# Do you "whoa" or do you "hoe" ?



## Janna (Apr 19, 2012)

I say hoe lol

Or Oooohhhhh lol 

Or whoa if it ****es me off.

I think hoe is just easier to say lol


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## Kilokitty (Dec 2, 2012)

It depends on how you talk. Some people say ho, others say woah, others say no, and others still say oh. For me, I just say whatever comes to mind. Woah, no, oh, ho, and even unintelligible mutters.


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## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

I say whoa......I know people who drive teams they use ho to turn left or right and another one for the other direction.......


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## With Grace (Oct 20, 2011)

My last trainer always said Hoa, so thats what I started saying. My new trainer says Whoa, and its hard to get used to!


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## Poco1220 (Apr 6, 2010)

Lol I say something that I guess would be spelled "Hep!" or "easy"
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## mtngrl7500 (May 29, 2011)

They're interchangeable, and I use both depending on if the horse is being a pain or not. To be honest, most animals don't neccesarily catch the entire word, just pieces of it...in this case, the "O" sound. They could honestly be trained to any word. You could just say "stop", and even if the horse is trained for "whoa" he'll pretty quickly understand you mean the same because your body language should still be conveying that you want him to whoa.


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## redpony (Apr 17, 2012)

I'm definitely a hoe in the saddle........well, I mean I use hoe, lol But on the ground I use whoa, I've never really thought about it before and I have no idea why 
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## Tarpan (May 6, 2012)

I say "woah", but it usually comes out as a grunt somewhere between "woah" and "woof". My horse understands what I mean, though... we're not big on enunciation on the trail.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I "ho" but that's mostly because the first horses I ever rode where "ho"-d so that's just what I started saying. 
I use "ho" with my mare and she knows that word! haha


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## shaggy (Dec 8, 2010)

I use both. I switch depending on which horse im riding and what mood him in and if said horse is behaving or not lol


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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

I say Woah but it sounds like "woe (is me)". Works for me for most horses, but my friend's horse Star only responds to "and haaaaaalt".
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## BarrelRacingLvr (Feb 26, 2012)

I am a Whoaer lol...


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## attackships (Jan 12, 2012)

i say hoe, its how i was taugght so its automatic now. say it to my dogs and everything. sometimes i say whoa to the horses but i have to think about it before i do haha.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

I go, "Lowwwwww..." I don't know why. I just like that L-sound. :lol: My horses doesn't care too much about the word I use; mostly the tone and the drawn out O-sound.


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## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

I like to use 'easy' most of the time  I only use 'WOAH' when pony gets me angry, and in those cases, it is a very firm woah!


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

I use Whoa. I also use easy, but not to stop my horse. I use it on the trail when we face something on the trail that requires slow and careful steps.


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## OutOfTheLoop (Apr 1, 2012)

I usually yell WhOOOA really lower follow by a few choice words.
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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Does "Slow down you b&*%^, dammit!" count?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I say hoe because that's what I was taught.
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## GotaDunQH (Feb 13, 2011)

I've always been a Whoa person....never used "hoe"...that's something you use in the garden....LOL.


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## Nightside (Nov 11, 2012)

I always say Ho. I'm just a ho kind of gal. 
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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I use "woah" on the ground and when I'm asking my horse to transition down. I use "ho" when my horse is supposed to standing and tries to move around. For me, "whoa" means "come to a stop" and "ho" means "stand still." 

I only use a verbal "whoa" under saddle when I first started riding my little one to help her transition. My only other verbal cue under saddle is "easy" if I want them to let up and calm down. I also make a "perrr" sound when I want to reassure them.
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## DancingWithSunny (Mar 13, 2011)

I use "ooohhohh" to slow down, but to actually stop I use "stand", or usually "and stand"
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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I 'Ohhhhhh' my mare xD although often you'll hear me just making the general sound of it, sometimes with my mouth closed. ahahaha


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I've always "whoa"-ed my Western horses.


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## tinaev (Dec 2, 2012)

I'm so glad there are such various responses. At least I know I don't sound like a (complete) idiot! :wink:


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

I say "Rrr!' for stop (it's traditional in my country, just as "Woah!" in the USA, and a soft "Eaaaaasy, boy!" for slowing down in the trails.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I am very none verbal when I ride, I use my hands and seat instead.


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## MustangQueen (Dec 1, 2012)

"hoe" for stops and "easy" to slow down a gait a bit
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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I am like Alex, I don't use verbal cues on my horses usually but if I did, I would say "whoa". I think it's all a matter of who you learned from and the 2 words are interchangeable.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Guess I use both.....had to really think about this one. Whichever, is followed but a deep exhale, feet forward. (since I ride a reining trained horse ;-) ) But to slow, I use mostly my seat, but I also "sssshhhhhhhhh", or hum. Both work.


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## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

I use whoa with my QH, (who always responds best with verbal cues), and non-verbal stops with my Morgan who has _only_ been trained in natural horsemanship. What an amazing thing to learn - being able stop a horse simply by bringing her neck in with the rein! (amongst other non-verbal cues I've learned with her). Not a new thing for many, but I'm now enjoying two different methods


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## JustImagine (Dec 2, 2012)

I "hoe" my Arab and he stops on a dime =]


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## DraftGuy (Dec 10, 2012)

I do "ho....." but my wife told me the right way was "whoa..."

So, I guess I'm not nutso afterall


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## Sherian (Aug 28, 2012)

My one horse understood the difference between whoa and whoa you son of a b!
(I usually only use ho in the spring in reference to one of the mares who is a career broodie and knows what a stallion is for - sigh)


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## SonnyTheArab (Dec 11, 2012)

I use both or just my body language. Sometimes I also say easy but I mainly use easy to slow down.


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## RustyBucket (Nov 24, 2012)

I say "ho"  My horse is voice activated. He knows what the aids mean but I also add "waaalk" or a "click" or a "smooch" depending on what gait I want. Every now and then I use "Gosh darnit, Rusty! I said whoa!" LOL ;-)
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## AnalisaParalyzer (Apr 25, 2012)

i use either or, but i was taught whoa. i use "easy" when asking her to slow down, and if i say out loud "trot" or "canter" sometimes she'll actually do it


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## acorn (Nov 27, 2012)

mtngrl7500 said:


> They're interchangeable, and I use both depending on if the horse is being a pain or not. To be honest, most animals don't neccesarily catch the entire word, just pieces of it...in this case, the "O" sound. They could honestly be trained to any word. You could just say "stop", and even if the horse is trained for "whoa" he'll pretty quickly understand you mean the same because your body language should still be conveying that you want him to whoa.


 I do actually more often than not use stop for my mare. If she is wiggling around I might say quit. She knows exactly what the words mean. For other horses I use whoa.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I usually use "hoe"- that's what my first instructor used, and I think that's what most people around me now use (though I wouldn't swear on it). Occasionally I'll catch myself saying "woah" or if I'm being ignored, "halt!"


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

Whoa in the saddle hoe somewhere else, ha ha ha. Shush! I'm married!


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## HarleyD (Feb 12, 2012)

Thunderspark said:


> I say whoa......I know people who drive teams they use ho to turn left or right and another one for the other direction.......


 
Thunderspark... When you are driving a team you use Gee and Haw to turn left or right.

Whoa or ho both work as long as the horse stops. I am around the Amish all the time and we all use Ho just cause its easier I guess. I only use Whoa when I REALLY mean it.


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## existentialpony (Dec 4, 2012)

I typically "ho" because its a quick syllable I can associate with a fast, firm request for a stop whether on the ground or in the saddle!

I recently purchased my first horse who is an arabian and learned that they frequently train their horses to drop down one gait at the "bop" command. This is so new to me, I found it actually kind of funny! But it works on 'em!


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## twp (Aug 19, 2012)

I don't always use a verbal stop cue, but when I do, it's "Stop"


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

A sharp HO when I want them to plant their feet, a long drawn out woahhhhhh when I want them to listen to me on the ground or slow down under saddle. Then cue with aids.
Interesting thread!
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## Lwhisperer (Sep 11, 2012)

Let's see... When I was a brand new rider, I said "whoa" but it felt awkward. I also had a rider friend who used "ho" and that rubbed off, so I've used that for... goodness, a long time... about 13 years or so. 
When I was test riding Calypso this summer before I bought her, I was unsure why she was so beautifully responsive to all vocal cues except "ho." Her owner came closer and suggested I tell her "whoa," as that is what she used on her for years. That horse knew the difference, and the improvement on her stops was instantaneous. However, I quickly got her used to "ho," and now that's what she answers to. 
She responds almost as well without vocal cues... I use them about 50% of the time, depending on my mood. I use "eeeeaaassyyy" to slow, and if she's not responding to the cue I'm giving her, I use a quick "HEY!" and then repeat my cue. Works very well. Caly also responds to "walk," "trot," "canter," and "reverse" when lunging. Sometimes I implement those into our riding as well. 
If she's not standing still when we're grooming or something, a quick "QUIT" gets her attention nicely.


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