>>>> Some people are completely missing the point about a one-rein stop. It is an EMERGENCY Brake!!
I think MOST of us are basically on the same page about this, Susan, but maybe the semantics are getting in our way. My philosophy is, just as you say, you build softness from the first groundwork, teaching the horse to bend and flex. The result is - or SHOULD be - that you virtually never use them because the horse takes the hint before you ever have to go there. I don't literally practice the "one-rein stops" - but I DO circle or bend my horses to stop for practice all the time, virtually every ride. >>> Nothing wrong with it, nothing cruel about it - I always flex my horse after mounting and when I loose their attention on the trail to get it back to me. I know if my horse spooks, I can use the one-rein stop BEFORE it gets out of control. If you're already out of control - you're WAY TOO LATE!!! Exactly - nothing is cruel about bending and flexing a horse- in fact; it's GOOD for them in many ways, on many levels. But there are people who don't understand the nuances as you describe them, and think the horse has to be hauled around by the mouth to stop them. THAT'S what I don't want to practice, nor do I ever want to do it, and THAT can be cruel and even dangerous. But, if I don't practice the pre-steps, and I'm not communicating with my horse, then I'm not sure I can trust myself to think clearly if (heaven forbid) I'm ever headed into the path of that hopefully figurative oncoming train. I guess the original statement that got me thinking was when someone said they thought they should have a bit in case they ever have to do a one-rein stop. I don't think "bit" versus "bitless" should really figure into what we're talking about here. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
