Next, you will learn how to halt, or stop, your horse. This is done with the reins. So the reins aren’t only “steering wheels” they are also “brakes”.
To stop the horse, pull back gently on the reins and say, “Whoa”. If the horse doesn’t stop right away, you may need to pull back again (this is called “checking”) and say “Whoa” a little louder and clearer.
Once the horse has come to a stop, release the pressure of the reins. Don’t drop the reins, but just releasing the back-ward pulling pressure.