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Re: [RC] Hackamore control - Zephyr ArabiansI've not used the S-hackamore, but I do use (on various horses) an English hackamore (fleece padded noseband, shanks similiar in length to S-hack) and a sidepull (no leverage). And, the only bits I own are French link snaffles. If a horse runs away with you, that's a training issue, not an equipment issue. A horse can tuck their head to their chest and take off with ANY equipment, even a long shanked curb if they really wanted to. I've had the experience of a run-away at the start once. It was our second LD (mine & the horse) and what they told us was a "controlled start" actually turned out to be a shotgun start but out on the trail in a bunched up group (really poor planning). My mare went from standing on a loose rein in the group to dead run with the front-runners. I had her chin to her chest and she just kept on going -- a one-rein attempt to stop her at that point probably would have resulted in a flip. She was wearing a French link snaffle. I eventually got her back under control and we finished the ride without incident and never had that problem again.... In her first year of 50s I switched her to the French link for the st and to a sidepull after the first vet check (sidepull for all her conditioning/training rides). In her second year of 50s she was in a sidepull 100% of the time. It was all a training issue. She does get caught up in the excitement of the start, but respects the sidepull and does not attempt to run through it, even though of all the equipment you could have on a horse's head, a sidepull is as mild as it gets (it's no different than a plain halter, just easier steering). Different horses prefer different equipment. The mare above, for instance, tends to over-react to a hackmore, yet is light and responsive to the sidepull. I have a gelding that will pull and pull and pull in a French-link snaffle, but is perfect in a hackamore. My stallion will pull on a hackamore, but is good in a sidepull or French-link snaffle. Etc. Personally, I like to use the most mild equipment that I can. I don't actually consider a hackamore to be mild, since it's a shanked bit and actually has a lot of "whoa," even the mild type I use. But, for a horse that likes it, I'll use it. I don't, however, put it on a green horse because of both the potential "bite" it has, and because it doesn't give easily understood lateral control. For greenies I start them in a sidepull -- in the past I used to just start them in a halter, but the sidepull is even easier for them to understand. Then I usually switch to a French-link snaffle to teach more refined control, and finally back to the sidepull when the partnership is established (or the hackamore for a horse who likes it) and when they're at this point I rarely have much contact on the reins anymore. FWIW, this all ties into the comments about teaching horses from the hind end forward. Collection, impulsion, and on-the-bit all have very little to do with the "headset" itself. Dressage riders, for instance, will release the reins for a moment to test if the horse is in self-carriage rather than being forced into a frame. There's a German word for this release, but I'm sure not going to try to spell it. :) ~Nicole Zephyr Arabians http://www.zephyrarabians.com KattWmn Web Design http://www.kattwmn.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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