# What is a "one rein stop"?



## RiddlesDarkAngel5 (Jun 2, 2009)

ok, i feel kinda silly asking this since i've been riding for so long. but i've heard several of you talk about a "one rein stop" that supposedly is like an emergency break for the horse if it takes off or something. i've never heard of it and i would like to know exactly what that is and how i go about learning it. i think it would be really useful for me to know in case i'm ever in a situation where a horse bolts.

thanks!


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## Barrelracer Up (May 22, 2009)

I learned it from Clinton Anderson.
On the ground you teach give to pressure and get them to laterally flex their head to their side with light pressure.
Once that is established you move up to doing it in the saddle.
Then you build on it and teach them to stop and laterally flex from a walk, then trot, then lope. In essence you should be able to stop at any gate once you have this down to a "reflex" action.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

To build on what Barrelracer said, you are basically disengaging the hindquarters from the saddle by bending them and it is much harder for a horse to brace against pressure from one side that it is to brace against even pressure on both reins.


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## Qtswede (Apr 16, 2009)

Yep. What smrobs said. I learned it from a 81 year old 4th generation horse trainer  Been around forever.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Training ~ One-Rein Stop

This link provides a good description of how to do it properly. The one rein stop is GOLD!! This thing will save your butt every time. I have a willing but sometimes chicken OTTB. He can spin around and bolt in what feels like less than a second. Once I learned the one rein stop, I've been able to shut him down 100% of the time. It is such a huge confidence builder. I don't even get scared anymore. I just execute my stop and work through the situation. I'm not sure if the above link mentions it, but when you take up the rein, do it in a slow/steady manner to avoid any possibility of throwing your horse off balance. Most will stop as soon as they feel you taking up contact since they don't like the feel unbalanced anymore than we do. Do practice it at all 3 gaits in a controlled environment before testing it in a real situation. Most horses learn it very quickly.


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## gabrielstriumph (Mar 15, 2009)

Oh, and always remember to pull the rein to your belt loops. If you pull it any higher, like way up to your head it won't work in the proper way, and can possibly pull your horse off balance and cause them to fall on top of you. 

But once you leanr the right technique, it can be a real life saver.


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## RiddlesDarkAngel5 (Jun 2, 2009)

thanks for the explanation guys! appreciate it


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## yankee doodle (May 25, 2009)

Like Qtrswade, I also learned this from a profession horseman/ trainer. Just wanted to add that when you do this manuvour you grab your rein as near to the bit as possible and place your horses nose on your knee, there must be no tension in the opisite rein, it must be loose or you have a bad two rein stop which your horse will brace against.
Don,t release till your horse is totally relaxed. You can also add to it by gently tapping with your foot to disengage the hindquarters. 
I do this with my horse all the time, just to put him in his place when he is being disrespectful and not listening. Its a good wake up.
Also be careful as in the right conditions, you can take your horse off their feet. 
There are loads of videos on you tube that demonstrate the correct way.
Have a go and let us know how you get on.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Just be careful though. If your horse is galloping or doing something stupid you can easily flip him over on you..I've almost done that a few times because I pulled too hard and the circle was too small. It's best to make a bigger circle. Really, any kind of circle is punishment.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

sunny06 said:


> Really, any kind of circle is punishment.


Any circle is punishment??

I don't think one rein stops work as well as many like to think. I had a mare spook and take off on trail. WAY too flexible of a mare. (all that cross training in dressage) Her head was at my knee and she was still running. I added my leg to circle her down and was able to achieve my goal of stopping her.


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## goldilockz (Aug 1, 2008)

mls said:


> Any circle is punishment??
> 
> I don't think one rein stops work as well as many like to think. I had a mare spook and take off on trail. WAY too flexible of a mare. (all that cross training in dressage) Her head was at my knee and she was still running. I added my leg to circle her down and was able to achieve my goal of stopping her.


Her head was at your knee and she was still moving forward? Horses can't run forward if their entire neck is turned to the side - it forces their body to go in circles...


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

I tried a one-rein stop once on Dakota when he took off bucking. I planted my left fist on his withers and just hauled the right rein back to my hip. It worked.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

goldilockz said:


> Her head was at your knee and she was still moving forward? Horses can't run forward if their entire neck is turned to the side - it forces their body to go in circles...


^^ Yes. If your horse is doing that, then you need to apply extra leg pressure. And yes, a circle is a* form* of punishment. Who wants to walk in a tiny circle all day? Nobody. And neither does a horse..Therefore if you do it enough, they will eventually catch your drift..If they don't--well--there *are* some stubborn ones out there.


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## RiddlesDarkAngel5 (Jun 2, 2009)

goldilockz said:


> Her head was at your knee and she was still moving forward? Horses can't run forward if their entire neck is turned to the side - it forces their body to go in circles...


lol there are exceptions. i kid you not people, i used to ride a lesson horse who would canter down straightaways with his head and neck turned to the inside so he was staring at me. literally, looking at me the whole time. and i wasnt holding his head or anything. it freaked me out the first time he did it lol. and he never stumbled or anything. only straightened out at the canter if we started jumping. but i've neer seen a horse do that since so usually the whole circle thing works for me. 

oo and just as an update, i've been practicing the one rein stop (havent had to use it yet thank god); thanks for all of the explanations


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## yankee doodle (May 25, 2009)

mls said:


> Any circle is punishment??
> 
> Her head was at my knee and she was still running. I added my leg to circle her down and was able to achieve my goal of stopping her.


Just wanted to ask a question? was your horses nose physically touching your knee? this is the method I was taught.
There must be no slack to the rein, my hand is virtually touching the side of my bit as I pull in towards my waist in a straight line.
My horse will move briefly in a circle but will not continue more than 90 degree rotation before submitting and staying perfectly still until I release his nose from my knee. His head when I do it will be on an angle with his eye kind of towards the sky.

If his nose was not on my knee he would be able to move etc. I have had movement from him but only when I have not executed the the one rein stop correctly, ie my hand was not near enough to the bit. Then I will go in a circle as he has space on the rein and not enought flexion in his neck.

Yeah he hates it when I do it, but if he is playing up I would rather do this than nag at him the whole time we are out. I use it for discipline as well as thoses OMG moments, like when one of my reins gave way at the bit. Now that was a great riding moment :lol:!


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

yankee doodle said:


> Just wanted to ask a question? was your horses nose physically touching your knee? this is the method I was taught.
> 
> If his nose was not on my knee he would be able to move etc. I have had movement from him but only when I have not executed the the one rein stop correctly, ie my hand was not near enough to the bit. Then I will go in a circle as he has space on the rein and not enought flexion in his neck.


Yes - her nose was on my leg. It was incredible ~ after the situation was under control.  EXTREMELY flexible horse. (and naturally athletic) Which is a credit to the many many hours of dressage and T-Touch we did with her. I got her when she was three. Previous owner had a 'friend' who decided to work on lateral before working on forward. Poor mare could not swipe a fly off her shoulder she was so very stiff.


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## yankee doodle (May 25, 2009)

That would have been incredible to see mls, not a lot of horses could do that. Your horse sounds like the Nadia Comaneci of the horse world.


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## im a boy (Jun 25, 2009)

um im new and i need some advice on how to treat cuts and how to tell what did it.


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## goldilockz (Aug 1, 2008)

im a boy said:


> um im new and i need some advice on how to treat cuts and how to tell what did it.


Where is the cut, how deep, describe it please  

You might be better off starting a new thread, so you can get more replies. There are a ton of helpful people here who are more than willing to try to figure out what you need to do for your horse.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

yankee doodle said:


> That would have been incredible to see mls, not a lot of horses could do that. Your horse sounds like the Nadia Comaneci of the horse world.


 

She was. Unfortunately I lost her when she was only 8.


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

I know this probably isn't very helpful or anything but I don't know how anyone can stand to ride without knowing how to do a one rein stop! It's been so useful for me, as an emergency break and as a training aid. I can't tell you how many times it's probably saved my life


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## Qtswede (Apr 16, 2009)

a true one rein stop will disengage the hind quarters. If you don't disengage the hindquarters they CAN run off with their head to your knee. It's not just a rein thing, as the name implies, you use leg cues as well, at least that was the way I was taught.


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## yankee doodle (May 25, 2009)

I tap with my leg at the same time to disengage is this correct?


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## Qtswede (Apr 16, 2009)

that's the way I was taught it.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Sometimes just bringing the head around disengages the hind end. If your horse is one of those talented ones who can run with it's neck bent to one side, then leg is involved. I practiced so much in the ring with my horse, I now only need to pick up one rein and he stops before I ever have to use it. Every horse is different. Just find what works for you.


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## Goosen (Dec 28, 2008)

This simple training "aid" has saved my butt more times than I can count, really. When I rode Jasper, a huge draft horse with an attitude bigger than I could handle for a bit, he was rearing and bucking a bit too often. I learned to use it with him and ended up teaching it to a green horse who would start bucking if you asked for anything more than a walk - worked great. Now with Allegra she's slowly getting the idea that they aren't so fun, which is kind of a good thing in my opinion. She's a very, uh, snippy mare that thinks the world revolves around her, like most mares do. It was simply a natrual reflex for me the few times she did rear to instantly pull her head to my leg when she came down. I also use it when she tries to go out the gate in the outdoor arena. 

It's helped a lot and I agree with just about everyone else: you really need to know how to do it! Granted I didn't know it until about two years ago and had been riding for seven years before that, but...


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