Part One described the one-rein stop as a way to refocus your horse if you feel that you're starting to lose control. Our discussions on the Linkedin Group, "Horse Lovers of the Business World," identified a related emergency technique called a pulley rein. I had never heard of it, but Claire Thompson and Nanette Levin provided a description. I'll be borrowing from Nanette's description of the technique, plus another discussion from Julie Goodnight, a well-known trainer and clinician.
The pulley rein is intended to be used if you've lost control on a runaway horse. With the pulley rein you do not want to turn the horse's head. You shorten one rein as much as you can and press the knuckles of that hand into the horse's neck, with your hand braced and centered over the neck. Then you slide the other hand down the other rein as far forward as you can and pull straight back and up with all the force you can muster. The objective is to hold the horse's head straight with your anchored hand, and use your leverage to put some serious force on the the other rein.
If the technique is executed correctly, you can stop a runaway horse quickly, but it requires some practice and obviously the practice is very hard on your horse. However, if you're ever completely out of control, this might be your best option.
On her website, Julie Goodnight also cautions that the very worst thing you can do is pull back on both reins at the same time. The horse will stiffen its neck and lock its jaw and might just pull you out of the saddle. I've seen a horse stop and rear over backwards with lots of pressure on both reins. Julie also warns against pulling an out-of-control horse in a circle due to the danger of the horse losing its footing and falling.
Tying this discussion to the Part One post, Julie reminds us that horses are much more responsive to using the reins alternately -- for better control, she teaches the one-rein stop or yielding the hindquarters.
Nanette has used the technique. Has anyone else? If so, what's been your experience with it?
Here's a video demonstration of the pulley rein from Julie Goodnight.
Thanks, Paul. Great post. This rein aid is one of the seldom taught, but sometimes needed cues to know. Your horse must know the one rein stop cue in order to obey in his flightiest moment. If a horse doesn't know the one rein stop, he can jerk the one rein out of your hand and charge on ahead. The pulley rein works as long as you know the aid.
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