Warwick Schiller is a reining horse trainer, NRHA Continental Judge and clinician from Australia. Warwick was the NRHA Ltd. Open Reserve World Champion in 2002 on Hobbys Gun Thief. Warwick has been known to conduct “online” coaching through groups like Reining For Fun.
Warwick offers a few pointers for those of us who have ever felt just a wee bit unstable during your horse’s stop. (Wait, you never felt that way? I guess it was just me… )
What you shouldn’t do:
Don’t think about the impending sudden halt because then your body will brace in anticipation of the (usually imagined) jolt
Don’t look at the spot where you are going to stop or look down at the ground
Don’t try to make your horse stop (i.e. throw your body back)
What you should be thinking about:
Not stopping at all! The ideal stopping position is the position you are in when you are running to a stop, don’t change anything when you say whoa, this will keep you out of your horses way.
Here is another way to think about it: In the stop, everything the rider’s body does above the waist will be reflected in the horses body in front of the cinch. Everything the rider’s body does from the waist down will be reflected by the horse behind the cinch. Which explains the above point about the jolt usually being imagined, as it is the riders upper body bracing for the jolt that causes the horses front feet to brace up which causes the jolt.
So, if a rider’s upper body is relaxed and doesn’t change, the horses front legs should be relaxed and they will be able to pedal with them. If a rider’s legs are relaxed, the hind end should be too.
Thanks Warwick! You can read more from Warwick at his web site, www.SchillerQuarterHorses.com.
Good advice for sitting the stops. Is the same form used in cutting?
Hi – I am having trouble with my mare ” slamming on the brakes” with her front end only during her stops…I want to encourage her to run forward with her front legs and park her butt into the ground at the back.. can you please comment? Many thanks for your help.
after the stops drive her in to the bit time after time then she wiil use her front end in time
u wil feel its works
greetz tom belgium