Schooling for more accurate stops... how?

[Natch]

As title really. How do you school for more accurate stops, as this particular mission is so far a fail with F, and all the methods that worked on other horses don't seem to work with him. I'm talking about getting a sharper response to an aid to slow down or move down a gait: he does it, just with an attitude of "In my own time, love". Which is not so great for dressage.

All attempts so far have resulted in non-response, leaning on my hands in a (successful) attempt to gain a few extra strides first, or dummy out of pram moments.

I will bring this up again with instructor but not currently having lessons, so I'm after schooling exercise type ideas from you lot to try. Please.

 

[Sol]

Will watch this with interest.... Stopping (or slowing down) seems to either happen or not happen for us... and if it happens, I have to learn to be content for it only happening once!

Next time I try usually results either in creeping to a stop progressively or throwing a major hissyfit and going backwards/sideways/upward
And then even when we do stop, 99% of the time he sticks his nose out as if to say 'I'm stood still, but I'm NOT going to look pretty too'
Apparently I ask for far too much! xD

 

[Bowen4Horses]

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And then even when we do stop, 99% of the time he sticks his nose out as if to say 'I'm stood still, but I'm NOT going to look pretty too'


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[Kenzo]

Are you using a half halt first? so you not slamming the breaks on all at once, if you see what mean.

Using your upper body in an exadurated fashion leaning back as you halt (only need to do this for a while in the school at home...it will silly though) but after a while they get the message that as soon as you block the elbow movement and sit deaper and back a little (without looking as your doing it) you will find they eventually come back to you, comes really useful for canter work too for shortening and lengthening the strides between jumps.

 

[Natch]

Yes I am, although not exactly as you describe: I have been taught to sit up taller, and sit deep, close the knees, close the outside hand, so will definately try your way. This is possibly complicated by the fact that I am the only person who has ever done half halts on him, so he may now get confused

But then again it won't be the first time I'm sure!

More detail on your half halts would be great, please!

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Using your upper body in an exadurated fashion leaning back as you halt (only need to do this for a while in the school at home...it will silly though)

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Wouldn't this means he hollows into the transition? Or am I imagining myself hollowing my back and you don't mean that?

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after a while they get the message that as soon as you block the elbow movement and sit deaper and back a little (without looking as your doing it) you will find they eventually come back to you, comes really useful for canter work too for shortening and lengthening the strides between jumps

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So as I lean back I need to keep my elbows ticked into my sides, is that what you mean? So that there's no give in them?

 

[jhoward]

i have this issue with my 4 yr old,. she really leans, and if im wanting to stop at a for example i need to start asking at the letter before,

half halts.. lots of them and dont keep a constant hold hold on the reins, when neddie leans push yr hands forwards so theres nothign to lean on. to be honest i would do this 1st with out actully carrying out a halt/downward transiton.

i also shake her off the bit, by this i mean i will give my out side rein a good couple of over exaggerated give and takes.

the other one i use is to keep the contact but give her a sharp nudge to get her off the bit and forehand and back into my hand.

ive made that all sound a bit like it makes no sence, in english lol.

the nudge id use first, a few laps of doing this then id ask for the transition using the constant half halts, but if she keeps leaning then id "shake her off the bridle."

the other one that i may get shot down for is to pop some draw reins on drop my bit rein and just ride off of the draw rein, i find with this it really makes me use my seat more, and the horse really doesnt have anything to lean on (dont be tempted to shorten the draw rein though so all your doing is over bending and drawing the head in.) you need to have a bit of trust that the horse wont shoot off, and patiance as it can take them a while to get the idea your still asking for a halt etc.

 

[Kenzo]

Well I suppose it depends on what you mean when your horse is saying 'in my own time luv', your are asking to come to a halt at a certain point (or letter in your school) is your horse actually halting there but taking some doing or are you still asking (doing all the correct aids etc) and eventually stopping a few paces after wards?

I helps horses to understand that stop means stop, not when he feels like it, you can work on leg to hand and standing square once he's stopping, the suggestion about the elbows depends on what your normal movement through your arms is when your walking, you give a little but once you block the movement, sit up and squeeze your horse into a halt you can work on making sure they don't hollow into the downward transition, sounds strange but it does work with practice.

 

[Natch]

Kenzo: I can get a halt at or very close to my chosen point, but I have to ask well too far in advance (IMO), and accuracy of position often means a slouch down into it, or leaning/hollowing/evading rather than going forwards lightly into it. I can get him going forwards into a halt if I don't mind where we eventually halt

He is a front heavy horse anyway, and unsurprisingly the halts are always better when he has been working through from behind and using himself properly. I have got him so that he doesn't lean on me any of the rest of the time, (or if he does I can correct it) but the downwards transitions are the one thing that I can't get both a quick response and lightness.

Having typed it all now I'm wondering if i'm just being too hard on him?! He has come a long way in lightness, maybe I just need to persevere with this bit?!

 

[kerilli]

this was taught to me by someone who learnt it from Chris Bartle, it usually works like a charm.
from walk, just 'stop' your pelvis from following the motion of the walk. i don't sit deeper, and i try to draw myself up a bit more as an indicator that i'm about to ask (natural tendency to tip forward means i always need to do this anyway).
i don't do anything different with my hands unless necessary, in which case i give a slight quick squeeze on both reins, not hard or sharp, as an extra aid next time, in case the seat one wasn't clear enough on its own. after a few practises, the seat 'stopping' aid is usually enough.
once they get the idea from walk, they easily learn it from trot and canter. it gives a lovely canter-to-halt transition, as nothing for horse to object to in front.
hope that helps a bit.

 

[Natch]

Sounds great Kerilli... I will have a go. Bit concerned that we will pootle off into kingdom come before he does stop to this aid, but won't know until I try will I?!

 

[Puddock]

I use this method too, and also in other paces. E.g. for trot to walk I sit and then follow "walk" with my seat. It feels odd, but certainly works. You might have to combine it with other aids till he gets the idea, but in general the horse should find it quite difficult to keep going if you are blocking the pace with your seat.

 

[Ziggy_]

I second Kerilli's method for starters

Downwards transitions are still a work in progress with my mare; when I bought her two years ago I had to get on and off her while she was moving as she'd never halt under saddle! She is slowly getting better, lots and lots of repetition really helps.

When asking her to slow down, I have to really pay attention to what I'm doing with my upper body - as I ask her to halt I have to keep my shoulders completely square, my hands still and ask with my seat first, without inadvertantly twisting a hand/collapsing a hip/opening my fingers/slumping a shoulder/looking down etc as she takes advantage of any weakness in my position and uses it as an excuse to keep moving. It would be worth looking at your postion to see if you're unknowingly doing anything funny with your hands, arms or any other body part as you ask him to stop.

Also, riding some rein back might help both with lightness and will help to direct his weight back towards his rear rather than his forehand.

Above all, just keep practising!