Turn your Sidepull into a SLIDEPULL for more control

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From: Barb Peck 
Email: bpeck@us.ibm.com

Hi All:
I've posted a couple of messages to RideCamp that I think went into cyber space, so I hope this one arrives!
 I modified my side pull so that the chinstrap comes out through the rings on each side of the nose band, so that when it's pulled back on, it tightens under the jaw.  I didn't want to attach my reins directly to the chin strap leather, so I put rings on each end of the sliding chin strap, which were big enough so that they can't be pulled through the ring on the noseband. The best adjustment is when the chin strap is fitted so that you can get 2 or 3 fingers under the chin when slack, &  there shouldn't be too much extra that comes thru the noseband rings (about 1 or 2 inches on ech side).  This works incredibly well. I call it the Slidepull & one of my riding buddies has switched her horse from a mechanical hackamore to this.  In my final version, I used the new "super-flex" biothane, which looks & feels like leather. (I know Teddy uses this new super-flex & would probably make some proto-types ).
   I also use another hackamore, that I like called a "beetle hackamore" which is a 6" short shanked, rope noseband light mechanical hackamore. I had to attach a lip-strap to the shanks, which is connected by a ring to the chin strap because pulling on only one side of this would twist one shank outward.
These would rank in control by how responsive your horses nose & chin are. On my horses, the Beetle & Slidepull are equal or better than a snaffle bit.
  Well I hope this post doesn't just go into electrons somewhere......
Barb