I have had good luck with a sidepull on a horse that used to
run out from under me, but I haven't tried to get collection. Your
experiences make me think I should try that.
Another Banner story. If you're not interested, just delete.
I've had my current horse Banner over three years now, and a number of
issues with him have turned out just fine after a long effort of working with
him. First he had to learn to trust me and that was followed by his
liking me. We've bonded nicely and he is a joy to ride most of the
time. I say most, because it was only his walk and his canter that was a
joy. His trot was elevated, springy, and difficult to ride. It
wasn't comfortable and it seemed like I was always trying to stay on. I
held onto his mane, I held onto the shoulder strap of his breastplate, and I
have held onto the front of his saddle pad. He can spook pretty suddenly
and violently when he has a mind to. I've only had him unload me
once in three years, so I guess I'm fairly lucky at that. Still, his
trot was the one thing about him I was truly disappointed in, and I was about
to give up and figure that I would have to live with it forever, because this
horse is so smart, so cautious and careful, so responsive, I wasn't going
to give up that......I trust him to take care of me and I've ridden him on
some single-track trails that would have given me a panic attack with almost
any other horse. But all the time, I was missing that lovely feeling of
a horse that is collected and driving off his hindquarters and just cruising
along at a nice ground-eating trot. So.....yesterday I tried something
totally different. I have used a rope halter, two
different snaffles and a nice Myler shank bit that he seems to work
well in. With the Myler, I never put much pressure on his mouth and just
rode with a relaxed rein. Yesterday, I tried the one type of headpiece I
had never tried on him.....a sidepull with a rope noseband. I've used
this on one of my older horses for 16 years and that horse still goes in the
sidepull.
Yesterday, I put Banner in the sidepull and started down the road.
I did a few stops and a backup, just to make sure that the brakes and reverse
were working. They were, perfectly, so we went on. When he was
well warmed up and we reached a nice long uphill grade, we did some
trotting. Banner has never liked trotting uphill. He always felt
like it was an effort and he would either drop to a walk or break into a
lope. I thought I was doomed to ride him this way forever. His
uphill walk is very strong and fast, so that wasn't too bad, but sometimes,
when the grade isn't too steep, but just continuous for a couple of
miles, one wants to trot. And Banner did not want to trot
steadily. It was as if he couldn't collect and really push.
Yet he could push at a walk.
So...back to the sidepull. This was a piece of equipment that I
could put some pressure on him without putting it on the bars of his
mouth. I thought I would give it a try and see if I could exact some
collection from him. To finish the rest of the story quickly....it
worked, amazingly well. He trotted up hills and stayed in a trot.
He trotted on the flat and didn't spook. We've reached a point now where
I scold with my voice if I feel him even thinking about spooking, and he
understands and straightens out. So here I was, riding at a nice
brisk trot, with both hands on the reins, putting a bit of pressure on his
nose and he, yielding to this pressure, collecting, and just cruising
along. It was very exciting, after over three years of just trying to
hang on. I was pushing him forward with my legs
and heels, and steadying his head with my hands.....and his trot was
steady and comfortable, for the very first time. I had often said that
he had a very uncomfortable trot, but no longer.
When I bought Banner, I was told he needed someone to trust, and it's
been a long hard time trying to be that person for him. He did learn to
trust me, to like me, but there was something missing. I now believe
that something was the bit of pressure and collection on his
head that told him where he was to go and how. Before that, I was riding
with a relaxed, almost loose rein, and he apparently didn't have enough
direction from me. He was left too much on his own to decide what he was
supposed to do, and sometimes his choices weren't acceptable. It will
take a few more rides to determine is I have really hit on a solution or
whether that was a fluke. But I think I'm really on to something.
A better equestrian would use a snaffle and achieve the same results, I think,
but I am not accomplished with a snaffle. I hate hurting a horse's
mouth. The rope noseband seems to give me the same or similar results
without hurting his mouth. Whatever, if the use
of the sidepull truly makes a permanent difference in Banner, he
will be the most amazing horse I have ever ridden. He is very
affectionate and has so many great qualities that I love.
