Foundation
of the Stop
By Todd Martin
I've
started a series of articles on what I consider to be the foundation
of training in a young horse. I cannot stress enough how important
the fundamentals are, and how this foundation is a building block
to teach the horse the more advanced maneuvers. In the first articles
of the series, I addressed the spins. In this article, I will
explain the foundation of the stop.
Before
I begin to worry about teaching the stop at a lope, I will first
require that the horse have a full understanding of reverse. Not
that he will just move backward when I pull on the reins, but
that he will get softer on the reins and increase speed when motivated
by rocking my legs into his belly. The rocking of the legs does
two things: One, it gives him a pace or cadence which also controls
speed. Second, it teaches him to lift his belly, allowing room
for his hind end to fold underneath his belly. As a result of
him lifting his belly, he will lower his head. This is the form
that I want for his body to take when I ask for the stop. I will
also require that the horse have a firm understanding of following
his nose, and how to run a straight line.
This
is true of the spins too, as I've mentioned in previous articles.
Why does the horse have to know how to run a straight line? Because
if he does not run straight then he will not stop straight. The
same goes for the reverse. I want to be able to back in a circle
to the left or to the right. Why does he have to know how to back
toward both directions? Because if I cannot back the horse to
the left or to the right, I cannot correct for the straight. In
the stops, it is important for the horse to be at least starting
to understand how to break or to give at the poll and at the withers.
This is not as crucial as the other requirements, but it is still
important. I have found in my teaching that if I stress the importance
of having this part of the foundation, people tend to put a lot
of emphasis on pulling and jerking a horse around to try to get
them to put their heads down and low. This will actually work
at times, but gets the horse much more worried about the stop
and less concerned with the approach.
The
approach to the stop is very important in finishing for a big
stop. I want to see the horse relaxed in the approach, covering
the ground with confidence. To achieve this, I must train for
the body--from the shoulders back. Keeping this in mind and the
horse's body correct, the head will go down to a point at which
he will be comfortable. Once I have this control, I will add the
verbal cue of WHOA--not when I stop, but when I back up. I want
my horses to think that I am not wanting them to stop. Rather,
I want them to think that I am going from forward to reverse.
This is why the backup is so important. WHOA is actually telling
the horse to put his body in the position of reverse, which consists
of a rounded back and lifted shoulders, with the head in a relaxed
position. Without the lifted back, he cannot roll his hind end
underneath himself without elevating his entire front end.
Increase
the intensity gradually from a walk to a trot and then to a lope.
If things get a little rough, take a step backward and use the
foundation to
fix it. But remember, what does not get rough is not being challenged,
and what is not challenged will not get better.
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Todd
& Taumi Martin
39 Toepperwein Rd.
Boerne, Texas 78006
Cell Phone (210) 825-1114
Home Phone (830) 249-7835
Email: todd@toddmartin.net
