Hold the Horn!

National Finals Rodeo barrel racer Molly Powell breaks down the myths surrounding holding the saddle horn, no matter what kind of riding you're doing.

Holding onto the saddle horn when riding horses has gotten a bad rap, and I’d like to dispel the myths surrounding this important part of our horsemanship. 

Products we feature have been selected by our editorial staff. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn a commission. For more information click here

Myth: Riding with a hand on the horn is just for beginners.

Fact: Top riders in all disciplines rely on the horn to help their horse and themselves. Picture your favorite world-class professional—in barrel racing turning a barrel, in reined cow horse during herd work, and even team roping when leaving the box—and I guarantee you that they have one hand on the reins and one hand on the horn when making a difficult maneuver. Having one hand on the horn keeps the rider’s weight in the middle of the saddle for the horse’s sake, keeping the rider balanced by not throwing too much weight one direction or the other.

Working on your Barrel Racing? We think you should check out these four great options. You can buy them all on Amazon today! The “Rookie” for bend and turn,  the “Maximum Performance” for rate and flex, the “Money Maker” for keeping contact while making a barrel racing run, and the “Freshman” for inviting a great headset while providing control.

Learn more about holding the horn with Horse&Rider OnDemand professional Brad Barkemeyer.

Myth: Riding with a hand on the horn is only for turning a barrel or cutting a cow.

Fact: Riding with one hand on the horn is safe for any type of riding. Even when trail riding, your horse can trip at any time, throwing you out of the saddle. Practicing keeping a hand on the horn and steering with one hand is a good tool for safety on rugged terrain or even on a flat surface, just in case your horse stumbles. When you are properly balanced in the seat of your saddle, if your horse trips, you can steady him by picking up on the reins. If you are out of balance and riding with two hands on the reins, there is a chance that your horse could pull you over to his neck and stumble severely with out any assistance from you to steady his balance.

Practice barrel racing with pop-up barrels

[LEARN MORE: Visit Molly Powell’s website to learn more about clinics and schools as well as her line of tack and gear!]

Myth: Riding with a hand on the horn is a crutch. 

Fact: When a rider uses two hands on the reins, that rider may not realize that he or she is sending mixed signals (or even failing to send signals) to the horse with their legs or body weight. Many times, horses are even more responsive to body language than to the reins, which most top horsemen know. So while it seems like it would be more effective to use both hands on the reins to get your horse to respond to a cue, you could actually be making them more dull by pulling on their mouth without proper body language to assist the cue. Riding one-handed, even when riding for fun, is a good way to build muscle memory for the body language signals you may want to send later. At the same time, you’re getting a feel for how to use the hand that’s on the reins without pulling too much or too little to get the response you’re looking for. Riding one-handed, even when riding for fun, is a good way to build muscle memory for the body language signals you may want to send later. 

Myth: A rider should clutch the horn with all their strength to stay balanced. 

Fact: The proper way to hold the horn is to lay your palm across the top of the horn cap. Let your fingers rest naturally around the sides of the horn. Use the heel of your hand to lightly push forward against the horn cap which will push your hips slightly down into the seat of your saddle. This technique will give you to best stability into the saddle no matter which event you are enjoying! H&R

Share
Related Articles
HR_24SPG_Winning-Insights_Peter-DeFreitas_Better-your-backup-2
Better Your Backup
HR_24SPG_Problem Solved_loading_Al Dunning
Keep Loading Easy
HR_24SPG_Confident Rider
Back to Basics
Stick to the Steps
029_HR_SPG24_Shane Brown_Private Lesson_04
Nail The Forehand Turn
Turn on the Forehand
Newsletter
Receive news and promotions for Horse & Rider and other Equine Network offers.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Country*

Additional Offers

Additional Offers
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.