Stopping a horse?

Question

I just got my horse about 2 months ago and he is perfect! I usually use him for trial riding and he does fine. But I'v been at horse camp for about a week and i havent been able to ride him. When i let him out yesterday to ride him he was good and i let him gallop threw the fields a bit because he is a paint and seems to have a lot of energy. Well on the way back to the barn i was walking him and we were alone but he just randomly took off full speed! But it wasnt a spooky take off! I dont really know what happend but i wasnt really sure what to do! i remembered to keep my heals down an do half halts but at the same time my instructure told me about emergency stops when you pull the horses head to the side in like a tight circle.. but he was going so fast he would have just fell over!! Anyone have any suggesstions on what to do next time?!

Answer 1

What i do with my race horses is check them (pull back at two steady pulls folding your pinky finger side of your hand under which directs their head down) then if they don't listen take them in a long circle and slowly start making smaller circles. your horse will not fall over even if you pulled in a tight circle but for your security try tightening the circles.

Answer 2

Well dont just jerk his head over.  Slowly pull it in more and more. My horse took off like that too at  horse camp.  I just slowly did the emergency stop and he stopped.

Answer 3

First of all dont let him gallop through the fields, he'll learn bad habits and bolt on you more often. If he does bolt pull him around but in a larger circle. Then make your circle gradually smaller and smaller. He should slow down as the circles get smaller enough for you to get control of him.

Answer 4

lean back in your seat and say whoa and pull a little on his face gently though

Answer 5

If there is room to do so then you should try to make him go in ever smaller circles until he will eventually stop.  You really cannot go from a flat out gallop to a tight circle but you should only need to do maybe three circles before stopping.  

Should there not be enough room for circles then I plant my feet firmly in the stirrups and pull back on the reins, release and pull, release and pull.  A horse can set himself against steady rein pressure but is more responsive to the pull/release method.   The horse should eventually stop.

Answer 6

okay first of all you have to watch your feet.. when you were walking were your legs bouncing on the horse? that might have triggered it.. but something you should do is take one rein and shorten it pulling him into a circle and say whoa.. then back the horse and ask him to walk. the horse will not tip over.. he has to slow down and will gradually stop.. if you are still to scared to do that weave your horse.. act like you are going to pull him into a circle only stop half way and turn him in the exact opposite direction like you are weaving a imaginary basket and you and the horse are the string.. this also helps slow the horse down and once you feel he is going slower then pulll him into a circle

Answer 7

That is known as a one-rein stop.  When a horse takes off, they will not listen to the bit when it is pulled straight back, and will actually brace against it.  But when you pull their head to the side, they cannot brace against it nearly as much, and they go in circles or, on a well trained horse, disengage their hindquarters, forcing them to stop.

Teach your horse to disengage his hindquarters (pivot on one front foot) on the ground first.  Bend his head about halfway around, put your hand right in front of his back leg, and press.  If he doesn't listen, tap him with a crop.  Increase the pressure until he gives you one step over with his hind foot.  Dont worry about his front feet at this point, just focus on him understanding your cue.  When he will do one step consistently, ask for two.  Now, start looking at the placement of his feet more.  You want his near hind to cross in front of his far hind, and for one front foot to stay still, with the other circleing around it.  Once he is pretty good on the ground (both sides), move to the saddle.  Give a leg cue as far back as you can reach, and repeat the same steps as on the ground until he will do it consistently.  Then walk him.  Bend his head and ask him to disengage. He should stop and swing his butt around.  Once he does pretty well, move to a trot, and a canter.  He knows the one-rein stop!  Clap, and hope you never have to use it :).  But give him a refresher once in a while anyways.

Answer 8

i have a horse that is very high-sprited and would often take off with me. i try the half halts first always but id its really bad and he is really out if control i'll SEE-SAW. in other words u pull one reign harder than the other and go back and forth "see-sawing" the reigns. it makes the bit slip and slide in his mouth which is really uncomfortable for him, forcing him to stop. hope this helps. im pretty sure it will, it has always worked for even the craziest horses that i have ridden

Answer 9

Now that you have experienced a horse bolting, you will know that it can be pretty scary and not much fun. Don't allow your horse to gallop anywhere from now on, in an uncontrolled fashion. Keep to a hand canter. Are you riding English or Western? If you are riding English; before you set off in canter,fix one hand firmly against the side of his neck and use the other hand to check the pace. Under no circumstances, should you pull at him (it takes two to pull and he is stronger than you) He must not be allowed to get out of control in the first place.