Ken McNabb: What Does “Whoa” Really Mean? --- How Do I Get My Horse to Stop?

What does “whoa” really mean? How do I get “whoa” consistently? How do I make “whoa” happen?
GREAT QUESTIONS!
Join me today in this episode of Discovering the Horseman Within, to learn and break down the fundamentals of “whoa” in your horse training. How do I get a good stop with my horse?
Introduction: Have you ever noticed that your horse’s brakes tend to fail when his attention is drawn some place else? That is when all of the sudden the horse seems to not say WHOA anymore. When this happens, you have to find a way to bring your horses brain back to you. One of the things I have always said is “I have to practice what I can do, not what I cannot do.” Sometimes you are out on the trail, gathering cattle or maybe even in the arena and all of the sudden your horse “leaves” you and looses it. It may or may not be dangerous, but you can’t seem to get what you want. How do you change this? The answer: DIRECT HIS FEET. Change directions, move his feet, soften his nose.
EXERCISE #1- The first exercise I work on when I do stops is choosing to work my horse to stop off of one rein. Bending your horse to a stop is not always safe and at an older age that is truly a disgrace to a horse. Only use it until the horse starts to learn what you are looking for. The one rein stop can be dangerous at times. There are times and places it just doesn’t work such as steep hills, icy grounds etc. It will and can tip a horse over. I only practice this just enough that it teaches my horse how to get stopped off of the rein and that is it! He learns how to seek a release from forward movement. At these beginning stages it is important to know that verbal cues come with a lot of responsibility. You don’t want to use them until you can reinforce.
EXERCISE #2- (Broken down into 3 parts with hands, seat and voice.): Next, once my horse is going to the rein readily, I am going to move right into a two rein stop. I want my horse to start stopping square and becoming a finished horse. Transitions are a huge part in creating a good stop. When I pick up on a rein, I want him to come to the bridle, see the terrain he is working or watch a cow. A big release is critical in making good stops happen. The horse HAS TO BELIEVE there is something in it for him. If it isn’t fun for him, why would he want to do it? Practice this until your horse understands and MOVE ON! One of the mistakes we make is drilling our stops nonstop. Spend a lot of time resting and changing directions, giving the horse a reason.
In working the two rein stop I break it into 3 segments as I continue to finish my horse. My voice. My seat. My hands. Developing it piece by piece by piece. Break it down and use lessons one piece at a time. Each time he is getting a bit better, quit that lesson and move on to the next one. In developing your partner remember, you are the leader. You have to make sure he has the training and knowledge to understand what you are doing. As you continue to work your stops give yourself a goal. Work to have softer hands, be consistent with your seat and voice. You and your horse will get better and better!
Training Tip: In terms of thinking like the horse, when working stops he learns “if I want to rest all I have to do is stop moving.” If your horse is distracted work his feet, bring his brain back to you. Then allow him to rest. He will learn to worry less about what is in the bushes. If his feet start to move or drift off, put him back to work! During his breaks, don’t leave your horse alone so long he “gets in trouble.”
Important Tip: When working stops be sure to keep your shoulders square, it is important to stay balanced for your horse to perform his best.
Until Next Time, May God Bless the Trails You Ride. ~Ken McNabb
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