difference between harbridge and market harborough

[hooves of fire]

What is the difference between them? Do they both just stop the head going vertical, or does the harbridge let the horse decide when to let go and the harborough ask it to yield via the rein? Has anyone used one?

[StormyJ]

I've used both of them, so will outline what I found out!

The Harbridge is strong and quite severe, you get more of a "forced" bend, and it does help for a while but I wouldn't use it for more than a couple of months - they quickly learn to lean on it and set themselves against it, which is counter productive. It's good for building a slight muscle and showing them what to do, but I took it off after about 7 weeks.

The Market Harborough, I have to say, I adore it! :D It really helped with Phi, it is more of an encouragement method than the Harbridge - it says "will you?" but the Harbridge says "you will".

I've stopped using it now, I use a flash at the moment instead, but aim to eventually come off that too. As I cant use anything for M&M showing, I'm going to have to go the gadget-free way! It has really helped me because I have never schooled a horse from the beginning before, as I am doing with Phi. Eventually though it all has to come from the horse and rider together! :)

What are you using at the moment?

[hooves of fire]

Thanks for replying. I have been using the harbridge. When I lunge I use a Chambon. My instructor wants me to use draw reins, but ai don`t like the idea of tying the head down because once you take it off... The basic problem is getting strong and bogging off / not listening. He isn`t really strong in the mouth, it is just stick the head up, cross the jaw and go. He can`t cross his jaw in his crank noseband, so it is just the head. He is ridden in a myler comfort snaffle as there is no point bitting him up, because barbed wire wouldn`t stop him anyway. I couldn`t decide which was the best option. It isn`t that he won`t go into a shape at all, he uses his big chest and neck against me when he feels like it.