Instructions
Keep a tight hold on the reins. It is easy to be thrown from a runaway horse.
Pull the rein in either your right hand or left hand toward your leg, then pull it tightly up your leg to your hip. This will turn the horse's head back to the right or the left.
Turn the horse in a large circle, then continue in smaller and smaller circles until the horse no longer has the urge to run.
Talk gently to the horse while performing the above steps to calm it. Do not shout or yell "Whoa!" or dig your feet into the horse's side, as this will only scare it and make it run harder.
Dismount once the horse has come to a full stop by pulling both feet out of the stirrups, swinging one leg over to the other side and sliding off the horse.
Practice this method with your horse until the horse does what it is directed to do. Don't wait for a real situation to see if you are able to do an emergency stop on your horse.
How to Do an Emergency Stop on a Horse
Just like you might need to step on the brakes to make an emergency stop in your car, there are times when you need to do an emergency stop while riding a horse. This will need to be done if the horse you are riding gets spooked and bolts. Every rider has experienced having to stop a runaway horse.