Re: from bit to Hackamore/Vosal etc. Head Carriage

["cdewitt@foothill.net" <lisaj@foothill.net>]

My mare plays with the wire on the S-Hackamore and ends up with it in her
mouth--does anybody else have that problem? Any solutions?
----- Original Message -----
From: <guest@endurance.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2001 2:55 PM
Subject: RC: from bit to Hackamore/Vosal etc. Head Carriage


> K S SWIGART   katswig@earthlink.net
>
>
> Ray O. asked:
>
> > What is the general result of takng a bit out of the horse's mouth re
> head
> > position,and forehand balance? "All other thing being equal,etc",what
> are
> > the changes-other than brakes?
>
> It depends very much on both the horse they are being used on and the
> hands of the person using them.
>
> If you take the bit out of the mouth of one horse and replace it with some
> bitless headgear, all other things being equal the effect on head-carriage
> and self-carriage can be quite different than you doing the same thing on
> another horse.
>
> If _I_ take the bit out of the mouth of one horse and replace it with some
> bitless headgear, all other things being equal, the effect on
> head-carriage and self-carriage can be quite different than you doing the
> same thing on the same horse.
>
> This, BTW, is true of all types of equipment that we use to attempt to
> communicate with our horses, including all the different varieties of
> bits; all the different varieties of bosals, hackamores, vosals, spirit
> freedom bridles, rope halters; and all the different varieties of
> nosebands, cavesons, draw reins, martingales, etc.
>
> My general experience with observing the assortment of people using the
> assortment of all of these things is that if they are used improperly most
> horses have a tendency (note the multiple qualificating modifiers here) to
> go above devices that apply direct pressure (e.g. snaffle bits, standing
> martingales, rope halters, and some bosals depending on how they are
> rigged) and to go behind those that use leverage (e.g. curb bits,
> mechanical and S hackamores, draw reins).  In both of these instances, the
> horse will transfer itself to its forehand.
>
> If leverage devices are used improperly and the horse chooses to go above
> them rather than behind them, then it can have a tendency to transfer the
> horse onto its hind end (i.e. it rears up :)).
>
> If they are applied properly, then the horse will be neither above nor
> behind them, and it will have nice self-carriage; in which case it doesn't
> matter what particular piece of equipment is being used....although some
> pieces of equipment are easier to use "properly" than others and some
> pieces are easier to use properly on some horses than others.
>
> However, its a pretty good bet that if one has never used a piece of
> equipment before, that it will probably take some time and experimentation
> in learning how to use it properly...no matter what piece of equipment it
> is.
>
> kat
> Orange County, Calif.
>
>
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