from bit to Hackamore/Vosal etc. Head Carriage

[guest@endurance.net]

K S SWIGART   katswig@earthlink.net


Ray O. asked:

> What is the general result of takng a bit out of the horse's mouth re
head
> position,and forehand balance? "All other thing being equal,etc",what
are
> the changes-other than brakes?

It depends very much on both the horse they are being used on and the
hands of the person using them.

If you take the bit out of the mouth of one horse and replace it with some
bitless headgear, all other things being equal the effect on head-carriage
and self-carriage can be quite different than you doing the same thing on
another horse.

If _I_ take the bit out of the mouth of one horse and replace it with some
bitless headgear, all other things being equal, the effect on
head-carriage and self-carriage can be quite different than you doing the
same thing on the same horse.

This, BTW, is true of all types of equipment that we use to attempt to
communicate with our horses, including all the different varieties of
bits; all the different varieties of bosals, hackamores, vosals, spirit
freedom bridles, rope halters; and all the different varieties of
nosebands, cavesons, draw reins, martingales, etc.

My general experience with observing the assortment of people using the
assortment of all of these things is that if they are used improperly most
horses have a tendency (note the multiple qualificating modifiers here) to
go above devices that apply direct pressure (e.g. snaffle bits, standing
martingales, rope halters, and some bosals depending on how they are
rigged) and to go behind those that use leverage (e.g. curb bits,
mechanical and S hackamores, draw reins).  In both of these instances, the
horse will transfer itself to its forehand.

If leverage devices are used improperly and the horse chooses to go above
them rather than behind them, then it can have a tendency to transfer the
horse onto its hind end (i.e. it rears up :)).

If they are applied properly, then the horse will be neither above nor
behind them, and it will have nice self-carriage; in which case it doesn't
matter what particular piece of equipment is being used....although some
pieces of equipment are easier to use "properly" than others and some
pieces are easier to use properly on some horses than others.

However, its a pretty good bet that if one has never used a piece of
equipment before, that it will probably take some time and experimentation
in learning how to use it properly...no matter what piece of equipment it
is.

kat
Orange County, Calif.