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Take a step back: look at the situation where we're
not trying to stop the horse, simply slow them / rate them, and we want them to
stay in a straight line, not curving around our leg or doing a one-rein "slow"
or un-hitching their hindquarters...and for normal riders a simple soft equal
pull on both reins is the cue for slowing - my question is this:
biomechanically, why would the bitless bridle cause the horses nose to go UP in
this situation, when we would expect them to give to the "bit" (noseband
pressure) and thus flex at the poll?
I'm a firm believer in the one-rein stop you mention, btw,
and it is always part of my ground work.
Mike Sofen
Bitless bridle or spade bit; why do people insist on
trying to stop the horse's feet by pulling
on his head??? Lateral
bending of the horse, as in teaching "give to the bit" (from the
ground first), displacing the hind end, as in crossing the hind legs and
unbalancing him. You cannot run if your legs are crossed. I have
watched several good trainers through
the years; I have seen every one of them stop
their horses from a dead run with nothing on their
horse's heads. I admit I am not at that level yet, outside the
arena, but I have stopped many a young horse from spooks or bolts or whatever
and kept control by being able to instantly getting the horse's nose to my
foot. However, I had already practiced this several hundred times in the
arena before going out on the trail. That is really a key point;
they understand immediately what I am asking, a conditioned
response. Renie
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