Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

RE: [RC] [RC] bitless and plenty of whoa - Christina McCarthy

Well said Chris.  My experience is slow training, and changing bits to increased learning...I have always used french snaffles, and moved on to a jointed Myler mullen bit, then a bitless bridle, onto a hackmore, then a thinner snaffle.  I interchange bits depending on what I am teaching my horse.  At some point I will try a curb bit (when he is finished) for headset.  I expose him to various situations, make sure he enjoys each experience, and when he needs to run, let him...he always comes back to me.  I think the bottom line is the relationship you have with your horse dictates how well they listen to you (and even more importantly, how well you listen to them).
 


Christina McCarthy


From: chrisnstar@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] bitless and plenty of whoa
Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:41:09 -0500

Please people, remember that a "bitless" bridle is just another tool in the toolbox. It's not magical. I've got one, have used it, but prefer a bitted bridle for most, not all, of my riding.
Is it more humane than a bitted bridle? Um no. You simply are trading off where the apparatus puts pressure on the horse. The Dr. Cook's bridles put pressure on the poll and nerve points on the face rather than on the mouth.
ANY bridle, heck, even a halter, can be an instrument of torture depending on how it is used. Use a bitless bridle if you want, or an "s" hack, or a vosal or bosal, or a bitted bridle, or whatever. But remember that there is no such thing as a headpiece that doesn't put pressure on the horse somewhere.





"Press on. Nothing can take the place of persistence," Calvin Coolidge
Chris
BayRab Acres http://pages.prodigy.net/paus
Lake RegionSWA http://lakeregionswa.fws1.com
 
From: Beth Walker <bwalker2@xxxxxxx>
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] bitless and plenty of whoa
Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 08:28:11 -0700

I've seen the website, and there is someone at my boarding stable that has one, I think.  Anyone else out there use one of these?

My guy (had him a bit less than a year)  is something of a Jekyl & Hyde:  when we are by ourselves, he is a dream - he will respond to the slightest cues, and we mostly work off of voice and seat.  Put him in company, however, and it is a different story.   We are working on his "I have to be first" issues, but it seems to require more bit than I really want to use on him.  He seems to have a pretty sensitive mouth, so I like the idea of using something like this  -- as long as I don't end up with a runaway..

Does this really give the rider control when a horse wants to move out?

On Mar 21, 2007, at 6:55 AM, <alexis_mills@xxxxxxxxxxxx> <alexis_mills@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

My young (almost 5) Arab has only bolted a few times, but yesterday he added a couple of bucks for good measure as he fled whatever scary thing he saw down in the wash. But I got him stopped and turned around in a few strides - and no bit required.
 
Samurai absolutely hated the bit when I started riding him two years ago, so on the advice of an eventer friend with a former race horse, I ordered Dr. Cook's bitless bridle, and it made all the difference. It's about communication, not pain, and I highly recommend it.




i'm making a difference. Make every IM count for the cause of your choice. Join Now. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=