Standing still

Goal

Teach the horse to stand quietly on a light, clear request.

Before you start

• The horse leads in hand
• A calm environment

What you need

• Halter and lead rope

Step by step

1. Slow your own steps and say a calm whoa.
2. Give a light, brief request back towards the chest with the rope.
3. Release the pressure the moment the horse stands still; that release is the reward.
4. Stand quietly yourself and wait a moment.
5. Build up slowly to standing a little longer.

The horse's body language

A horse that understands will chew, sigh or lower its head a little. Keep standing quietly as long as the horse is calm.

Common mistakes

• Keeping up the pull after the horse has already stopped
• Pulling the head down
• Using a different command each time

Safety

• Stand beside the shoulder, not directly in front of the horse.
• Use a light aid; hard pulling invites the horse to pull back.

Stop at once if

• The horse repeatedly walks through you or over your feet
• The horse becomes unsettled or tense

Supervision

Young riders should practise this with a calm horse and under the supervision of an experienced helper.

More about this

The key is the timing of the release: the horse learns from the pressure going away, not from the pressure itself. A steady, short command and the same aid every time make it clear.

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