Propping and Stopping
by Tom Goodspeed
Now stopping is one of the key characteristics in properly assessing top value in a polo pony, whereas the same movement would render a horse nearly useless in both horse racing and show jumping. But the key is to find a horse that will willingly and consistently stop whenever they are asked to through the duration of a chukker. It is joked that one pull on the reins to get a horse to pull up equals 50,000 dollars in value, two pulls reduces the value to 40,000 and so on.
So we look for that horse that will stop when we ask them to…and hopefully, whenever we asked them to. But what about the horse that stops or props, when we don’t ask them to? First off, propping is when a horse starts to unexpectedly stop, usually as you approach the ball.
Stopping when we want them to is a good thing, but stopping when we don’t want them to can create all kinds of problems, but the most common is not being able to get a good shot at the ball as the horse is either stopping or even shying away from the ball the moment we try to hit.
What is the usual cause?
In two letters….us. If that is too personal for you, you can go ahead and substitute the word “them” for “us”. A lot of school horses will develop these kinds of problems, due to the level of rider that is consistently aboard.
Propping is most commonly caused by the following reasons.
1) We tend to slow down to hit the ball when we are at novice levels. So the horse begins to notice that every time we approach a ball, we slow down…..so they start to figure this ceremony out and start to anticipate that they will be slowing or stopping every time they approach the ball. A horse that gets in this habit does so over a period of time. So the only possible cure to correct the action…is over a period of time.
2) We swing too hard or recklessly when we get to the ball, startling the horse, possibly even accidentally hitting the horse.
3) When we go to hit the ball, we tend not to continue to ride the horse with our legs and hands. If the horse has been being legged to the ball and then you take your leg off as you go to hit, they may then slow down. If you put your hand forward and offer too much rein, the horse may even veer away.
4) This is a common challenge when running directly at a goal post. The horse may pull up (prop) or dive to the other side of the goal post. You were thinking right, but they jump left or vice-versa.
5) They may even prop just before making contact in a ride-off. Some horses are just not as bold, or they may have experienced a few very rough bumps and begin to decide they are not as aggressive as you may want them to be.
So how do we fix propping? The key is that the problem probably developed over time, so it will take some time and patience to correct the problem. Sometimes, it can be a real challenge to correct the problem.
Here are the fixes in order to the fore-mentioned causes:
1) Maintain focus on pace up to and pass the ball. If you go at 12 mph to the ball, maintain that 12 mph all the way pass the ball. Place more focus on your horse and the pace than the actual hit. Pat your horse on the neck or a few positive words if your horse begins to show improvement.
2) Ease up your swing….it is more important to pass by the ball at the desired pace, than to hit the ball. Swing easy and repeatedly before, at and after the ball. If you take relaxed warm-up swings often, your horse should become less anxious when you begin to swing. You need to know that the power in your shot comes from the horse’s stride and the rotation of your body. Too many players try to kill the ball with a hard swing of the arm, which does more to startle the horse than adding any distance to your swing. You also need to stay balanced in the saddle when you swing. If you throw all your weight into your shot, you will throw the horse off balance.
3) Learn to ride and hit simultaneously. You need to learn to keep the proper leg and rein pressures on a horse as you hit the ball. A good drill for this is to practice coming to a walk and then picking up a canter as you are hitting the ball. Or going in a set circle while you are dribbling the ball. This will force you to concentrate on the movement of the horse, while you are hitting.
4) Sit deep when approaching the goal posts and make a firm decision as to which side of the post you want to go on. Do not lean out for the score or the defense without clearly communicating direction to your mount…..if your horse doesn’t get the memo, you may be transformed into a human posthole digger.
5) Keep your legs on your horse and sit deep as you initiate contact. Remember that it is the use of your outside leg which is most important when trying to execute a ride-off. You want to use the body of your horse in a ride-off. If you just steer your horse into a ride-off, they may go to the other horse and then get easily pushed aside as their head and neck is not the part that will push another horse laterally.
Propping is potentially very dangerous, especially when you are leaning out to hit the ball and then the horse props. This will usually cause what we call the pile driver fall. Instead of being tossed with momentum that will allow you to roll. This ejection will cause you to go headfirst straight over the horse’s head. You get planted as opposed to being tossed. This is a common fall in the horse show world when a horse refuses a jump, but sends the rider solo into the fence. This is the fall that changed and eventually claimed Christopher Reeves life. If your horse is propping or shying away from the ball badly, place the majority of your focus on keeping the horse properly positioned. Use a longer mallet, don’t lean out to far, and keep your reins and legs in contact with the horse. It may be advisable to get professional assistance to help correct the unwanted habit. If you catch these behaviors early, you may be able to correct the problem easily. There is a reason that many amateur riders have their trainers or pros ride their horses regularly to keep them properly tuned up. In any event, I wish you plenty of the good kind of stops without any of the props.
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