# How we teach a 'One Rein Stop'



## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

This is a copy of an article I wrote explaining exactly how we teach a horse to give its head to a rider. It is NOT a 'light' read and will need to be read several times in order of get it right. There are 40 ways to do it wrong and/or ineffectively.

I have had several people ask me to explain how we use the ‘one rein stop’. It was not invented by any of the current famous clinicians. It has been around for a long, long time but everyone that I knew that used it just called it ‘taking a horse’s head away from him’. The clinicians gave it the name ‘one rein stop’.

First, a lot of people think it is the same thing as making a horse ‘yield’ its hindquarters or that every time a horse’s head is taken away from him he should move his quarters in the opposite direction. This IS NOT how we use it. For the stop is just that – a stop. It means that when I have gotten a horse to understand it correctly, you take his head and he STOPS right there. He doesn’t go around and around in circles or move his quarters out. Only a horse that is resisting does that. So he keeps repeating the ‘stop’ lesson until he just ‘stops’.

Green horses are always taught to give their head in a full cheek snaffle with a noseband ‘mouth closer’. When we first teach the horse to ‘give his head’, we gradually ask him to bring his head around to our knee and to relax with it there. When he relaxes, I pet his face and release him; but I don’t want him to move off until I tell him to by ‘closing’ my legs on him. The important thing is that the horse STOPS and does not move his feet.

Older spoiled horses can be pretty tough, especially if they are really stiff and resistant. I have a 9 year old and a 12 year old that I purchased for the trail string that are both in the process of learning to properly give their heads right now. I am teaching them in a little short shanked curb with a three piece mouthpiece. I have found that I can use it like a snaffle bit and I don’t have to ‘out-pull’ them with my old arthritic hands. Occasionally, I run into an older horse that is so resistant and gets so mad that I find it counter-productive to argue with them so I will ‘check’ their heads to each side with a side rein that has an elastic link in it. I usually check their heads to the back girth on a roping saddle and put them in a round pen for a while. I always watch them so they can’t get into trouble. Even if they have one really stiff side, I will check them both directions.

When I am teaching a horse to give me his head, I will also teach him to yield his hindquarters. I want him to know how to do both but I don’t want him to interchange them. When I take his head to the right, if he stiffens and resists, I will nudge him in the ribs with my right leg. That will make him yield his hindquarters and in the process, it will help him ‘loosen up’ the resistance in his face and neck. If he goes around and around in little circles, I just let him. I don’t put either leg on him and just wait him out until he stops on his own. Then, I pet his face and give him relief (a loose rein) and let him stand for a few moments. If you are consistent and don’t give him relief until he stops moving his feet and stops resisting with his neck and mouth, it won’t take very long for him to do just that. If you tighten your leg on the same side, he should yield his quarters and if you bring the outside legs against him, he should make a tight circle.

When teaching the horse to give you his head, you start at the walk. You sit back (not lean back), slide your hand down the rein and then take that rein directly back toward your hip. Take the horse’s head as close as you can to your leg. He will go in circles at first but wait him out and give him relief ONLY after he comes to a complete stop. When he does this EVERY time you take his head either direction at the walk, then put him in a jog and do the same thing. You will find that he learns very quickly to stop and give you his head at the jog. Only then, do you want to take his head away at the lope. Just sit back, slide your hand down the rein and he will probably stop before you get very far with the rein. Just because he stops, don’t give him his head back until he brings it all the way to your leg.

I have found it very valuable to teach a horse to give his head and NOT yield his quarters when you are going to work cattle on him or teach advanced maneuvers like flying lead changes or even good lead departures. If you want to do advanced maneuvers, the last thing you want is for a horse to move his quarters out when you take his head either direction. They have to ‘HOLD THEIR GROUND’ with their hindquarters if they are ever going to learn to move their shoulders independently from their quarters. If a horse is ever going to learn proper lead departures with their hindquarters in and strike off with their inside hind foot, they cannot shift their quarters out when you bring their head to the inside. The correct ‘one rein stop’ really helps a horse learn to give his head without shifting any other part of his body out. 

Have you ever worked a gate or watched someone else work a gate and they get their horse to move his hindquarters over to the fence or gate by picking up the opposite rein? That is how you get really ‘chewed out’ if you ride here. How about watching someone straighten out their horse’s ‘back-up’ by picking up a rein? They get a horse to move their hindquarters over to the left by taking his head slightly to the right. OOPS! Nuther big a** chewing here. Your horse will NEVER learn when you want him to move his a** out or when you want him to move his shoulder over if you pick up a rein and some of the time he is supposed to move his hip. Around here, he is NEVER supposed to move his hip out when you take his head. He learns to ‘hold his ground behind’. Then, when you want to start a horse on cattle, you can ‘tip’ his nose toward a cow so he can concentrate on it with both eyes and his hind end will stay exactly where it is supposed to stay.

When a horse has been properly taught to give you his head, much of his resistance leaves and he becomes MUCH more willing to do about everything else you want to teach him. 

*Using the ‘one rein stop’ to correct a problem horse*​ 

If a horse is spoiled and wants to put a hump in his back or gets really unruly, just take his head away from him and make him stand there. If he has been taught to give you his head, that is exactly what he will do. If he has been taught to give his head, no matter how scared, mad or spoiled he wants to act, he will give you his head. You have to teach him before hand. Don’t think you can teach him to give you his head when he is trying to buck you off. After he bucks you off, take him into a small corral and TEACH him to give you his head – both ways. I think you have to do it about 100 times each direction and in each gait before a spoiled horse really ‘gets it’ and knows that you want him to instantly stop moving his feet and stand perfectly still EVERY time you take his head away from him. We have taken ‘cold backed’ horses that had bucked when they were fresh and had them completely quit when they were taught to give their heads. Not every bronc will quit – some are just really good at it and love it, but most spoiled horses will give up the behavior when EVERY time they get their head taken away from them.

‘Chargy’ horses and really ‘hot’ horses will get quiet and slow down better with this method than any other we have ever used. I’ve used this on many horses that came off of the track, on spoiled barrel horses, run-aways and bolters and they have ALL gotten better with this schooling that any other that people before me tried.

A horse that instantly gives you his head is like riding a horse with an ‘off button’ installed in him. When you feel him brace and get ready to blow, it will de-fuse about any situation.

Horses that have ‘tough mouths’ and require a lot of ‘pulling’ to stop them, will lighten up greatly by teaching the ‘stop’. They just cannot brace and push against a rider using one rein to take their head away. Once they have found out that they get their head back when they stop, they stop so much more willingly.

*Is there a down side?*​ 
I know there are people that think it makes a horse get ‘rubber necked’ and he won’t properly ‘follow his nose’ when he has been taught this move. This is absolutely NOT TRUE. Horses get rubber-necked when a rider pulls too hard and ‘over-bends’ the horse when he is trying to get the horse to turn. When you apply the ‘stop’, you sit back, slide your hand down the rein and take his head WITHOUT putting any outside leg on him. When you want him to turn and ‘follow his nose’, you take his head –ever so slightly in the direction you want him to go. You simultaneously bring your outside leg against him. IF he does not turn exactly where you are asking him to turn (or circle) you DO NOT pull harder or get any more bend than the slight amount it takes to ASK the horse to turn. You ‘reinforce’ the directive ‘to turn’ by applying more pressure to the outside with your leg or spur or crop or whatever it takes to MAKE him turn. You DO NOT PULL HARDER or make him bend more. That is where ‘rubber-necking’ comes from – not from teaching a horse that you can take his head away from him.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I'll admit this confuses me. If the horse doesn't disengage, then there is nothing really to stop his forward motion. Horses can run well with their heads facing backwards, so bringing the head around just becomes another stop cue - and a rather dangerous one at that. Why not teach him the same thing (stop and relax) with the normal stop cues? If it is a behavior cue, then what value does it have over teaching the same thing is meant by tapping three times on his withers, or any other cue one wants?

What am I missing?


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

Thank you Cherie. I'm going to print this and read it slowly over the next few days. My abused/rescue horse is getting picked up today by a horse training facility for an evaluation. It may take me awhile to get him in the round pen and haltered. I'm so excited to learn new things  Thanks!


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

It works without disengaging his hind quarters because you teach him to 'stop and not move a foot' whenever you take his head away. If you teach him this maneuver when there is nothing amiss with his world or yours, he learns very quickly that when he stops, relaxes his body and gives an inch more than you are asking for (he gives himself relief from the pulling rein) that you will reward him with a loose rein and will give him his head back.

If this is what you teach him, he will stop and give you his head instantly whenever you ask for it. Most horses will stop when you run your hand down the rein and get set for the stop. Since horses do not multi-task well and can only concentrate on one thing at a time, when you take their head away, you also take away the fear or reaction that you are trying to stop. It instantly brings their focus back on you where it belongs.

Personally, the only time I disengage a horse's hind quarters is when one is trying to take his head down between his knees and wants to buck me off. Then, I do not want him to have any power or use of his hind end. 

The rest of the time, I do not want a horse to get used to 'throwing' his hip out when I take his head to one side. It proves to be really counter-productive for stock horses, reining horses, cutting horses and any horse that you want to 'hold their ground behind' and move their shoulders. It can be a very difficult bad habit to fix when a horse constantly takes a step out behind to get out of doing the more difficult move of bringing his shoulders around for a rollback or spin.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Cherie said:


> It works without disengaging his hind quarters because you teach him to 'stop and not move a foot' whenever you take his head away. If you teach him this maneuver when there is nothing amiss with his world or yours, he learns very quickly that when he stops, relaxes his body and gives an inch more than you are asking for (he gives himself relief from the pulling rein) that you will reward him with a loose rein and will give him his head back...


Then how does your one rein stop improve on pulling the reins back and saying, "Whoa"? In fact, how is the standard stop not an improvement over your one rein stop, since it keeps the horse looking in the direction he is going while stopping him?


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

Both reins pulled back for "whoa!" is claustrophobic feel for the horse, & so causes him to run "through" the bridle.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Pulling back on both reins and saying "Whoa!" will stop a really 'broke' horse but is not instantly effective on a green or very reactive horse. Taking ones head away from him instantly works on any horse that has been taught this maneuver correctly. It is one of the first things I teach after a horse has learned to go forward good and has learned basic 'following its nose' training. 

It also has the unique ability to get a horse's mind off of whatever upset it and get it back on you. It turns a reacting horse back into a thinking one. I think that is probably the most positive thing that it does. 

You can use it as a reprimand or a way to 'scold' a horse and it does not upset the horse. Any other reprimand can have a result of upsetting a horse and making a situation worse.

Once I have taught it to a horse and then get that horse pretty well trained, I do not use it much -- but it is still there. I recently had a wild hog spook up out of the brush. Horses, including the one I was on, are just terrified of the feral wild pigs in the mountain and brush country near here. I snatched one rein around and the horse made 2 or 3 fast circles and would have bolted, but within 5 seconds, he stopped and just stood there with his nose at my knee. A few seconds more and he gave a big 'sigh' and it was all over. Then, I rode back a forth a few times and rode him over the exact spot the hog had been standing. He was over it, but I was sure happy the I could 'turn him off' without a wreck.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Northern said:


> Both reins pulled back for "whoa!" is claustrophobic feel for the horse, & so causes him to run "through" the bridle.


And "Take the horse’s head as close as you can to your leg" is LESS constraining?

The only time I've tried a ORS for real was on a borrowed horse, and he kept galloping full speed towards the barbed wire fence on the far side of the pasture. Guess he hadn't been trained to do one...but if turning the head is a cue, then how is it a better cue than pulling firmly but not severely on the reins?

I understand how tightening a circle would force a horse to slow and eventually stop. I understand how a horse that is disengaging isn't going to explode forward. I do not understand how bringing the horse's head as close as you can to your leg is a good cue that he can stop and enjoy safety. At least, not why it is a better cue than normal stopping cues, if the horse has been taught "Stop = safety".


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

All I can say is take the time to teach it correctly and just see how effective it is for emergency situations and for using to get a horse's focus 100% on you. I cannot argue with suppositions from someone that has never done it.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Cherie said:


> Pulling back on both reins and saying "Whoa!" will stop a really 'broke' horse but is not instantly effective on a green or very reactive horse. Taking ones head away from him instantly works on any horse that has been taught this maneuver correctly...


If it has to be taught first, it is a cue for learned behavior. So is pulling back on both reins. How is pulling the horse's nose to your knee a better, more effective and equally safe cue as pulling on the reins, or a pulley stop if more emphasis is needed?

In my daughter-in-law's first western riding lesson, she was taught to stop the horse, and maintain pressure until the horse yielded his head and relaxed his body...then let him stand there for a bit as reward and "safety". How is pulling the head around - an unbalancing act - better?


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

Cherie, thanks for a lot of good info!

Man, I guess a few "well-broke" horses who bolted with me & ran through the two-rein pull weren't so broke after all! 

bsms, I don't want you to have a horse at any level run off with you & you're only making it worse by pulling back on both reins. Hopefully, if it happens, you'll remember this discussion & simultaneously learn that it ain't working!

I believe that a rider should also know the pulley-rein stop, as taught by Julie Goodnight, because unless a horse has the one-rein "infallibly" on him, so that he stops without having to have room to circle in, like on a narrow trail, one is in trouble. Google for video of Julie's pulley-rein stop, for narrow trails & such!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Cherie said:


> ... I cannot argue with suppositions from someone that has never done it.


I've only been on two bolting horses. The first, I tried a ORS and it didn't work for squat - but then, maybe the 15 year old cow horse hadn't been trained to do a ORS. The second time my horse bolted (different horse, 30 years later), I got her stopped at a fence.

In the arena, I have practiced the ORS as a tightening turn that ends with disengaging, and I find it effective at bringing an excited horse down - but I don't pull her nose to my knee, and I do finish with a disengage.

I'm not making guesses. I'm asking questions based on my experience, and on your way of explaining a ORS differing from what other experienced people have told me when I asked questions.

On the trails near my house, a circle isn't an option. Too much cactus. Add in rocks and little gullies everywhere, and turning the horse's head around doesn't seem like a good cue for anything.

If you post instructions on emergency procedures, then honest questions and discussion should be acceptable.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Northern said:


> ...I believe that a rider should also know the pulley-rein stop, as taught by Julie Goodnight, because unless a horse has the one-rein "infallibly" on him, so that he stops without having to have room to circle in, like on a narrow trail, one is in trouble. Google for video of Julie's pulley-rein stop, for narrow trails & such!


I've posted that video several times. It was eye-opening when I first saw it a couple of months ago, and in practicing it with my horses, it SEEMS very effective. On any trail near me, that is really the only option I know of for an emergency stop. I've never tried it for real, and am hoping that the training I'm doing with our horses is reducing the chance of doing it for real.

For those who haven't seen it, start it at around 4:00 minutes:


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

I thought the horse that I was riding on when we bumped into the wild hog was pretty well broke, but he wasn't broke enough to stick around to meet the hog. We would have taken one mighty quick trip down the mountain if I had not grabbed one rein. The trail was narrow enough right there that a regular circle was out of the question. It was not over 5 or 6 feet between cedars and cacti. The 2 or 3 circles we made were pretty close to reining horse spins when he stopped and stood.

We were not 10 feet from where we met the hog.


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

With the one rein not working on that horse: it didn't work because the horse must be priorly trained to do it.

Re: hindquarters disengaging duriing the ors: cherie's right that horse should discern between head & hindquarter yields. If you ask for hindquarter yield at end of ors, then no problem.


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

Question: Does this technique work regardless of the type of bit you are using?


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

Which technique - ORS or pulley - do you mean?

ORS - can be done with a curb as well as a snaffle, but pull straight back with your bicep, with your forearm in exact same line/plane as the rein. Train horse priorly, without the curb, to save horse's mouth. A curb multiplies pounds of pressure many X, so you're not going to want to actually pull on the curb, because you want to save his mouth. (unless absolutely necessary, in an emergency) 

Pulley can be done with both snaffle & curb, but tact is needed with the curb, for same reason.


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

Okay, thanks for the clarification because all I have is a curb bit. The shanks break away (have hinges on them).... but the bit is a solid piece with a port in the middle. 

Sorry, I'm not educated on proper terminology or even different types of bits for that matter. The guy I bought him from said that's what bit he rides in, so that's what I bought. He is VERY soft in the mouth (which means 'to me') that he reins VERY easily with only a hint of a tug in the direction you want him to go. I would hate to teach him something in the wrong piece of equipment and do any damage, physically, mentally, or emotionally, so I'll need counsel on what to do.


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

p.s. and I wont do ANYTHING until I know exactly how to do it because I would rather do nothing than do something wrong.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

As I said in the article, it is best to teach it in a snaffle. I prefer either a Dee Ring or Full Cheek snaffle because they will not pulll through the mouth of a really stiff or resistant horse.

Once the horse has been taught to give its head at all gaits, then, you can use any bit with a 'loose' swivel shank. Since it is pretty counter productive to do much training on a green or resistant horse with a long shanked bit, I would stay with a bit that is either a true snaffle or is a training bit with short loose shanks. 

I frequently train in a colt bit with a 3 piece mouth (French link or dog-bone) and a 4 inch shank with a big 'tear-drop' rein loop. The rein end of the bit is big enough that I can use a running martingale with it and the bit is mild enough that, for some horses, I can use a very loose curb chain and it has a lot of 'gag' action for stiff necked older horses.

This little bit works very well for taking a horse's head away from him, but I still teach it in a snaffle.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Great post Cherie. The only tweak I would add is to stress that no leg pressure is present while pulling back the one rein. Like you've already pointed out, the goal is not hind end disengagement. 

Also, for whoever commented on pulling a horse's head all the way to your leg, that's only for the teaching stage. Usually within 20 minutes of teaching it, the horse learns that if they just stop sooner, they won't have to do nearly as much bending. My horse stops if he just feels me pick on the one rein. Most learn this technique very quickly.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Tried it two days ago when my mare spun up in the arena. We've practiced it ad nauseum, and she does fine when relaxed, but she had no interest in one rein stopping when scared. If anything, it seemed to make her more worried/agitated, not less. She could yield her head while moving in another direction. After 2 hours, I turned her tight with rein and heel to disengage, then jumped off her while she was still moving. Of course, nothing else I tried Friday worked either...

To the extent that a ORS is a cue to a learned behavior, it is possible for fear to override it. IMHO.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

bsms said:


> To the extent that a ORS is a cue to a learned behavior, it is possible for fear to override it. IMHO.


Totally agree, but it still works at least for my horse whether he's scared or not. If it didn't, my horse would probably be dead since I once had to use over 20 times alongside a busy road when he was scared senseless by a Llama. It ended in an emergency dismount and me leading him to saftey, but the one rein stop did prevent the bolt that he really wanted to execute, over and over again.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

If I reschool a really spoiled or neurotic horse, I work on it for at least a week, riding 1 to 2 hours each day. I will work on other things too, but my main focus will be on getting a horse to check, stop, give me his head and relax. The week spent here will save me countless weeks of fighting or pulling on a resistant and arguing horse.

I have not had one that did not learn to 'check' the instant I slid my hand down a rein and stop on his hind end, give me his face when I asked for it. 

On the other hand, I have not had one learn it well in 1 or 2 days ---- even one that is not over-reactive and resistant.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

MyBoyPuck said:


> Totally agree, but it still works at least for my horse whether he's scared or not. If it didn't, my horse would probably be dead since I once had to use over 20 times...but the one rein stop did prevent the bolt that he really wanted to execute, over and over again.


In a sense, I agree. I lost count of how many one rein stops Mia & I did, all in a row. She would stop...for 1-2 seconds, then off again. But she was getting more panicked with time, not less so, which is why I eventually bailed. But that came after doing a one rein slowdown (she wasn't stopping for anything at that point), followed by a disengage and 'now is as good as it is going to get so dismount'. FWIW, my wife said she had never seen me move that fast before...I told her fear was a wonderful motivator!


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

In all fairness to the training aid, it is just called a one rein stop. It's not a one rein everything is right with the world stop! I sure wish it had been when we saw that Llama!!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

MyBoyPuck said:


> In all fairness to the training aid, it is just called a one rein stop. It's not a one rein everything is right with the world stop! I sure wish it had been when we saw that Llama!!


I want it all! To include a carpeted dismount block, and an auto-tranquilizer for my horse!


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

All of these posts are fantastic. Okay, so I'm going back to the tack shop for a new bit. What exactly do I ask for? AFTER I read Cherie's directions I will start to practice in our pasture. Now, since he will be in a different bit, is there ANYTHING else I should watch for or expect as far as behavior from him because I have no idea why he is in a curb in the first place. Please excuse my UN-educated-ness. He does really good in the bit he is in, but I understand a curb bit is more harsh. Since he is so good, can or will he be just as good in a less harsh bit?


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

When you teach a horse to give you its head, one of the important steps is to keep its head at your knee until it relaxes and NOT let it go forward until you tighten your legs and ask it to go forward. It should never go forward until you tell it to. I am afraid your horse (BSMS) had many more issues than just a one rein stop could fix. It needed to be retrained from scratch because the training holes were far too great to fix without fixing the entire training program. They were way beyond a 'quick fix'.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

The one rein stop is promoted as a way of stopping a frightened horse. If it is merely a cue to a trained behavior, it doesn't do that. The cue is no more powerful when pulling on one rein than when pulling on two.

Circling a horse in tightening circle will slow it down. Add a disengage at the end, and even if the horse won't stop, it will be moving slow enough and with its hindquarters preoccupied to allow an emergency dismount.

I think it is silly to say that if you teach a horse to stop when one rein is pulled that you have taught a way to slow or stop a bolting horse, or to prevent a bolt. First, bolting horses do it rather suddenly. And secondly, a bolting horse isn't listening to cues - that is what defines a bolt.

The better trained a cue is, the better the chance that it will rise above the background noise of the horse's fear. OTOH, the greater the fear, the better the chance that the horse's fear will overwhelm any trained response.

And Cherie, the smiling face is usually a pretty good sign someone is joking. I'm not looking for a quick fix, and I honestly didn't expect a one rein stop to provide me with a carpeted dismount block.

However, since Mia's problems all began after I reintroduced the bit to her 2 months ago, I'm inclined to go back to riding her bitless. I rode her that way for 2+ years without her spinning out of control, and the other day proved a bit won't help control a horse that isn't responding to cues. And yes, my other horse rides with a bit 100% of the time without any problem, so it isn't my hands.


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

Darla719 said:


> He does really good in the bit he is in, but I understand a curb bit is more harsh. Since he is so good, can or will he be just as good in a less harsh bit?


THAT you are about to find out!:wink: Imo, any horse should be tractable in a non-hurting snaffle; to skip to a harsher bit is a "quick fix" that'll come back to bite you. So, this practice of the ORS in a snaffle lets you see what his education's been.

Just make sure that any snaffle that you put on him doesn't pinch the corners of his mouth (built-in or rubber guards needed), & that the joint isn't hurting his tongue (people used to believe that the joint poked into the palate, but new evidence says that it V's the other way, into the tongue, when it does V) - that's why I like a smooth, rolling cylinder instead of a joint.


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

Okay, I was hoping for a suggestion like this and now I have even MORE questions! 

Do the rubber guards come with the snaffle or is that something I'll have to ask for and how do I make sure it isn't pinching him? I did notice some bits have the 'V' in them and then other bits have the rolling cylinder. Which one should I choose? I can only afford to get one for now. I'm now leaning towards the smooth rolling cylinder, but someone told me that some horses like to play with them?


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I personally like the snaffles with the middle piece, either a roller piece or french link. The problem with the 2 piece snaffles, (the v-shape) it can have a nutcracker effect and push that middle piece up into the horse's palette. I wouldn't worry about the horse playing with the middle piece. It might actually benefit you. If he plays with the roller, his jaw will be relaxed which is ultimately what you want anyway.


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

Yes, the person who said they like to roll the cylinder might've meant that it's a good thing, because it is. Some bits also have copper inlay because it increases salivation & tastes good to some horses. The add-on rubber guards must be bought separately. If you got a D-ring or eggbutt, no pinching, so check out the used bits (if available) for a painless bit, bearing all of this in mind, for your choice.

Please don't strap his mouth shut, since you want his jaw to be flexibly in communication with your arms/reins, as puck said.

If, after he's solid in the snaffle, he still prefers the curb, go ahead & usually give him his preference.


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

Oh I can hardly wait now. Okay, I think I'll go with the D-ring snaffle because I can remember that easier. I'll also get the help of the tack store person on duty to make sure. I'm working for the rest of today (work-at-home medical transcriptionist and am on-call), but plan on going tomorrow to get a new bit. I was even thinking I 'may' put on my brave girl pants and try to video tape it, so ya'll can see how bad I #%!* it all up - lol. It could be entertaining! This is all providing its NOT raining.. ugh. I so much appreciate all of this help.. thank you all so much. I'm starting to feel more confident now  Yay!


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

We aim to please!


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

Oh sheesh, now I'm confused again. If he is solid in the snaffle, then shouldn't I KEEP him the snaffle since this is a gentler bit than the curb? How exactly will he let me know if he prefers the curb over the snaffle? (Gawd, sorry for the newbie-ness of myself)

"strap his mouth shut" ???? I'm not even sure I would know how this is done and I dont even know what it means.


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

Should it look like this?


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

Or one of these ?


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

Glad I checked back! 

1. Think of it as how some gals prefer to wear heels: even though it makes no sense comfort-wise, some do. So, if your horse acts happier in the curb, after his snaffle education, go ahead & put it on him.

2. By "strap his mouth shut", I meant, don't do as some do, & strap their horses' mouths shut with flash nosebands/other types of nosebands. If you do so, you'll be riding the horse's entire head, rather than communicating with the jaw. It's another "quick fix" to shut horse's mouth when he's trying to tell you that something's wrong with his headgear, bit, your rein usage, or some combination thereof.

4. The bit in pic is great, EXCEPT for the twisted wire mouthpieces: that's harsher than smooth. Go for smooth, & you've got it! 

5. One more: a thin bit is more severe than a fat one! Try something fair to middlein'!

Keep us posted on your progress!

ETA: Bottom one's a curb: see the shanks which the reins are to be attached to? Top one: I'd be concerned about the high port: might hit his palate in this early part of his training, when he's not flexing at the poll. So, I'd stick with a cylinder in middle, unless you can try a couple of bits & return the one that he likes less. I WOULD be curious to see how he liked the "porty" snaffle; haven't seen that model.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Dover Saddlery | Myler Comfort Snaffle Dee Ring Bit .

Yeah, that twist is pretty harsh, and it's very thin which also increases it's harshness. Here's a link to a milder version. Just wish I could find a fatter one.


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

MyBoyPuck said:


> Here's a link to a milder version. Just wish I could find a fatter one.


Yes, another skinny minnie. 

One more thing you'll want to find out how your horse prefers it, Darla, is a straight mouthpiece vs curved, as in puck's link. Curved seems better, but always see what the individual horse likes.


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

Okay, whew, I'm glad I asked! I think I know what you mean now and I know I saw the one that MyBoyPuck posted at the tack shop here. I'll post a pic tomorrow of the one I get.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

bsms said:


> Then how does your one rein stop improve on pulling the reins back and saying, "Whoa"? In fact, how is the standard stop not an improvement over your one rein stop, since it keeps the horse looking in the direction he is going while stopping him?


When a ORS is done correctly a horse brings his head and neck down, and in...so he uses his body correctly; back rounded, eventually hindlegs under him, etc. You as the rider use your seat to cue the horse, before actually grabbing up the one rein...like for me I sit down first, will breathe in (which gives my mare a few seconds to decide whether or not she wants to respond to my seat), and then I take up slack in the rein, if she still doesn't respond, then I take it into my hip. When implemented correctly, the horse begins to look for your seat cue, rather than the actual rein, and stops the way he's been learning (head/neck properly aligned, back rounded etc), rather than having to run into the bit. Once stopped, I also flex both directions, and then back up, just to continue maintaining the softness; that's a matter of choice though.


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## Darla719 (Dec 28, 2010)

mom2pride said:


> ...like for me I sit down first, will breathe in (which gives my mare a few seconds to decide whether or not she wants to respond to my seat), and then I take up slack in the rein, if she still doesn't respond, then I take it into my hip.


After reading this and rethinking my actions, or 'non-action' I can see where I went wrong now. When the steer came bolting over the hill, my horse froze for about 1 second, exhaled, and paused. This is when I should have sat down, took a deep breath, and begin the one-rein-stop. Instead, I froze with him and waited for his next move. It was then that he jumped sideways and began to bolt toward the opposite direction. He even paused once again waiting for some sort of a cue from me, which never came. By now I was leaning forward, feet out of stirrups, and half way over the horn. I'm still not sure what made him stop because I know I had a death grip on both reins and he could have just braced against it and did what he wanted. 

I know its not likely but I'd like to think he knew I was falling off and stopped so I wouldn't go completely off. (I can dream can't I?) :wink:


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

When in an 'emergency' situation, like a horse going to buck, or bolt, or a spook type incident, I do as the OP has suggested...you just bring the rein in to get the horse to bring his head around and hopefully gain some semblence of control of his feet within a few strides. And if your training in the controlled areas has been successful that "should" happen. 

In your situation, I wouldn't necessarily have been focused on the ORS as just getting his feet unstuck so you could get him 'thinking' again, rather than reacting. Not necessarily moving toward the steer, just moving his feet in circles, or 8s, whatever.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

I use a simple noseband, not a figure 8 or dropped noseband or anything that is that extreme or severe. I have just found that many very resistant horses, particularly those with big thick necks and very 'deep' mouths, will open their mouth wide in an effort to resist as much as they can. I do not even buckle a standard English type of noseband real tight. I just do not want a horse to be able to gape its mouth wide open. That only makes it easier for a bit to be pulled through the mouth and can make it take a lot longer for the horse to decide to give you its head like you asked.


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