So pleased I taught my children the one rein stop

[Shantara]

It seems to be a much more western thing as my horse was taught this first when being backed western but as a kid in a riding school we had many a bolting/strong naughty pony and I was taught to alternate (see saw) the reins so tighten and release each rein alternately to try and distract the horse and break the bolt as they wouldn't be as focused on grabbing the bit and charging also if safe to do so to pull them onto a circle till they slowed down but obviously if in a narrow lane or similar it was not always possible to circle to slow down so the see saw method often helped steady up a bolting horse
Also yes keep calm lean back slightly and lower leg off as instant reaction to a bolting horse is to clamp on for dear life thus driving your horse faster am always yelling at kids in classes to relax and sit back when there horses are being sharp and jogging off with them as they don't realise its them tensing up and leaning forward that is causing the pony to run away with them

I must say this is the one I have been taught. I see far too many people doing it to punish a horse though! I've only had to use it twice. Once on Ned and once on Monty.

Monty hadn't bolted, but he was carting me. Normally I wouldn't have reacted so violently, but he was headed towards a small bush (that he was setting himself up to jump) which again, not too much of a problem, I could have sat it. The problem was the barbed wire at the other side of the hedge. He would have jumped it, landed and not had time to lift again to miss the wire, it would have been a horrific accident!! So, I see-sawed as hard as I could and it worked!

The occasion with Ned was on a narrow and slippery road, with people around. Some silly child had decided to skateboard up behind Ned and open an umbrella! Poor Ned tried not to run, but in the end couldn't help himself. There would have been no way of doing a one rein stop, so again, I see-sawed and it stopped him.

I personally have never been taught one rein stop, but it seems like a useful tool!

 

[Slightly Foxed]

There are a lot of things riding schools don't teach any more. Not sure why but I don't think they are producing as good riders as they did when we had the old fashioned screeching instructors who made us ride and jump without stirrups and no reins. Bareback riding seems to be thought of as something special these days, in my day it was par for the course that you rode bareback often. I don't know, I don't see that many young riders who make me feel that the art of horsemanship skills is being continued into the next lot of generations of horse riders *sigh*

Litigation and insurance!