Clinton Anderson one rein stop

The one rein stop is used by all natural horsemanship folk. No it doesn't build the wrong muscles, should be done on both sides equally. What happens is, if you teach it properly, the horse will stop on the lightest touch of the rein, without any flexion at all when they are well into it. I can stop mine on either side just thinking about it.
 
Thanks for that. To begin with should it only be done a couple of times a week?
I am going to start to teach it to my ex racer starting on the ground then when ridden. Just incase we have a mad gallop session! He is soft in the mouth usually but maybe if he took off i would like that extra control!
 
Well, my horse got the idea, after about 10 minutes, having said that I ride in a headcollar mostly. You will find when you first start to teach it that the horses nose should come round to your toe, it may well start to circle round in tight circle, which is ok. As soon as the feet stop moving, release immediately, it is the release that teaches them what to do. After a few goes they will stop when it feels you pick up the rein, as I say, teach it both sides equally.
 
Basically you take the reins into opposite hand to the leg thats leading if cantering/galloping. then with the free hand slide it down the reins and turn the horses head round to that side, basically gets them to do a circle and disengage the hind quarters. Or atleast thats my jist of it. You can you tube it and see videos. I only want it as a last port of call. I do believe from watching it the horse needs to be supple to get it working properly otherwise they wont turn quickly and it will just be like turning in a circle. Its also used to stop a horse thats bucking.
 
MrsMozart said:
Please tell me, what is the 'One Rein Stop'?
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Basicly you are teaching the horse to disagage the hind quarters when you ask with one rein it should be a early lesson for all horses when you longe and as you start riding the same reason you should try to never pull on both reins as this is when they can learn to brace and pull and lean on the bit before you get them to understand what you want which is softness and willingly guided, remember legs for steering and reins to guide...
 
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dizzydancer said:
Basically you take the reins into opposite hand to the leg thats leading if cantering/galloping. then with the free hand slide it down the reins and turn the horses head round to that side, basically gets them to do a circle and disengage the hind quarters. Or atleast thats my jist of it. You can you tube it and see videos. I only want it as a last port of call. I do believe from watching it the horse needs to be supple to get it working properly otherwise they wont turn quickly and it will just be like turning in a circle. Its also used to stop a horse thats bucking.
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Please, don't do this, if the horse is cantering or galloping you wil throw the two of you over on the ground. You use a 1-rein stop to "catch the thought" when a horse starts to leave, or buck, or even rear. Once the horse is going full pelt it's too late, but you can give and take 1 rein at a time, which of course is something that is taught in English-style riding as well.

Different trainers have slightly different approaches to the 1-rein stop, but basically it does develop a halt signal. Many would consider that starting by asking the head right round to the boot is over-flexing and will develop incorrect flexion that will be a problem in other ridden work. I would say teach correct flexion on both sides as a foundation to your ridden work, then progress to asking for a hindquarter yield, which is what a 1-rein stop is in the early stages. As said above, it can be developed so that just lifting 1 rein slightly is a halt aid, if asking with your body hasn't worked. If you lift your rein, get flexion, possibly swap the rein into the opposite hand and lift that hand towards the opposite shoulder... then the hind legs will probably disengage. If they don't, rather than mucking up your flexion by taking more and twisting your horse up, you can encourage the step under with your leg, or maybe even by patting the rump on the inside of the bend to encourage the horse to loosen up and step under.

Indications of correct flexion would be that the head comes round smoothly, with the neck nicely arched. No twisting of the head or neck (watch for the ears staying level). This is normally developed by asking for and rewarding the tiniest of flexions, then asking for more gradually. If you get the nose on your boot straight off you'll almost inevitably build in a brace and a twist in the neck. Think about it this way, if you teach incorrect flexion in one area of your ridden work, how can you expect your horse to give it differently when you are working on more refined ridden work? If you get the fundamental flexion correct and easy, then the 1 rein stop should happen without drama, and without bringing the nose around right to the boot.
 
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perfect11s said:
Basicly you are teaching the horse to disagage the hind quarters when you ask with one rein it should be a early lesson for all horses when you longe and as you start riding the same reason you should try to never pull on both reins as this is when they can learn to brace and pull and lean on the bit before you get them to understand what you want which is softness and willingly guided, remember legs for steering and reins to guide...
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Spot on.
 
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