Re: A strange oral fixation!(long query)

["Janet Zito" <pauljan@integrityonline4.com>]

Another type of jettera that we have used (rather than the spendy ones made
of jute) is using an old pair of panyhose, and braiding it, place it into
the horses mouth, over the tongue and tie it down firmly and letting them
get used to this.  It does not "hurt" them or will it "cut" into their
tongue, but it does teach them to keep that tongue down, not over the bit. 
We raise the paso fino's and have use this one the difficult ones that have
a problem with putting their tonge over the bit - otherwise, if their main
function is trail riding we use a Colombian bosal or hackamore and they are
happier not being bitted.  Our horses that are shown in the arena, etc,
however are begun with the above method.

Jan
Rathdrum, ID

----------
> From: K S Swigart <katswig@deltanet.com>
> To: avpinc@bellsouth.net
> Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: Re: A strange oral fixation!(long query)
> Date: Wednesday, December 23, 1998 6:14 PM
> 
> 
> Trainers of Paso Finos (and other 'latin' horses for all I know) use a
> thing called a jetera to introduce young horses to the bit.  It is a
piece
> of woven hemp (or maybe jute) that sits flat on the tongue, connects to a
> head stall, and ties under the chin.  It has a couple of rings (one on
> each side) that "mimic" the bit rings which can be used to bend the horse
> one way or the other.  And it is designed to teach them to be comfortable
> with having somehing in their mouths where the bit goes while at the same
> time not being able to get their tongue over it.
> 
> You may not want to use this, as it is not all that unlike "tying their
> tongues down" which you said you didn't want to do; although, why you
> would be willing to tie his mouth shut (with a cranked down cavesson or
> flash noseband) but not to tie his tongue down is unclear to me.
> 
> I have had some success in using it both with young horses who have no
> experience with a bit, or with horses who have developed all kinds of
> methods for evading the bit.  In essence, what you have to do is "start
> over" with teaching a horse what a bit is for (and if he has previously
> been wearing one that "would stop a rhinocerous" he is going to have to
do
> a little bit of "unlearning" before he can start learning...that bits
> aren't for stopping horses....they are for communicating with them :)).
> 
> 
> 
> Sometimes what can work also, is to move the bit up in the horse's mouth
> so he can't get his tongue over it...but this assumes that he will
> eventually learn not to do this...since you don't want to ride with it
> that way..eventually, you want to put the bit back where it belongs.
> 
> No matter what you do, there is no "quick fix" for this "problem"...you
> are going to have to take the time to get him to accept the bit (or to go
> with the hackamore and get the bit out of his mouth all together...but I
> wouldn't necessarily recommend this...since he sounds like a pretty canny
> guy and may just learn of some way to avoid/ignore that piece of
equipment
> too).
> 
> kat
> Orange County, Calif.
>