INSTALLING
THE EMERGENCY BRAKES (part
2)
By SUSAN
DUDASIK
In the
last article, we covered installing our horse’s emergency
brakes from the ground by teaching him to “spin out,”
by giving to the pressure of the leadrope tugging on his halter.
Now it’s time to move into the saddle. To do this, you
will need a mild snaffle bit. Never use a long shank or curb
bit unless it is a dire emergency because those types of bits
provide too much leverage and can cut your horse’s mouth
or tongue. Besides, what you are about to teach your horse should
help eliminate the need for a stronger bit.
This exercise
is perfect for when you’re just standing around killing
time. You’ll soon learn which side your horse favors and
which he’s resistant to. And, while you’ll use his
favorite side in an emergency, be sure to practice both directions.
So to begin, ride your horse to the center of your arena or
corral and ask him to stand. Sit up in the saddle, shorten your
left rein and put plenty of slack in the right. Then, start
wiggling the left rein until your horse starts to turn his head.
Praise him for the slightest response. You might have to play
with the rein length and how hard you wiggle until you get a
reaction. Remember, you want to use the lightest cues possible
so try to decrease the amount of rein pressure each time. At
first your horse will most likely try to walk in a circle, following
the pull. That’s what you want. You want him to follow
his head in a very tight circle. Now with his head still turned
to his side, sit up straight and start using your verbal cue
to whoa. Keep pulling his head around and asking him to whoa
until he stops. The instant he does, release the rein pressure
and praise him. Repeat the exercise on the other side.
Remember,
you must give him plenty of rein to turn his head otherwise
he’ll become confused and might run backwards or rear.
Notice how Ginger is reacting in photo #1. I’m asking her
to turn to the left, but holding the right rein so tight she
can’t turn. In photo #2, I’ve given her plenty of
rein and she easily turns her head. You want to become comfortable
using just one rein for this exercise.
As you
progress with this part of the brake installation, your horse
should eventually stand still and simply turn his head with
your pull. Your goal is to just barely wiggle the rein and have
him bring his head back to your leg. This can take weeks to
accomplish, so be patient but don’t over-do it or you’ll
have a rubbernecked horse.
In the
meantime, you can move on by asking your horse to walk forward,
then reaching down and pulling on one rein as you tell him to
whoa as I’m doing in photo #3. It shouldn’t take more
than a week before he figures out when you tug on the rein and
say “whoa,” that if he doesn’t stop, he will
be walking in tight, uncomfortable circles until he does. Most
horses pick this up quickly. If he stops for an instant and
moves again, continue circling until he stands still. Practice
this exercise often and in a variety of situations. Before long,
you should be able to give a slight tug on the rein and say
“whoa” and your horse will stop. As he progresses,
advance to the trot. Select a stopping point; say a rock on
the ground. Ask your horse to trot toward it. As you get nearer,
sit up straight, look up, and close your hands lightly on the
reins. Just before the spot, say “whoa.” If your horse
doesn’t stop, pull his head around until he does. When
doing this, you want to give your horse a fair chance to stop
on his own, but you also want to teach him that if he doesn’t,
he will be spending the next few seconds going in circles. So
you need to judge his progress. If he’s just starting to
stop on voice command, ask him a time or two to whoa. If he’s
just ignoring you, pull him around hard and fast.
Remember,
this is an emergency stop and you’ll need to get his attention
back on you fast! The idea is to get his head turned in the
first stride or two so you need to practice until it becomes
second nature. But, don’t over do. Once your horse gets
the general idea, only do the emergency stop one or twice a
week. This is a great exercise to practice while you’re
cooling your horse off or riding back to the barn. But once
you ask your horse to stop, he must stand until you tell him
to move on.
When teaching
your horse the emergency stop, there are some things you need
to do also. When you ask your horse to stop, sit up straight
and deep in the saddle, give him enough rein to turn his head,
pull the rein back between your hip and knee, and look up. You
can also grab a chunk of mane as I’m doing in photo #4.
This helps keep you centered if he jumps or trips. Never look
down at your hand or his legs. This causes your head to drop
and puts your body weight off balance making it easier for you
to tip out of the saddle.
Now that
you have an emergency brake in place, you can anticipate when
to use it. Say you’re riding down the trail and suddenly
you see six or seven mountain bikes coasting toward you. Instead
of panicking, you can simply shorten your one rein and talk
calmly to your horse. Then if you feel he’s about to make
a quick exit, all you have to do is pull his head to your leg.
If your horse is really upset, he may not stop when you say,
but with his head already turned to your leg, all he can do
is run in circles. And that is much safer than racing off down
the trail.
archives
Susan Dudasik
Shadow Rider Equine News
srider@salmoninternet.com
Member: Idaho Press Club
North American Saddle Mule Association
