Basics of the Rundown

In order to fix your stop, you need to take a few steps back and focus on making sure your horse is soft, relaxed, and responsive to your hand and leg when you’re in the rundown.

- RYAN RUSHING, WITH NICHOLE CHIRICO

There are three phases to this drill, and you must be able to complete each step before moving onto the next one. If you don’t, it’ll be harder to fully diagnose what’s causing your stopping problems.

Depending on the level of experience you and your horse are at, you might need to spend more time on the first or second part of this drill before going onto the next step. And you might spend multiple days, or even weeks, working on the first two parts of this drill before going to the third and final phase.

One

Phase one begins before you even approach the rundown. To start, I pick up a lope and go around the end of the arena, like I would if I were showing. I make sure I’m able to steer my horse around the corner with my rein and outside leg, and that she moves her whole body over when I ask her to. I want her to almost swing around the corner like a gate rather than bent like a merry-go-round.