bits

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

Hi.  This letter has also done the rounds amongst my friends over here in
South Africa.  Stunned reactions everywhere.  I don't know whether you saw
the other post (it may have been private, but I have deleted it so I can't
send it to you) which described a bit with a French snaffle mouthpiece (it
starts off well), with a sliding gag action (ye gads) coupled with a
Hackamore noseband (yes, hackamore!)

My question to the author was this : your gag brings the head up, the
hackamore brings the head down and the snaffle acts on tongue, bars and
lips.  So, doll, when you take a pull, where does your horse GO?  No
response received.

Your "young friend" is an example to many people who do the "quick fix"
routine.  I have only been riding 4 1/2 years, and my first horse, Toc, I
took off the track when I had only been riding 6 months (all together now -
OH SHIT!).  He is a monster (not all of which was due to my inexperience, he
IS a monster) - rears, bucks, caprioles, won't work "on the bit", etc, but
not once have I used a gadget on him, apart from my elasticated balancing
rein, which I started using last year, under supervision, on the odd
occasion (never all the time).


I have a happy horse, who I can stop with body weight on the buckle, from a
full-tilt gallop.  I love him dearly and will not punish him with gadgets
for being an individual.  He events beautifully, even if he scares the
living daylights out of the dressage judges, and I trust him and he trusts
me, because that trust has been built up, through trial and error, over four
magical, if sometimes heartbreaking, years.


So for me the answer to a problem is simple, snaffle, cavesson, work, work,
work.  My post re bits was misinterpreted as a cry for brakes : it was not.
It was an attempt to find a bit (snaffle) which would take my new horse's
mind off of his mouth without punishing it, so that he could become more
attentive to my aides.  I have done this via the French snaffle.  Yesterday
in the school, I halted him from walk, with the reins on the buckle.  It is
an achievement which rates as highly as any rosette which I could win.


A motto I live by is this : horses trust us enough to allow us on their
backs - we should honour that trust, not abuse it.
-----Original Message-----
From: superpat <superpat@gateway.net>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 8:17 AM
Subject: RC: Fw: Fw: bits


>
>I am sharing this letter which was sent by a young friend of mine. I do so
>in the hope that her response will be taken to heart by those who would be
>tempted to resort to gadgets or whips to short cut proper time and
training.
>Pat
>Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2000 8:14 PM
>Subject: Re: Fw: bits
>
>
>>From one who rides a horse that would be
>> totally uncontrollable at the
>> > > beginning of a ride, here is what I do
>> that works.
>> > > 1.  German martingale.  Don't leave home
>> without it!  Not a standing,
>> not
>> > a
>> > > running.  Gotta keep that head down.
>> > > 2.  Next step, twisted wire snaffle.
>> > > 3.  A CROP!  Yes, I use it  when he won't
>> STOP, not GO!
>> > > Louise Burton
>> > > Firedance Farms Endurance Arabians
>> > > Oklahoma
>>
>> Dear Louise,
>>     I don't know you, but I read your letter
>> that you wrote (see above) about all the
>> 'artificial aids' that you sugest to use.
>> I've seen a lot of horses mistreated, and
>> almost always some patient training would
>> make things better for the horse and rider.
>> I'm only 16 but I've been riding for about 10
>> years and throughout my life the best days
>> have been when i feel that true harmony
>> between my horse and i. This can't be
>> accomplished by twisted wire snaffles and
>> tyiong your horses head down--- and crops are
>> for reinforcing the leg and seat aids for
>> impulsion-- not as a diciplining 'weapon'. I
>> have ridden in quite a few endurance rides on
>> my hot little Arab- but when I can't control
>> him at the biginning of a ride I take it
>> personally that I haven't trained my horse to
>> listen to me. Starting about 15 minutes after
>> everyone else also saves a lot of energy on
>> both your parts and takes away the stress if
>> your horse is young or just can't control
>> themselves in such a tense environment.
>>     I wrote to you because it makes me very
>> sad to see people using all these quick fixes
>> to get top ten or even just ride. i know that
>> your business is selling endurance horses
>> that are well broke-- but, personally, i
>> would want a horse that had been trained- not
>> broken down with german martingales and
>> whipping. I know that many people use horses
>> as livestock-- but with anm endurance horse,
>> and many other performance diciplines- your
>> horse is half of the team-- your partner and
>> hopefully your friend. Please consider using
>> gentler and more natural training methods on
>> your fine horses-- they deserve it!! I should
>> also say that i am sure that you don't abuse,
>> abuse your horses- but from what I could
>> gather from your letter it doesn't sound like
>> you are being completely fair to the animals
>> that carry you 50-100 miles and give their
>> hearts to finish!
>>
>> thank you!
>> sincerely,
>(name withheld by Pat..".to protect the innocent"
>
>
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