qhlover
28th Nov 2004, 01:00 AM
Hi there! I haven't been able to post lately due to personal and finiancial crises one after the other but I wanted to let you all know how Tuffy is doing!
Being apprehensive to try the gag hack with twisted wire, I decided to try her in Hoss's bit first, which is a medium shank curb with jointed mouth piece. I had never rode her in any kind of leverage bit as I couldn't get her established on a snaffle and had always thought a horse should be going well in a regular snaffle before being introduced to anything shanked as it would be too confusing, demanding and frustrating for them. In fact, I keep going with milder and milder snaffles which, now, in hindsight I see probably offered her no support which was why she was such a basketcase.
In the curb, she was light as a feather with such an outstanding attitude I was in total shock! I rode her on a loose rein, two handed, and had her neck reining, pivoting off the forehand, moving the hindquarters, and most importantly giving to the bit for the first time ever with just my seat/legs and sometimes a slight squeeze of my fingers! When I got off, she just turned her head and looked at me as if saying, what took you so damn long, with a heartbreaking look of weariness mixed with relief. I myself cried because I felt such relief and that wonderful "aha" moment that we have all too rarely in life.
Good lord, do I feel like a jackass though. For those of you who can't remember, Tuffy is my 7-yr-old mare who was basically unrideable previously in any kind of snaffle bit. I had bought a mechanical gag hackamore with twisted wire bit as a last resort.
When I mention how she goes so well in a curb but not a snaffle to some trainer friends, they say whatever works for your horse, but don't really know how this can be since we all thought snaffle flexion, giving to bit, etc. was a prerequisite to leverage training. Does anyone have an explanation to offer or any kind of enlightment?
I have had Tuffy since she was 3 but was told that her previous owners, which included a young child, had her since birth and had broken her themselves. All this time I thought maybe that was what had made her so bracey and evasive but now I'm thinking they probably just started her out in a curb bit b/c of the young child and skipped right over the snaffle, hence, her fear/frustration of the snaffle and total acceptance of the leverage bit.
Amazingly enough, her attitude on the ground has changed too. She is just a different horse all around and I adore her more than ever now that she is so loveable. Hoss is actually getting neglected b/c I enjoy riding her so much now that I end up riding her everyday and not Hoss at all! Oh yeah, the transformation is so total that I am riding her in two weeks in a nighttime, lighted Christmas parade! Now that is miraculous! All my husband can remember is the old out-of-control, angry at the world Tuffy and just doen't believe me when I say she can handle the parade!
I just thought you all would like to know what a great ending Tuffy had to her story! Thanks for all of your advice and encouragment!
Being apprehensive to try the gag hack with twisted wire, I decided to try her in Hoss's bit first, which is a medium shank curb with jointed mouth piece. I had never rode her in any kind of leverage bit as I couldn't get her established on a snaffle and had always thought a horse should be going well in a regular snaffle before being introduced to anything shanked as it would be too confusing, demanding and frustrating for them. In fact, I keep going with milder and milder snaffles which, now, in hindsight I see probably offered her no support which was why she was such a basketcase.
In the curb, she was light as a feather with such an outstanding attitude I was in total shock! I rode her on a loose rein, two handed, and had her neck reining, pivoting off the forehand, moving the hindquarters, and most importantly giving to the bit for the first time ever with just my seat/legs and sometimes a slight squeeze of my fingers! When I got off, she just turned her head and looked at me as if saying, what took you so damn long, with a heartbreaking look of weariness mixed with relief. I myself cried because I felt such relief and that wonderful "aha" moment that we have all too rarely in life.
Good lord, do I feel like a jackass though. For those of you who can't remember, Tuffy is my 7-yr-old mare who was basically unrideable previously in any kind of snaffle bit. I had bought a mechanical gag hackamore with twisted wire bit as a last resort.
When I mention how she goes so well in a curb but not a snaffle to some trainer friends, they say whatever works for your horse, but don't really know how this can be since we all thought snaffle flexion, giving to bit, etc. was a prerequisite to leverage training. Does anyone have an explanation to offer or any kind of enlightment?
I have had Tuffy since she was 3 but was told that her previous owners, which included a young child, had her since birth and had broken her themselves. All this time I thought maybe that was what had made her so bracey and evasive but now I'm thinking they probably just started her out in a curb bit b/c of the young child and skipped right over the snaffle, hence, her fear/frustration of the snaffle and total acceptance of the leverage bit.
Amazingly enough, her attitude on the ground has changed too. She is just a different horse all around and I adore her more than ever now that she is so loveable. Hoss is actually getting neglected b/c I enjoy riding her so much now that I end up riding her everyday and not Hoss at all! Oh yeah, the transformation is so total that I am riding her in two weeks in a nighttime, lighted Christmas parade! Now that is miraculous! All my husband can remember is the old out-of-control, angry at the world Tuffy and just doen't believe me when I say she can handle the parade!
I just thought you all would like to know what a great ending Tuffy had to her story! Thanks for all of your advice and encouragment!