Sliding stop
The sliding stop is required in reining, the "dressage" of western riding . In the easy class, only simple stops are required. The sliding stop in the difficult class. For this you need a special floor (hard surface and a sand pad that is pushed away when sliding) and the horse needs a sliding shoe (see horseshoes ).
The horse is slowly accelerated on a straight line, the so-called run-down. This should make the stop more spectacular and give the horse a good grip on the hindquarters. Then the stop is initiated with the vocal command "Whoa" and sitting down. The rein, however, should not be accepted, but should remain loose. The horse "sits" on its hind legs. The shoe slips on its hind feet while its front legs continue to come to a standstill.
Training takes place first from the walk, then from the trot and only then from the (slow) canter . If you proceed too quickly, this damages the horse's legs because it lacks the muscles to "hold out". The rider also has to learn to stop first.
There are specialized competitions in which only the length of the slide is assessed. The record is around 20 meters. Such extreme slides are only possible with special irons and on a specially prepared floor.
criticism
The sliding stop is a spectacular maneuver and for many something like the symbol of western riding. Nevertheless, there are also critical voices. Western riding comes from the American cowboys' equestrianism and should still be based on these origins in the tournament form. The sliding stop is diametrically opposed to this: When working with cattle, the horse must be able to perform quick maneuvers in as narrow a space as possible, i.e. come to a standstill as quickly as possible when stopping and not several meters as required in the tournament (and possibly on the cow past) slide. In addition, the flat, slippery irons required for the sliding stop are completely useless for any other use - especially cross-country riding.
On the other hand, health concerns that are sometimes heard are unfounded if the horse is carefully built up and the stop is responsibly demanded. It goes without saying that such extreme maneuvers can only be carried out with well-trained horses and on suitable ground.
