Dually head collars

[Peanut]

I'm not even sure I've got the name right but I'm thinking of getting one!

I wonder if it would be safer for the winter as my mare's field is quite a long way from the yard and in the dark when the wind is howling and the trees are waving around, she can be very jumpy.

I've never seen them in ordinary tack shops but I presume they come in different sizes like standard head collars. Where do I get one from?

[eventerbabe]

Robinsons sell them. i posted a thread about this in general coz i thought about getting one for Kez. Have a search for it, i got both good and bad opinions of it.

[Trewsers]

Robinsons sell them.

[sheryl]

Hi, What about Ebay? I think they are pretty expensive. You might get a decent second hand one. Then if its no good, you havn't wasted a fortune;)

[Sarah-B]

I have one and it is fab. You can hang on to the most obnoxious beast using one of those as when the horse pulls it just pulls against itself.

Look on eBay or in your local Freeads - I got a tenner off mine and my friend only paid £10 for hers....

[Trewsers]

They sound good, but doesn't it just wind them up? I mean if storm was being silly and I had one on her, odds on she'd freak out!

[Imp]

I just got one for Megan, it's brilliant and you really feel in control. Nice to ride in too :D

I paid £40 because I bought it from her IH RA :(

[Yann]

They sound good, but doesn't it just wind them up?

Only if you don't use it correctly. The idea is that you apply pressure when they aren't doing what you want, ie walking nicely, and release it completely the moment they are. If you have a horse liable to try and get away from you it's wise to use a longer line so you don't have to let go and you can bring them round in a circle once they reach the end of it.

[kirstie]

Will these help for horses that are difficult to load as well? :)

[Selle Francais]

Interesting description at this website:

http://www.montyroberts.co.uk/content.asp?id=5&doc=54

It reads well!

SF

[nicolaj]

I've got one and it works well, but mainly use it on the 'headcollar setting'.

As Yann said it is about releasing the pressure when they are walking along nicely. Also if your horse is liable to piddle about a longer line is a lot better than a shorter one. I know this to my own cost, when my horse really took a spook at something and knocked me flying!:( It makes soooo much sense when it was explained to me by the IH RA.

If you do get one, I'm sure you would so not teaching you to suck eggs and all that, but do some groundwork using the dually bit so your horse is used to it and understands how it works, rather than just putting it on the dually bit when you feel you need to i.e. horrible windy days.

Robinsons have them for £38 without the explanatory DVD or £42 with. Ebay have a couple on there:

http://search.ebay.co.uk/dually-halter_W0QQfkrZ1QQfltZ9QQfromZR8

[Yann]

They are very useful for loading issues, but again correct use is essential :)

[Lucy J]

i have to say I haven't had much joy in with the dually. my friend swears by hers. I ended up with a Richard Maxwell halter which I am tremendously impressed with.

with the dually I couldn't hold on to my new forest pony, he had this neat little trick of turning very quickly and running off. the dually didn't stop him. the richard maxwell halter did.

i suppose the advantage of the dually is you can use it as a normal headcollar which you can't do in the richard maxwell one.

to be honest (please don't shoot me down in flames), i have the same effect wrapping a leadrope once round the nose as a dually, and that is much cheaper. I only do it if the horse misbehaves and as soon as the spook or whatever has finished I take it off again.

[Iron Maiden]

I have a Dually & it was fabby for doing groundwork, long-reining and riding my youngster. It's certainly better than a normal headcollar for leading in & it's convenient to be able to tie up with it too, however I could well imagine that with a headstrong horse you might want something a bit stronger. I've used the Richard Maxwell & I think gives you more control than the Dually when you lead in it. Having said that I loaned a mare who was quite capable of tanking off in the RM. She ran off with me once when I was trying to load her & ended up on a main road, after that I always used a chiffney to lead her because it was the only way I could guarantee I was in control.

[carthorse]

Despite being sceptical to begin with I've found it invaluable for handling my very headstrong & flighty ID. In the past I've tried half-hitching him, bridles, halters, controller halters & chiffneys with very little success & often a lot of retaliation :eek: The dually isn't 100% foolproof - with this horse I don't think anything ever will be - but it works 99% of the time & that's a lot better than anything else. I think for him the key is that when he's good he can be led with no contact/pressure, if he tries to pull away the effect is pretty instant & as soon as he stops the pressure is released just as quickly to reward him.

I'd certainly recommend trying one!

[Bay Mare]

I love my Dually but you do have to know how to use it. I use the Dually for long reining and for doing groundwork and for if Saff is 'trying it on' but it's mostly for the groundwork stuff these days (hooray!). I have ridden in it (successfully) but it's not very sophisticated to ride in and you have to be VERY clear with your movements especially for turning :)

[Lucy J]

http://sports.search.ebay.co.uk/dually_Equestrian_W0QQcatrefZC12QQfromZR8QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsacatZ3153

there are a few on ebay at the moment...