop so we are practising th esame thing and she is really getting better.

Answer 2

Firstly..get your D-ring on him.. when ready to cuehim sit back in your seat and give a verbal command if he doesnt respond, then use the reins. If he still doesnt stop bring his head around, not exactly in a circle just a 90 degree turn to stop him... be repetitive, He will learn that if he stops with your first cue there will be no pressure, and ultimately more comfortable  

Answer 3

A twisted snaffle is harsh and will only encourage resistance from the pony.  I suggest a nice copper or sweet mouthpiece full cheek snaffle bit.  The bit will be stable in the mouth, and the turns you will use in teaching the whoa will be easier for him to learn and perform with the encouragement that the cheekpiece provides.

You need lateral control to teach a horse to stop, so this is the best and mildest bit for you to use in reaching your goal.

ADD...every time he doesn't stop, bring one rein back and to the side for a tight circle, and keep it tight until he stops.  Release the rein and pet him as soon as he stops.  Practice this in both directions at a walk....when he stops correctly at a walk, advance to the same thing at a trot, and so on.

Answer 4

CIRCLES don't stop circling until he stops completely I would say get the snaffle off of him.. THEY PINCH.. unless their wrapped and then. I think snaffles are a really bad bit. I would reccomend any myler bit.. their a little more expensive but  I don't think they sell myler snaffles. They are called myler snaffles but they have barrels instead of the link..  

Answer 5

I used a fat twisted snaffle before in english and my horse didn't stop or listen as well. I changed him back to a normal D-ring snaffle.

Start off with some one beside you while riding. Have your horse wear a halter underneath his bridle. Have them lead your horse around.

Start off softly pulling back and firmly say WHOA. Do it harder and say whoa, then once again harder.  Now have the person beside you yank on the lead rope and say whoa.

Keep repeat this.

If they walk out of it have him back. If he doesnt know how have the person beside you have him back saying back.

Answer 6

Spinning him in a circle will just cause more unwanted habits. The twisted snaffle is way too harsh of a bit for him. You should tell your trainer to use a standard D-Ring or even a full cheek snaffle might be a good choice.

I got some good advice from an old cowboy a few years ago to teach a mare of mine to stop. It my take a couple weeks, but it's worth it in the long run. You need to start on the ground leading the colt at the walk. Ask him to whoa and at the same time smack him with a dressage whip or even a driving whip on his coronet band and make him back up 2-3 steps. Don't smack him too hard he is just enough to startle him. You'll have to do this over and over. Eventually create a small delay between the command and the whip. He will start stopping on his own and even back the 2-3 steps after a day or two.

After a couple of days on the ground AND he gets to the point that you don't need to use the whip to stop him anymore, get on him and have someone walking next to him with the whip. When you give him the command to whoa, verbally and with slight pressure on the mouth, have the person smack him on the coronet band just as you did on the ground and back him 2-3 steps. Then slowly wean if off the whip.

This will take a lot of patience and time. He is only 3 and if you want to keep a nice soft mouth on him you have to work with him A LOT.

Answer 7

keep pulling on the reins; gently not harshly. and once he stops back up a few steps just to reinforce what you told him to do.

as for the bit, snaffles aren't bad if used correctly, even twisted snaffles. but since your horse is so young i do think you should be using a softer bit.

Answer 8

He's probably not whoaing BECAUSE of the snaffle. You should try just a regular bit. Just keep pulling back on the reins until he stops. There's really nothing else you can do. Eventually he'll learn.

Once he DOES stop, is he walks without you asking him to, make him backup a few steps, that will teach him to listen to you.

Answer 9

i had the same problem!

i have a two year old arabian and now

she is so good at this!

just work with her and walker a few steps and say woah and MAKE

her stop and keep practicing and soon your horse will get the hang of it!

good luck!

Answer 10

Dear Muffins. I only use a light snaffle, and when I train a three year old. It is only the halter at first.

To whoa, is started on ground work. A very light pull on the snaffle once I'm riding him for only a second or less on the snaffle..

I would most certainly tell him to go with a light snaffle. Your Paying this person! Your the Boss!

He is going to make this horse angry and frustrating.

Than later in this Horses life. They will say' He has a hard mouth.

You sound more professional than he is!

Answer 11

pull on the reins and if she doesnt listen pull a little harder and when she does stop praise her.

Answer 12

to fix the whole WOAH concept, practice practice practice.  The bit really shouldnt matter. You want to be able to get to know your horse well enough that if you just say woah and shift your weight back in the saddle they should stop.  To get to this, everytime they stop, whether you riding or even on the ground with a halter, stay concisten with it. When you are riding and are getting ready to stop, make sure you let your horse know a few seconds before you stop so it doesnt take them by suprise and then they bob their head. so say whoa, and shift your hips so that your weight is shiftted back. eventualy your horse will get used to it and you two will be on your way to clean stops. let me know how it works=] good luck!