How to Brake Effectively Without Forcing Power

Have you ever felt scared because you tried to stop a horse but it wouldn’t slow down at all? Stopping a horse might seem simple at first glance, but it’s actually a common stumbling block for beginners. In this article, we’ll explain the basic posture and tips for applying effective brakes on a horse!

Fundamental Posture for Applying the Brake

Many of you might have learned that ‘To stop a horse, pull the reins.’ However, what should your arms, legs, and body be doing when you pull the reins? Let’s review the basic posture first.

Pull the Elbows

In essence, horses do not stop because they are pulled strongly on the reins; they stop because they notice the signal and decide to halt. So, unless they are resisting, you don’t need to use excessive force to brake.

Start by gently gripping the ring finger that you had relaxed when holding the reins. If your aids are transmitted properly, some horses will stop immediately with just this. However, if that doesn’t work, then you should pull your elbows.

The act of pulling is more about drawing the elbow inward, with the arms and body stabilized at your side, rather than pulling hard backwards. Keeping your arms close to your body prevents the horse from overpowering your pull.

Keep Your Upper Body Steady

Initially, you might focus mainly on pulling the reins (moving your arms), but don’t forget to stabilize your core. An unsteady upper body can lead to inconsistent aids and cause the horse to pull or lean forward.

Also, it’s often said that “when stopping, lean back,” but leaning too far back can raise your fist and disturb your balance. If your fist rises, you will tend to pull too strongly on the bit without proper contact, which can be uncomfortable for the horse.

To avoid this, sit firmly in the saddle, and keep your body slightly tilted backward by about 10-15°. Instead of leaning heavily, straighten your back and lift your chest.

Lower Your Heels

When the horse suddenly starts running fast, and you feel like losing balance or fear falling, your tendency might be to lean forward. This often happens because the horse’s neck is extending downward more than usual, pulling you forward.

This is similar to a horse finishing a race with its neck stretched out. Skilled jockeys can follow this movement without losing balance, but to apply the brake, you need to counteract that force.

So, you should shift your foot posture to lean forward slightly. When your heels aren’t lowered, your feet might slip out of the stirrups or press in too deeply, making it hard to stay balanced. By firmly pressing your heels into the stirrups, your legs stay in place, and your overall posture becomes more stable.

Braking Only When Necessary!

It’s crucial to apply aids to the horse with the right ‘rhythm and dynamics’. For example, consider how you react when someone asks you to do a task: if they usually say “slow,” you might not feel the urgency. But if someone who normally trusts you suddenly says “hurry up,” you might really feel compelled to speed up.

Similarly, horses respond poorly to constant tension on the reins and legs. If you keep the aids steady, the horse becomes less responsive and may even become frustrated or upset. Sudden changes or more urgent signals are needed at times to get the desired response.

To ensure your signals are effective when needed, avoid always keeping the reins tight or squeezing the legs unless giving real instructions.

Use Your Whole Body, Not Just Arms or Inner Thighs

Using Your Fingers to Your Back, Not Just Arms

If your horse is calm, you can stop with minimal force, but horses like racehorses or those that have transitioned from racing might suddenly start running due to minor stimuli or the movement of surrounding horses. In those cases, relying solely on fingers or arms might not be enough.

In such situations, focus on engaging your larger muscles. The muscles involved in pulling the reins from the fingers to the back are, in order, the fingers -> wrists -> arms -> back.

If your arms alone aren’t enough, make sure to activate your back muscles and use your body weight to pull.

Support with Legs, Hips, and Feet

However, instead of just relying on your weight on the reins, focus on supporting your legs and hip. Maintain a balanced posture by sitting securely in the saddle, and don’t overly rely on squeezing your inner thighs, which can cause your posture to tilt too far back.

Ensure you touch the horse with your calves firmly and place your weight through your stirrups. Doing so helps prevent unstable postures or leaning too far back, which could cause the rider to lose control.

In case the horse spooks or gets excited and runs off unexpectedly, using a calming voice command such as a slow, low call like “Whoa” can help calm the horse down. Speaking softly in a calm voice reassures most horses.

Summary

Horses are large, powerful animals, but explicitly telling them to stop doesn’t require a lot of strength. Sometimes, you may need more power or vocal commands, but initially, focus on conveying commands through changes in posture rather than sheer force.