Fixing the Rundown Breakdown

Lately, many riders have reached out to me for help dealing with issues in their rundowns, specifically that straight-line approach before the stop in a reining pattern.

One rider, Allen, is a professional horse trainer, a very good one, who lately has felt a bit off in his rundown approach. It seemed to him that he was not able to relax his body and run freely through the rundown - his body got stiff, and it felt to him that he was starting to get in the way of the horse’s natural ability. When he shared this with me, we started to think about how we could overcome that challenge.

Sophie, a non-pro rider, had a horse that was giving her hell in the rundowns and stops. He was taking off and stopping aggressively on his forehand, which really took all her confidence away. She sold that horse, but her muscle memory went with her to her new horse. She didn’t want it to continue to be an issue in her riding and she understood that now, with the new horse, it was up to her to solve the problem. So we started to work on it daily, one ride at a time.

Rundowns are interesting. Over the years, I’ve seen how challenging they can be for many riders. So, let’s dig into why it happens and what to do about it.

Why Rundowns and Stops?

First it’s important to understand why the rundowns and sliding stop become one of most challenging maneuvers for reiners.

Unlike circles or spins, where the rider decides when to finish, a rundown has a start and finish defined by the arena itself. That means you don’t control the framework, and the feedback from each attempt is very clear.

It either feels good, off, or completely wrong. That feedback is not abstract - it’s physical, felt directly through the horse’s motion and your own body.

The Role of Timing

Timing in a stop is different from timing in a circle or spin. In a stop, it’s everything. But here’s the unfortunate twist about improving it; great timing doesn’t come from thinking about timing. It comes from feeling.That’s where most riders get stuck. In their heads they’re trying to think their way out of a problem that needs to be felt.

Break the Bubble

When things go wrong, many riders get trapped in what I call “the bubble”; a mental and physical space that feels tight and closed. This is what it looks like: You’re looking down, analyzing, overthinking, possibly hunched, and losing connection to your body and horse. 

To break the bubble, do two simple things:

1. Physical action: Pick up your eyes. It instantly breaks that closed loop and opens your awareness.

2. Mental action: Ask yourself, “What do I feel?” - and keep asking. Notice the physical sensations, emotions, or tension in your body. That question brings you back to the present moment, where both you and your horse naturally operate.

   
   

Turn Feedback into Guidance

Every stop gives feedback, sometimes uncomfortable feedback like leaning or a tough stop. 

Don’t take it personally. Be real with what you feel, but let it be information, not judgment. It’s not about being good or bad, it’s about using what you just felt to make the next rundown better.

Now that you have tricks to fix your mentality of the rundown, let’s look at the riding. 

Most riders practice fence-to-fence rundowns, which can lead to anticipation or balking as you or your horse react to a similar sensation. Instead, change it up. Try runarounds, rundowns that end in a trot or walk, or other variations.

Changing the pattern creates new physical experiences that influence your mental state, helping you find rhythm, motion, and confidence.

Action Tips:

• Pick up your eyes and ask, “What do I feel?” - especially when things get tough.

• Treat every stop as feedback, not a verdict.

• Break your patterns. Create variety to build awareness and confidence.

  
  

Both Allen and Sophie were able to overcome their rundown breakdown. Together, we reprogrammed their muscle memory and helped them become mentally free. The results soon followed from solid practice sessions to confident runs in the show pen, both managed to completely change their approach to rundowns and stops.

If you struggle with rundowns and stops and feel that this is what’s holding you back, let’s fix it. In just a few sessions, we can help you overcome this obstacle and step up your riding to a whole new level - technically, physically, and mentally.

Reach out to schedule an initial call to talk through a game plan.