My horse runs through the bit, how do i train her to stop?

Question

She just turned three, and I've been able to train her to sidepass and bend laterally but im having issues getting her to come to a stop from any gait, I sit deeper and i push my heels down but she usually ignores it.

I've tried the thing where you alternate reins and kind of wiggle them, but if shes going any faster than a walk she ignores it unless i do it drasticallly enough that Im sure I must be hurting her, and I don't want to ride like that.

I've also tried doing a one rein stop if she ignores my cues to stop, and she does stop, but its not fixing the problem.

PLEASE HELP ME!

Answer 1

step one:check bit.

make sure it fits and its doing its job.

step two:try two hands.

pull back when you sit deep to get a true reaction on the bit. do so until she stops. if you are more comfortable stopping with two hands.. train her with two then once she gets it down switch back to one.

step three:find a wall.

yess.. a wall or a fence or a gait. walk your horse to it then give all your cues to stop just before it. repeat until she stops without hesitation. ...continue process until amazing stop at walk.

step four:go faster.

exactly.. start increasing your speed towards the wall or fence or whatever you are using.. then repeat step three at this speed and continue gradually increasing speed.

step five:leave the wall.

try it in the open at a walk first. if she stops good try a trot.. canter.. run.. ect. or if you would prefer jog.. lope.. run..

good luck

Answer 2

Hey there! I train race track tb's to be barrel horses and one of the most current and common problem I have with them is getting them to stop!

Bits do come into play big with this problem and finding the correct bit is the key. Here is a website link for you... Its from Charmayne James's page she is a seven time world champion barrel racer and breeds her own horses...  click the details button next to the different bits, they will explain what they are good for..

http://www.charmaynejames.com/store/cate...

Also another technique used is taking the front shoes off for awhile, then when you ride  the horse will not like the way it feels to stop on her front feet, so she will switch to stopping on her back feet automatically because its a better feel... so then she will learn that that is a better way to stop and start doing it that way.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

did u try using spurs? not the pointy ones but the rounded ones.

Answer 4

If you're giving her a cue and it's not working better and better, you're either not being consistent about applying the cue or you're doing it incorrectly.

For example - let's take a one rein stop - assuming you're trained her to it properly by doing th following:

Walk along straight then start in a circle making it tighter and tigher until she stops (you'll have to get pretty tight and do so gradually to get her to stop).

repeat this exercise maybe 10 times until she does it well.  The key is IMMEDIATE release and praise when she stops.  

After those ten times when maybe she's gotten to a stop within one small circle, move on in your workout to other things and let he stop thinking about it for now.

Next session try it again.  You should be able to pick up where you left off.

Correct one rein stops aren't manufactured in iron - they're manufactured in pudding - what I mean is that you must practice them at first every session - later on at least every few sessions.

Also - please understand that at 3 the horse's mind is very child-like.  I horse can't stand still any longer than a 2 year old who's just learned to walk can sit still.  Don't require them to stand for a long time at a time - if you are trying to get the horse to do this, that may be why she doesn't want to stop because she thinks you're going to force her to stand completely still which is not fun for a kid.

You must impart in her that to comply with your wishes brings immediate reward - and to not comply brings work.  In the horse world, stopping and allowing her to stand for 30 seconds or a minute is a great reward.  Also, see-sawing as their mouth does not translate to anything in the natural world as a negative thing  - sure, it doesn't feel good to them, but if anything it will confuse them as to what you want.

Have patience - practice the one rein stop for a while and you'll be surprised how it goes.  My 5 year old was started with a one rein stop at 3.  I practiced it all her 3 year old year - at 4 we began practicing it, but needed it rarely - only when she was unfocused on me did we really have to practice it.  At 5, we've gotten away from a one-rein stop and progressed to performing tighter circles and serpentines for flexion - there was a transition between a one-rein-stop turn and a keep-going-tight-turn - we rarely need the one rein stop anymore and I've turned it into more of a cowboy stop where one keeps her hands in about a foot square box sitting on top of the pommel of the saddle (figuratively speaking, of course).  The hands stay quiet and give slight cues - pickin up one hand and twisting the wrist inwards to kind of bring the rein up and slightly in as evolved from the one rein stop - the head is not pulled sideways, but the message gets across.  Some people rely too heavily on a one rein stop - and believe me, when your trotting or cantering strong down a trail, and must throw a horse off balance with a one rein stop to get it to stop, you could be in a dangerous position.

I hope this helps and I hope you understand what I'm trying to say - sometimes I get a little hard to follow.

Answer 5

Make sure you are using a bit that actually fits her and isn't causing problems, and don't go to a harsher bit to get the effect you want. Longe her and get her responding to you voice cues, like saying "walk" "trot" and "canter" . When she starts responding to your voice aids, get on her and gently apply light pressure to the reins while saying "walk" or "whoah" to get  her to go slower or to stop. Also keep using your seat and keep your heels down! I hope this will help! :)

Answer 6

Training is a matter of causing a behavior when you want to, and making the signal to do so more and more subtle.

That said, you should use a fairly mild bit and then exert whatever pressure is necessary to get her to stop/transition down.  If it's a struggle and hurts her at first, you still have to get it done.  In the long run, you're teaching her your signals don't matter unless you actually enforce them!

At three, she's learning and testing.  You're not going to "ride like that," you're going to teach her to listen so you don't HAVE to ride like that!

Use both reins together along with the seat signals.  If she goes through it, jiggle both reins.  If necessary, mildly seesaw them.  Once she sees you mean it, she'll start stopping with less and less pressure, until just adjusting your seat will do it.

Good Luck!

Answer 7

Sometimes the horse gets the bit under their tounge and this is very painful and makes the bit almost totally useless. Check to see if she is doing this.

Youre bit also might be hutring the horse. Did you get a new bit recently? Try a regular snaffle.

Take your horse for walks with the bridle on, maybe she just isnt used to it.

Try tranisitioning from a walk to halt and a walk to trot. Do it A LOT.

If none of this works you might just have to work through it. Sometimes horses try to test you. You she is a young horse and you just have to give her a chance to get used to everything you are teaching her. TAKE IT SLOW. From what you've said shes learned a lot. Try just giving her a week off. She might just need a break.

Hope that helps!!!!!

Answer 8

I'm assuming you are using a simple snaffle bit.  I would suggest a full cheek snaffle if you aren't already using it, because it will help you to turn her more effectively.

Be sure she will rotate her neck around to touch your toe with her nose in both directions, and with no resistance, and at a standstill.  

At a walk, when you want her to stop, say whoa.  Some give a slight leg cue to alert the horse just before doing this.

Sit your weight deep in the saddle and release any leg contact.  The last cue is a light rein cue.  If you get no response, use the inside rein to repeat the cue (pull, and immediate release).  Exaggerate your weight in the saddle at the same time.  If still no stop, bring the rein backward and to the side for a tight turn, and do not release the rein until you get a stop, then release immediately.  Continue this exercise in both directions on the rail in the arena, then go to the center of the arena and repeat it again.

Next, attempt to get a stop going in a straight line by using a one rein cue after the voice, seat and leg cues are used.  If you don't get it, go back to turning.  If you do get it, release the rein for a moment, then cue to back a few steps.  Practice this repeatedly at a walk...anytime you don't get an immediate stop, go into the turn.  Just keep doing this day after day if you have to until you get a stop and you feel her shift for a backup every time.  When it is firmly established, move on to the trot and repeat the whole process.  It is even more monotonous for her than it is for you, and if you are consistent, she will learn that it's best to stop on cue.

Answer 9

Okay you are on the right track to get lateral flexion.=)

I would put her in a Smooth D-Ring snaffle, and do tons of one rein stops. You have to be very paitent because she is three and young but three is a good age to work with her at. Definatly do one rein stops I mean hundreds daily, at the walk, trot and canter. In my experiences this has always worked.

Hope this helps!

Answer 10

I suggest a curb bit for this horse.  Especially if she is trail ridden.  However if she is just ridden in an arena and you just want to keep a snaffle for some reason then get firmer and a little quicker with the one horse stop and put her to work each time you have to use it.

OOPS I meant one rein stop.