Re: Handling a young horse at the start of a ride

[JFtteam@aol.com]

Jennifer,
In addition to the other useful suggestions you've received, you might
consider riding with the TTEAM roller bit.  In the most recent issue of TTEAM
Up With Your Horse (July/Aug) there is an article (w/pics) by Bobbie Lieberman
about her experiences using the rollerbit on her endurance horses, one that
went in a hackamore but then began rushing downhill, breaking form a trot into
a gallop, the other who decided to race for the lead, head tossing, tripping
over rocks and nearly falling down after years in the same style hackamore.
Both horses improved dramatically, one winning the purebred Arabian 100-mile
U.S. national championship, the other completing the Old Dominion w/o lots of
pulling and head-tossing madness.

The rollerbit helps a horse to go in a round frame, more balanced, and allows
you to be lighter with your hands while actually having "more breaks" if
needed.  I ride a Morgan gelding in the rollerbit who used to spook seriously
but has learned to stay soft and supple and now only occassionally spooks in
place.

Working your horse through ground obstacles in hand and also under saddle can
help him develop self-control and be more relaxed.  I have also found that
using a "balance rein" around the chest in conjunction with a bit/hackamore
allows you to use less contact on the mouth while teaching the horse to hold
himself back.

Jodi Frediani
TTEAM Practitioner
Santa Cruz, CA