RE: bitting questions

[Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

I didn't think I would actually have time to comment on this so I didn't
save any of the original posts...but I think I remember the gist of the
conversation.  Pardon me if I missed something -- it's been pretty tight in
the "reading time" department lately.

As I recall, Abby did her usual splendid, articulate job of describing some
bits, bit uses, sizes, and cautions, and elements of horse adolescence.
I'm not going to rewrite my version of what she said since we are pretty
much of the same mind when it comes to training philosophies and
appropriate tack.  Tracey also included some good comments on green horses
and contact. 

I would like to do is add something that I learned from James, my former
mentor.  James started green horses, mostly TBs and Arabs, for about 95% of
his horse training career that had spanned 40+ years and 3 countries.  Part
of the time was also involved in retraining horses from the track since he
was a former jockey (who also did hunt and steeple chase) turned classical
trainer.  For some strange reason, all of the horses that I owned over the
prior 10 years (I was up to 7 at one time) were all green or exceedingly
poorly trained when I received them...including 4 foals of mares I owned.
This led me to find James, who ended up working out of my barn 3 days a
week until his untimely demise from a massive stroke while riding a young
TB stallion.  James' death is what ultimately made me decide to get more
serious about teaching...I had learned so much from this great man and
needed to pass it on.  His training of young, green, sensitive horses was a
true pleasure to watch and to learn.  He died 4 years ago but his presence
is still incredibly strong!  Jessica Jahiel, who had the opportunity to
visit with him and watch him work, dedicated her article on "Integrity" to
him, calling him one of the true "horsemen" she had met in her lifetime.
It was a time in my career with horses that I will treasure the most!  On
to some of his techniques.....

Green horses (whether they are young or old) are willing to learn and eager
to please while, at the same time, they are pretty used to doing what they
want and making their own decisions about their next actions.  Their
musculature is designed to accommodate them during their daily activities
-- of which a good portion is with their head down grazing or their head
sky-high looking or running around.  We take them, put a bit in their
mouths, and then ask them to hold their head on the ends of the reins and
in a midway position...and do what *we* tell them.  Obedience, submission,
and working within the constraints of the tack are all new concepts to
them.  Neither their brains nor their muscles were prepared for this...and,
since both elements take a considerable amount of training, it takes time
to get a "well-trained" horse.

First, on the bit contact end:  
A gentle bit that is comfortable and doesn't cause undue pain (I like the
Baucher french link the best for greenies, altho it's not for everyone) is
essential since you want them to ACCEPT this item.  When you take contact
of the bit, it needs to be light (1-2lb. maximum contact) and constant.  It
can't be 2lb., then 10lbs., then nothing, then 10lbs, then 2lbs., and so
on.  It needs to be 1-2lbs. *all* of the time.  Since the green horse
doesn't yet know what is expected of them, where they are to hold their
head, or what you will do to them (letting the reins go loopy then catching
them or holding them with 2 heavy hands in a position that they can't yet
hold), they will become apprehensive, uncomfortable, and untrusting if you
are not consistent...pretty much the opposite of what you're trying to
accomplish.  You need to have light contact with one steady rein (the
outside rein) and one "communicating" rein (squeezing or tickling -- the
inside rein.)  You need to follow the horse's head keeping this set-up
constant.  Gradually he will get steadier himself and learn to carry
himself in a rounded fashion...but it will be gradual.  What he needs to
learn first is trust and relaxation.  

On the subject of "diving" with the bit:  They need to understand that they
are *not* to be doing this and that you will periodically (every 5 minutes
or so) let them take their head down and stretch their neck so this
initiation on their part is not necessary...or appreciated.  During the
time of letting them stretch down, you need to still maintain your
established light, steady contact.  You do this by encouraging them to go
forward and round with light on and off of your inside leg while gradually
lengthening the reins.  They will essentially "chew the reins" out of your
hands -- still with contact, but they can lower their head and stretch.  If
you do this regularly, at *your* signal, they will learn that the cramping
muscles they are getting in their neck from trying use the topline and
become rounder will get relief before they are in pain.  They will become
more accepting of staying light in the front if they know they can trust
your hands and that they will get periodic relief from their exercise.

When warming them up before the start of serious work, teach them to walk
forward "on the buckle" (zero contact) and they will learn to stretch out
during this time and travel low.  When it's time to work, pick up the reins
during a halt and then ask them to go forward.  To do this without the
horse throwing their head in the air and falling on their forehand, you
need to actively "talk" with your inside rein, sit tall, and then reach
down long with your legs and think about lifting up their belly -- keep
talking with the rein...don't stop or hold solid with 2 reins since this
will encourage to shift to the forehand.  Imagine that you have Gumby legs
and you can stretch them down and around until the soles of your feet will
come together under their belly...then *lift* them up and forward.  Be
ready with your hands to move with the horse's head so that you don't
snatch them in the mouth on the very first step.  Keep your outside rein
steady and talk periodically with your inside rein.  Encourage them to step
under by cueing on and off with your inside leg.

And then practice, practice, practice!! <g>  First get a good walk, then go
on to trotting, using the same transition cues that you used going from a
halt to a walk.  Do lots of up and down transitions and lots of straight
lines and circles.  When you turn a circle or corner, be sure to turn your
torso (including your head -- and upper arms belong to the torso) so that
the horse may bend nicely.  Still keep your consistent reins.  After a
while, you should be able to momentarily move your outside hand very far
forward (making a loopy rein ie...no contact) and the horse should stay
right where you had him.  At this time, he is starting to have "self
carriage", meaning that he can hold that position without you giving him
that steady outside rein to tell him where he is supposed to be.  It won't
happen for a while (he'll tend to lose his position if you give away the
outside rein) but periodically test to see if he is there yet.

All of the above translates to the canter when he starts working in that
gait.  He will tend to rush at first because of lack of good musculature
and coordination but keep him slow with a steady outside rein.  Don't
forget to keep talking with the inside rein -- 2 solid reins will encourage
him to lean and use you for support (not good.)  Keep the canter sessions
short and go back to something easy for him before he falls apart.  If you
practice 2 minutes of good gait and then 10 minutes of rushing and pulling
because he's not strong enough to hold the "good" part, he's had 5 times
the practice doing it wrong.  He will become very good at the wrong way
more quickly than the right way. 

Sue


  
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Sue Brown
Tyee Farm
ARICP Certified Riding Instructor
Recreational Riding and Dressage
Marysville, Wa. 
sbrown@wamedes.com