What do you think

[shandy84]

We've had Shandy at the new yard for three and a bit months now and she seems to have settled well. We made changes to her tack when we moved her she has had a new saddle, a straight bar rubber snaffle running martengale and a grackle noseband.

Now we have some manners form her out on a hack and she is not napping and I have company to go out with I want to ditch the gadgets and try again, basically Shandy has a very fat tongue and low pallet so having a grackle on her is not the kindest thing in the world to do and every bit I find is too big for her mouth, so basically my thought was to try the hackamore again, she is now used to poll pressure and is accepting of it, she is coming down on the bit when out on a hack and seems to listen to you verbally and physically when she is being ridden unlike before.


Do you think it is possible to do away with these things? I thought to try it when I go out for a hack with one of the other horses as she also uses the other horse as cues to stop if she has no brakes so I wouldn't worry about stopping, also I feel it would be kinder to have her bitless because of her mouth conformation.

The only other problem I have is that Shandy does need the martinglae as her head carries amazingly high without it and she uses this to run away from you (basically I feel more secure with it and don't want her to revert to running away from you) is there anything I can use with the hackamore to the same effect or should I bite the bullet and see what happens?

[Avid_Rider]

In my opinion, if you are not comfortable with your horse on a hack, don't venture outside of a ring for awhile.
Try using just the hackamore, but start in a ring to see how she goes. I have ridden an Arabian for 3 years now with only her halter. I wouldnt reccomend that for everyone, but with a bridle on, the horse transforms into a fire breathing dragon.
Not literally but its not worth it to ride her with a bridle.
My only point is that each horse is different. I used to ride her with a running martingale but then switched to draw reins (one of my favorite tools). They did wonders for her. Now 90% of the time all I ever put on her is a halter and reins. The other 10% I put on a saddle. And we ride everywhere, through our fields, in fish creek, in our arena...etc.
But honestly, try draw reins. If you are unsure of how to use them, look it up on the internet as they could explain it better than me. Hope that helps.

[Mehitabel]

well, you know what i'll say about the draw reins, so i don't need to... ;)

i don't think i'd ditch everything at once - you put them on with thought, so i'd change one thing at a time and back down from the 'shouting' to the 'whispering' a bit more gradually.
WRT bitting in general - have you tried a nathe bit? pic - http://www.greystokefarm.com/es/1073.jpg

i used one on tinymouth denim, and it was very successful until she ate two of them in a row, when we changed to a very small FL that must have been custom made for someone. they're narrow enough in the middle for denim, and her tongue is the fatest i've seen combined with such a low palate.

you can use the martingale with the hackamore - it's no different to using it with a bit.

[chev]

:biting my tongue on the subject of draw reins:

Have you thought of trying her in the hackamore and a bit to start with? If you're worried that she might react badly, using two bridles would mean you can try the hackamore but still fall back on the bit if things go wrong. It shouldn't be any bulkier than riding with a headcollar on under the bridle - or use a headcollar with bit straps. They're short leather straps that you can use to attach a bit to a headcollar. There's no reason you can't use a martingale on a hackamore like Es says. You just need to be aware of the pressure she'd be putting on herself when she flung hr head up - again, you could try the hackamore with the martingale and a bitted headcollar underneath without till you get a feel for it.

It's always possible to wean a horse off a grackle, or martingale, or whatever. I'd start off by riding her until she's settled, and then just loosening the drop part, so you do things gradually rather than just take it off completely. It's even possible that you can ride with it loose enough that it's offering a psychological control and nothing else, which will make it easier to make the move to removing it completely.

[shandy84]

I'm sorry avid rider I don't really agree with draw reins so cheers for the advice but I wont be able to take it up :)

Es I have her in a nylon straight snaffle its the thinnest straight bar I've found, she had a nathe and hated it ran through it and got very very ratty :rolleyes: bit like her reaction to a sweet iron very small FL, silly mare.

I have had a bridoon FL on her and had no better reactions she seems very narky and uncomfy with any bit I try :rolleyes: Ideally I would have her in a ported bit but the roof of her mouth is too low to allow the rise in the bit which makes room for the tongue am I am right thinking this is a ported bit?

I rode out in the hackamore with her buddy and she was really tossing her head (think thats what the martinglae would help) why would she be headtossing? If can still use the hackamore and martnegale I may try this combination as it is the grackle that is my main concern at the moment but she crosses her jaw with any bit if she doesn't wear it.

I had brakes but directions were a little off, would doing some basic schooling helpthis or is this a hackamore trait?

cheers guys

[shandy84]

Sorry chev cross posted, I have tried losening the grackle and if her mouth isn't pinned shut (which I hate) she takes the mick and runs through it. I like the idea of the two bridles bit like when we got her used to being bitted but had her headcollared, would also make me feel safer, the pressure you're talking about with the martingale - is that poll pressure from fighting the hackamore?

[Mehitabel]

it's a hackamore thing, getting used to the different steering. very common problem when first riding in one!

[chev]

Basically yes - if she throws her head up she'll put pressure on her poll and nose rather than on her mouth, as she would in a bitted bridle and martingale. In one way it may well work wonders - but you need to be aware of it, because if you're holding her when she does it you could end up exerting huge pressure on her head.

[shandy84]

Thanks for the aadice lots of things to try now :) I think I'm trying to be so gentle with the hackamore she doesn't realise i'm asking her to move :rolleyes: I'll get there will try the two bridles and take her out only in ompany for a while as well as working i the school