Horses are unpredictable at times and sometimes when you’re riding things don’t always go as planned.  Good training and mileage will minimize the likelihood of mishaps and that should be your first line of defense against cantankerous behavior or spooking episodes on the trail.  The more you ride and the better you train, the more likely you are to have a horse that is predictable and closer to the ideal of “bombproof”.

If something does go wrong you need a plan to recover-an effective technique that quickly puts you and your horse back on track, without injury.  The best approach is the “one rein half-halt”.  It’s really a cousin to the one-rein stop and the half-halt.

Like the one rein stop, the one rein half-halt uses one rein to divert the horse’s motion from forward to forward and around, a direction that puts you in the driver’s seat without getting the horse off balance.  Like the half halt, this technique slows the progression of forward motion and compresses the horse’s frame just enough for you to regain control.

By pulling the horse around in a circle in one direction or the other you channel the forward motion energy of unwanted behavior into constructive energy for another, more appropriate maneuver.  Unlike the one rein stop, you don’t shut your horse down entirely but rather, immediately channel unwanted behavior into something desirable. And, you keep yourself safe because the effective “extreme” half-halt that is given in combination with the forward and around effect of the direct rein puts you back in control!