AQHA Magazine January/February 2017 JAN_FEB 2017 AQHA_website (1) | Page 37

4. STOPPING 5. TURNING Let your horse read the stop. Release your horse into the stop (feet out). Be careful not to over-ride your horse past the cow. Give your horse every opportunity to rate so he can read the flag and the stop. If he doesn’t look for the stop when I quit riding him, I’ll back him up a few steps, send the flag back the other way, turn the horse around and go catch the flag again. As the flag starts to move back the other way, imagine a piece of string tied from his nose to the flag - we want it to pull him through the turn, nose first. I like to try to get them to hook up to the flag, keeping them quite close and conn ected. I don’t really care how they turn in the early stages as long as they go with it when it leaves. If they lose connection, I’ll take their nose with my cow side rein and lightly drag the horse’s front end all the way through the turn, stopping his body from flicking out with my outside leg then releasing as the horse comes out of the turn. Finish the turn off with your cow side leg, then track the cow across the pen. It is very important to release all pressure while he is stationary, this will encourage him to look for the stop. While stopped, I like to let them sit quietly and look at the flag. If they want to keep moving I’ll keep working them until they feel like they’re looking for the stop, then I’ll give them some time to “soak” in where he found the release. As he gets more connected he’ll start to “cow up” and anticipate the stop and turn. That's when I’ll start to build some style by riding him a little stronger with my cow side foot across the cow and slow his turns down by drawing him back through the turn with my brace (outside) rein. Let him get settled and find the release in stopping the flag. Your horse needs to come to a stop before he can turn. This should become his sanctuary - the place he gets left alone when he’s in position. January • February • 2017 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • Page 37