# Do all English riders "purrr" to stop?



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Okay, I must admit I ride western and don't know anyone who rides English, at least not for the past 15 years or so. And the girl I new way-back-when who rode English was a trail rider like myself.

So I have been watching some horse videos, and today a little RFDTV and everytime I hear an English rider do that "purring" sound to stop the horse, it kind of surprises me and makes me laugh. 

Is that something all English riders are taught? Where did that usage come from, is it a European thing maybe? I have only ever heard riders use the word "whoa" out here in Arizona. But everyone I ride with rides trail and western.

I'm not sure I could make the purring sound if I had to! :lol: So is that a common command for "whoa" and I have just never been exposed to it before?


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I have no idea what your talking about, and I ride what would generally be considered english! I don't say anything to stop, I just ask with my aids :]


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## IslandWave (Nov 25, 2009)

I don't know, but I find it quite funny. xDD

I ride an an english/dressage barn and I only noticed my BO/trainer doing it last year and it's been passed on to a couple of her students. She usually only does it when she is lunging the horse or when the horse she is riding needs to calm down or slow down, not come to a complete stop.

I'm don't think I could "purr" either! I usually just say "easy" or "HooOOoo" and drag it out in a low tone. Works just as well, I think.


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

I know what you are talking about, and its more of a soothing sound than an actual purr. Its actually something a lot of people do in the European countries from what a trainer told me. I had honestly never heard anyone do it before her, which was why I asked her about it. Now how true her statement was I have no idea, but I know that she's trained herself with a lot of olympic riders from various different countries, so maybe thats where she got it from.


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

0_o Post a video.


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

Lol. I agree. I'd rather just say easy, or whoa, and drag it out a bit in a nice easy smooth tone, than try and imitate that "purring" noise. Besides I feel much less self concious saying something than I would if I were trying to "purr".


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## IslandWave (Nov 25, 2009)

dressagebelle said:


> I know what you are talking about, and its more of a soothing sound than an actual purr. Its actually something a lot of people do in the European countries from what a trainer told me. I had honestly never heard anyone do it before her, which was why I asked her about it. Now how true her statement was I have no idea, but I know that she's trained herself with a lot of olympic riders from various different countries, so maybe thats where she got it from.


That's interesting. Maybe that's how my BO/trainer picked it up because she got her formal training in England.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I had an english trained horse several years ago. She only knew "halt" as a verbal command to stop. I still say halt once in awhile when I mean whoa.


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

never heard of anyone purring at their horse. When my horse is worked up or I want her to whoa or slow down I say either "eeeeaaassyyyyy" in a very light tone or "whooooooa"


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## englishrider (Feb 4, 2010)

I have never seen that before... hmmmm well I just pull back or squeeze the reins! My trainer says to say whoa but I don't really say itBut I wanna see a vid.


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## westerngal (Feb 11, 2009)

i ride western and english. and i never heard of "purring" lol. when i ride i dont say anything its all in my body movements.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Hmm. I'll have to see if I can track down a video. What I was watching today on RFD TV was called "Horse & Country" and it was a British (I think) guy doing a dressage demonstration. 

I also heard it on a video that was posted here at the horse forum a while back. I *think* it was perhaps Anky(sp?) when she was demonstrating long and low, or long and deep, or rolkur? I dunno, I get all the dressage stuff in a jumble! But the dressage people seem to do it the most.

If I find a video I will post it. But if anyone else knows of a video offhand and wants to post it, that would be great too!


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

I know just what you're talking about! A few people at my barn (including my trainer) make this noise and I also saw that same show you're referring to. It definitely seems to be exclusively in the dressage world from my observation.
At my barn I hear it mostly used to slow down a gait, not stop, though. They still use "woah" or "hoe" to stop.
I prefer to use eeeeeeasy to slow my guy down and hoooooe to stop. But I was raised in a western saddle, so I may not be the best example


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Okay, at 1:18 in this video, Anky makes the "purrr" to stop. Does anyone know what it is called? I just call it a "purr" because I don't know what else to call it, lol!


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## englishrider (Feb 4, 2010)

it didn't show up I think you have to click the link button


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I fixed the link, it was messed up the first time. Does it show up okay now?


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

I use it to get my horses to slow down on the lunge and occasionally undersaddle. To stop I use "whoa".
It doesn't have a name in English really... It's the same as saying "easy". My horses understand it to mean to slow down in a gait, like clucking means to go faster in a gait. 
Totally a European thing, a lot of North Americans don't get it. I picked it up off Kyra Kyrkland, and when I had a mare from Europe she didn't know English voice cues so I had to use the purr noise.

I actually had a manager at a barn I was working some young horses at ream me out for using it...


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

^ What on earth? Why would they have such a problem with it? That sounds very silly.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Lol! That sounds hilarious!


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

weird !


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I picked it up from my lessee, Linda. She "purrs" (It's a quick "prrrrrp!" sound) to signal Denny to transition downwards. I caught myself doing it today.... haha

ETA - it's not exactly what like Anky does.... ours is not as ... catty...? It's a bit lower.. if that makes ANY sense... haha


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## Amlalriiee (Feb 22, 2010)

It's called a trill! like the spanish "rr" ....I can't make that noise for the life of me. I've never heard of it being used to stop a horse!


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

There is 1 person at my barn that makes a weird noise when she wants her horse to stop - moronic if you ask me. It's like this high pitch trill - weird sound...annoying too.

I use my seat, knee's and core to ask my horse to stop - no voice.

Could you imagine riding your dressage test, going PURRRRRR whenever you want to down transition? LOL.

I think it is.......out there.


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## masatisan (Jan 12, 2009)

A high-pitched quick sound like that is the opposite of what I use to slow/stop my horse. I'm pretty sure he'd want to speed up if I made that sound. If I want Caleb to slow down I usually use a very low soft hum or talk to him in a deep quiet voice.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

It is an *affectation* that annoys me greatly. Unfortunately, it has become sheik in many dressage circles. I've never seen any signs that it calms a horse in any way.


BTW, I would never do something just because Anky (or anyone else) does it. Watching that video reminds me of much I disagree with there. But, that has been beaten to death elsewhere.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I don't understand why it has become "the thing to do" in the dressage world, when you cannot use your voice what-so-ever while doing dressage tests....that makes no sense.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Just as an aside.. I only use voice commands on the lunge line. When I'm super talkative one day I might use it undersaddle, but.. meh. It's just another training tool, I really don't see the harm in it =\


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## tealamutt (Aug 21, 2009)

a couple of girls at my old barn, who were on the Young Riders team, did it a lot to signal a downward transition. Someone must have taught my horse this too, because he responds very well to it. I only use it when he is excited and jigging a lot, or gets too squirrely at the canter. I will admit to using it when I lunge as he is very responsive to verbal cues on the ground, but I get some weird looks from the girls at my new barn!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Wow, this thread took off like wildfire! 

Thanks for the thoughts everyone! I always just found it a funny and odd thing the few times I have heard people do it. And then I started to wonder if maybe everybody new about it except me, lol!


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## HalfPass (Jun 12, 2009)

JDI.
I have heard it used by my trainer as well. Every now and again I catch myself doing it too. LOL
Funny how we pick things up.
In fact I had not heard anyone else doing it before and then I watched the vids you posted with Anky. I actually had to put it back and listen again because I was shocked that she did it...
I e-mailed it to my trainer and told her to listen for it. And also because I thought the vids were interesting even tho I do not agree with anything to do with Rolkur and hyperflexion of a horses neck.

But purrrrp brrrrp away 

HP


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## roro (Aug 14, 2009)

My horse was trained to slow down with that purring sound. I couldn't stand making that sound and it took a little more effort to make it, so I retrained him to slow down with a 'ho' or 'whoa'. He halts with 'halt' and makes a down transition when I name the down gait. I almost never use my voice under saddle except the occasional cluck, I mostly use them for groundwork or lunging.


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## Fellen (Mar 29, 2008)

Haha.. Yes it's def. totally normal to do that in Germany.. So probalby Europe in general. I do it.. I learned it that way. I'll also talk but a quick "brrrt" is what I'm used to. I wouldn't do it to "calm" but just as a sighn to go slower or downward transition. And you "cluck" when you want to go faster/upward transistion. Doesn't have anything to do with Dressage. Jumpers do it and pleasur riders too. I think it's funny that everyone thinks it's so wierd! :lol:


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

How do I tell DiDi to stop? Good question.

Well there is:
Woah
Woah please
Woah please now
Woah please now woah
Woah you B*t*h woah
Woah you B*t*h stop now you B*t*h woah

I have not heard of this cat purring business even in the Home Counties. 
Have you ever tried to get a cat to do anything?

Usually, being a rather odd sort of English rider, I just stop telling the horse to go forward, I make a slight hesitation in my seat movement and I stop allowing the horse to move its neck by squeezing the rein. It is all done in perfect silence. Not a purr, a moo, a bark or a tweet within hearing.

I'd like to think the horse read my mind. The Huzzy usually can.


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## Seahorseys (Nov 14, 2009)

I've seen it in alot of dressage videos from England, and specifically, all over the HorseHero.com website. I can't purr, so I just say Whoa, but it sounds more like "oOat", and on the lounge like I just ask for "Halt" followed by "stand". I do like when they call the horse a "Good chap" or "Smart lad" so I've kind of adopted that because its funny.


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## Nero (Mar 5, 2010)

im english and ive never seen anyone purr to stop hahhha


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Barry Godden said:


> How do I tell DiDi to stop? Good question.
> 
> Well there is:
> Woah
> ...


That reminds me of this sweatshirt! I have to get one someday! :lol:
http://www.horse.com/item/whoa-dammit-adult-sweatshirt-xlarge/RCB74%20XL/


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## Count Jackula (Aug 28, 2009)

Nero said:


> im english and ive never seen anyone purr to stop hahhha


Me too, but I know a lot of people who use that 'prrrrrpp' as a 'pay attention/keep going forward/listen to me/new command coming' when lunging or longreining or even driving. It's certainly not a 'slow down' noise in my experience :?


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## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

im not even quite sure what you mean, i have ridden english for 11 years and been to 4 different equestrain centres for lessons, one of which in canada. i live in england and always have, never met a western rider in my life! and i have never heard any english rider do that :s


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Barry Godden said:


> How do I tell DiDi to stop? Good question.
> 
> Well there is:
> Woah
> ...


Great post, and I agree with it, totally.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

That's weird that everyone's saying dressage riders do it, because as MIEventer stated, you have to be completly silent (which makes me start to play music in my head so I have to keep myself from singing in the dressage ring......). I ocasionally use a cluck at the base of a jump, or if I'm schooling dressage, or out on the XC I might yell for him to "GET UP!" in a really tough voice. I never use anything to slow him down except the occasional easyyyyyyyy when I want him to calm down. I tighten my theigh, let that travel down to my calve, closing my "doors" so to speak, I brace with my back letting that stop the motion of my hips, and then I tighten my abbs. If he doesn't respond I close my fingers.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

THR
Re-reading your post I suddenly wondered if you felt that all English riders sat bolt upright, toes up, heels down, going round and round in circles in an arena.
I can assure you that they don't.

Yes formal dressage with its attendent riding style 
is adopted by a significant minority of riders.

Show jumpers are really only concerned that their horse is agile and can jump a combination of high fences, perhaps set up in a complicated fashion. But to acheive this capability they need to ride their horses "collected"
- so they practice some of the dressage movements.
Personally being an Old man - I rarely jump my horse even though she is good at it.

Some trail riders I know (we call them 'hackers') ride on a long loose rein in a very relaxed seating position. They could easily ride as they do, on a Western saddle.
Yes they are using English cut saddles, but we don't have a use for a rope neither do we ever play on horseback with cows. And saddle horns get in the way.
Incidentally the modern treeless saddles are very Western in concept. 

About the style of hats these days, there is not much option - wearing a cowboy hat instead of an English style riding hat would be inviting the risk of severe disapproval not least from the insurance company. But even that can be got over.

Generally speaking the modern trend is to move towards light, sensitive, silent aids (cues) and to ride the horse on a shortened rein - even 'on the bit' - if your horse is of a suitable breed. .

Joking apart, I don't have to tell by using my voice my horse to go from walk to halt. I don't even have to tell her from trot to halt. But I do pre warn her with my body posture and my hands through the reins. I use 'voice' largely to soothe my Girlie when I sense she is nervous

As for "Purring" - well I suggest you ask the 'pussy cat' who was making the noise. It might be fun finding out why she is purring. 

Try her with some milk.

B G


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

It's not just a dressage thing, I've seen several grand prix jumpers do it too. I think it's more of a European thing. It's no different then using a cluck to encourage your horse to go forward. It's no different then saying 'woah' when you want them to slow down. It's just a different sound. Is it better to be silent? Maybe in some instances (the show ring for example) but verbal cues can be very affective and I'm not above using them. Although, I say woah though... i'm one of those weirdos who can't make that noise.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

I know a couple people who do that. I just use the good old fashioned "whoa".


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

I've never heard of that, very interesting!  I can't open your video link from my computer at work, but I'll certainly see if I can hear it when I get home, I want to hear what everyone else is referring to! 

I always thought that with dressage, you are not really allowed to make ANY noises (in the show ring anyway), that it's all about you communicating with your horse using invisible (and silent!) aids only...


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## Seahorseys (Nov 14, 2009)

0.06!!!! A Purrrrrrrr!


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

LOL that's hilarious!!! I've NEVER heard that before  I know how to make that noise, but I don't use it for anything!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

upnover said:


> It's not just a dressage thing, I've seen several grand prix jumpers do it too. I think it's more of a European thing. It's no different then using a cluck to encourage your horse to go forward. It's no different then saying 'woah' when you want them to slow down. It's just a different sound. Is it better to be silent? Maybe in some instances (the show ring for example) but verbal cues can be very affective and I'm not above using them. Although, I say woah though... i'm one of those weirdos who can't make that noise.


This, thank you 

Regarding that video.. that was a purr! haha -- I use more of a "prrt!" sound... weird


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Ok I'm going to say something else regarding the "but dressage riders can't make noises in the ring". Dressage riders also can't use whips in the ring for qualifiers or championships. Does this mean a dressage rider never carries a whip?
Of course we are going to use aids outside the competition ring to enrich our training. We can't cluck in tests either, but we cluck in training. This is no different.

Most dressage horses trained on the lunge know what a cluck and a purr mean. When we are riding them and need to enforce a light body aid to slow down or break gait, instead of hauling the horse up we will purr. The horse understands the purr from the ground work and says "oh that's what you want!" and then slows down. I personally think it's less intrusive in the training than a "whoa". And, like clucking, once you learn how to do it, purring is actually quite easy. It can also be done quietly so sometimes it is possible to cheat in a test and use a soft cluck or purr, far from the judge to enforce an aid. Saying "whoa" is really obvious if the judge hears it. But you didn't hear that from me


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

^acctually, I try not to cluck or even talk when I'm schooling dressage. I am a creture of habit by nature, so if I get it into my brain that dressage=verbal cues sometimes, it might happen in the ring, and I don't want to be DQ'd for something as silly as that!


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

I am constantly talking to my horse but the one that I am currently riding the most likes to find things to spook at. I find that talking to him helps keep his focus on me and not trying to spook at the mounting block that he has seen a million times. And I say silly things like telling him about my day, or making a chant out of remember to keep my elbows and shoulders back and my hands up. Anybody watching me would think I am completely nuts. 

When I was learning how to canter I use to hold my breath and my trainer use to make me tell her what I was having for dinner then make the shape of that thing with my horse.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

QHDragon said:


> I am constantly talking to my horse but the one that I am currently riding the most likes to find things to spook at. I find that talking to him helps keep his focus on me and not trying to spook at the mounting block that he has seen a million times. And I say silly things like telling him about my day, or making a chant out of remember to keep my elbows and shoulders back and my hands up. Anybody watching me would think I am completely nuts.
> 
> When I was learning how to canter I use to hold my breath and my trainer use to make me tell her what I was having for dinner then make the shape of that thing with my horse.


I've done that haha!!! It really does help though


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## nirvana (Sep 14, 2009)

AHAHA! Thats GREAT! I have never in my life heard somebody do that before. I wish I could do that soo badly! (almost as much as breakdancing:wink


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

i cant even think of the noise you are talking about and im a reformed english rider. with english its pretty much all aids cause the judges will mark you down for using voice commands. im now heading into the western world and have a green broke qh who i am training western and he is responding well to the 'whoa' command. this purring though. i have no idea what you mean lol can you give us a link to the vids you are talking about?


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

There is a good video example on page 5.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

oh ok. must have been the only page i didnt look at lol thanks

thats hilarious lol i have never heard that before. might just be something that person does. ive been around many dressage riders and thats a very new one to me lol


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## Rule of Reason (Feb 11, 2010)

I don't know what you're talking about, and I ride only English, so the answer is no.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Linda said it perfectly today:

Do you talk to your teachers at school? Yeah. Do you talk to your teachers during a test? No. 

That about sums it up


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

JustDressageIt said:


> Linda said it perfectly today:
> 
> Do you talk to your teachers at school? Yeah. Do you talk to your teachers during a test? No.
> 
> That about sums it up


Love this analogy!


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

True, but you just have to make sure that you learn "sign language" so that you and your "teacher" still understand each other during the test without the use of words/sounds ;-)


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> True, but you just have to make sure that you learn "sign language" so that you and your "teacher" still understand each other during the test without the use of words/sounds ;-)


So you never tell your horse "good boy" or cluck when you're schooling either??

Interesting..


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## sunny7horse (Apr 23, 2009)

That's strange, I've never heard of that. My horse tends to go really fast, I would try it except people might think I'm crazy. xP


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

I think if I purred at my horse it would definitely get his attention. When my old riding horse was 3 or so he acted very spooky on the trail, and I would compare this to my father and I singing random songs or whistling while we rode. It got the horses so focused on listening to us that they didn't notice other things. 

Purring would defintely be an attention getter.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I got a video of Linda demonstrating our "purr" -- although, listening to it now, it sounds more like a "brrrt!" It seems to be a sharper sound that gets 'noticed' more, if you will.


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## Bekky (Mar 15, 2010)

Actually it is really a European "sound", everyone does it here, not only dressage riders. Maybe it's because we don't have or use a word to slow down a horse, and that "purrr" is totally international here, which means that a French rider can slow down a German horse with that sound. Do you understand what i mean, i know it's quite confusing what i'm writing here :lol: :lol: By the way, i've been to Iceland two years ago, and there we were told that they use that sound not to slow down a horse but to encourage it to go forward.


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

I actually used this sound yesterday with the young standardbred im training. She gets so rushy and forward she forgets how to come back to me, so in order to get her attention back to me and slow down I make a quick 'purr' type noise and then use my aids.. if it doesn't work ill drag it out a bit. It worked for her but I know it wouldn't work on Little or Chance, I would have to train it. But I was actually having fun making the noise. LOL!

I got a few weird looks.


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## Moe10 (Mar 9, 2010)

I ride huntseat and western pleasure. I "purr" to my horse to get them to slow down and collect themsevles. Otherwise, I constently talk to my horse. Judges around here do not like this but I'd rather talk to my horse then be on his face to slow him down. I use voice aids in showmanship too, but I do it because it teaches a horse that when you do a certain noise your horse will respond the same everytime.


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## newhorsemom (Jun 20, 2008)

This sounds similar to what my mother-in-law (MIL) does. Instead of a purr sound she uses "whoop!" to slow down or change to a slower gait. She is really into it and gets really mad if I don't "whoop! whoop!" to my horse. She'll even yell it across the pasture to me and my horse if I'm not using it while we're working. She told me that is what you do to slow down a horse (and then rolls her eyes and shakes her head). I'm guessing this is an Arabian show thing.

What?! Doesn't everyone use whoop!?

Whoop! Whoop!


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

As bekky said, it's very much a European 'sound'. It's fabulous if your horse will stop to a quiet 'brrrt' or just a light roll of the tongue, as in a test you can get away with it because you hardly have to open your mouth and the judge can't hear or see it  Great help when your horse is a bit on edge and an extra aid is always handy!
*bad kayty - don't use voice aids during a dressage test!*


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## shadowanne (Jan 7, 2010)

I heard the purr for the first time at my new barn (have been there 8 mo now) by my pro dressage trainer that visits as well as some of her other students. I learned 'wup-wup' several years ago from a different dressage trainer for down transitions. It totally worked for my english/western trained arab both in saddle and on lunge. 

My new horse is learning it now too  It's a much easier sound for me then the purr which required a bit of tongue roll. Plus I like whoa to mean STOP, not slow down.


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## Poco1220 (Apr 6, 2010)

Wow, I've never ever heard that sound used before! If I'm asking for a slow transition I use eeeeaaassssy.... and a stop/back is whoa. Though if I want him to stop on a dime regardless of gait I use a very quick "Hep!" noise lol.


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