Re: RC: Vosals on a youngster

["Glenda R. Snodgrass" <grs@TheNetEffect.com>]

> Are you covering or wrapping the rawhide on the nose to prevent
> chaffing?  What are you using to cover it with?

I've had Lakota in a vosal since January or so, I guess.  It's the kind
with rawhide on nose and the two bottom pieces.  I have covered the
rawhide with several layers of Polartec fleece (scrap pieces from sewing
projects) which seems to do well -- easy to wash (either by rinsing with
the hose or washing the whole headpiece in the dishwasher).  I haven't had
any rubbing problems, tho in honesty we haven't done more than 39 miles in
one day with the vosal (unfortunately).  I prefer the Polartec fleece over
the fuzzy fluffy wool fleece which I think can obscure the horse's view
(especially if he has a tiny head like Lakota does :).

> Can you expect to direct (English) rein with a vosal?

I do both, neck reining and direct/English reining, depending on
conditions & circumstances.  Before taking Lakota out on the trail in the
vosal, I spent a couple days with him around the barnyard, doing both
types of reining, to make sure he understood what I was cuing him to do,
both neck reining and direct reining. He picked up on it really quickly
and I've never regretted the switch.

> Does the vosal hang well when attached to the bridle, or does the heel
> need to be supported like on a heavier bosal?

Hmmm, seems to hang well on the bridle Teddy made for me, but I do have
limited experience.

> I gentle hands, just how severe can a vosal be over a bosal?  I'm not
> sure how the broken cheek pieces would affect a vosal.

Hmmm, well, I've occasionally (on Lakota and on another horse) had reason
to pull on that thing with all my might, and it only served to say "excuse
me" to him. :)  I had a NH practitioner/trainer tell me that a vosal was
cruel and shouldn't be used by a true horseman, but then I don't think
that guy had ever tried to take off with 120 horses at the start of an
endurance ride either. <BG> So, like anything else, it can be severe with
rough hands on a tender-nosed horse, but it's certainly nothing like one
of those bicycle-chain bits or anything like that, I don't think, in that
I don't think you can really hurt him with it under normal use.  I've been
told that some horses don't like to be led while wearing a vosal, so those
owners put a halter on underneath for leading and trotting out at the vet
check, but it has never seemed to bother Lakota at all.  Overall he is
sooo much happier with the vosal than with the D-ring snaffle I was using
before.

Glenda & Lakota
Mobile, AL
AERC # M18819 & H27310
SE Region


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