One Rein Stop – The Emergency Brake

One Rein Stop

Controlling your horse in dangerous situations is one of the most important things you can learn. Whether the horse wants to take off, buck, rear, etc. – you MUST be able to control him.

A while ago one person said, “I grabbed both reins and pulled, and pulled but he just went faster.”  There’s a reason for that.

Horses are built longitudinal. They are built to move forward.  With their bodies built like they are, they can drag and pull lots of weight.

You’ve likely seen rodeos and have seen horses drag cows around.  They are built to have that kind of power.

When the horse is bolting, they’re moving forward to get away.  Pulling and tugging and yanking on the reins typically only makes it worse.

So whaddya do?

Use the one rein stop.  It pulls the horse’s head sideways.  It’s hard to run like that (although some horses do).

It’s the emergency break that works.

It’s a good stopper of bucking, rearing, and bolting.

One Rein Stop – Lesson by Paul Esh

It’s kinda hard to describe how to do it but I’ll try.

The first thing you do is get your horse flexing from the neck in your ground work.

When he’s good at that, then do it from the saddle…perferably using a rope halter and lead rope.

Tie the lead rope to loop of the halter.  The lead rope is now your reins (actually…rein) connected to the halter loop underneath the horse’s chin.  The halter now acts like a hackamore.

Next, pull the lead rope up to your shoulder, slide your left hand down the lead rope, grab it and pull it to your thigh just above your knee and hold it there.

When your horse gives to that position (you’ll see slack in the rope) then let it go and pet him.

Do both sides.  Get your horse so used to this that when you ask for it it’s as automatic as breathing.

Remember to do both sides of the horse.

Then put him in the round pen and walk him around.  Practice pulling that head over to one side to stop him.

You DO NOT let go until he stops moving.  That teaches him he can have his head back when he stops moving.

Remember to do both sides.

Then work on it in a trot and canter.

It’ll take a while to get it down but it can, does, and may save your life.

After all, it only takes one simple little thing to set off a horse and he could suddenly explode outta control and a one-rein stop can save your life.

Just the thought of fence posts whizzing by while you’re on the back of an out of control horse kinda makes you want to get good at the one rein stop…doesn’t it?

Paul Esh does a great job in teaching the One Rein Stop.

Click HERE to get your copy now.

OK – make sense?  Now go out and work with your horse.

Charlie