tack questions

["Maryanne Stroud Gabbani" <gabbani@starnet.com.eg>]

One of the disadvantages of living here is, believe it or not, most of the
tack is not the right size for Arabs.  Many riders prefer Anglo-Arabs and
big Euro-horses for jumping, and most of the tack stores, such as they are
(and they aren't really) are owned or operated by jump riders.  I'm looking
at changing Dorika's bridle which really doesn't fit properly and because we
are consistently doing a lot of distance, I've been looking at the biothane
stuff.  I like the endurance tack and I could use some advice.

I've always ridden Dory in a soft bit (my non-horsey husband brought her one
of the silver broken snaffles from Germany) and have had to use a dropped
nose band to keep her from opening her mouth, a trick that she uses when
she'd rather gallop and I'd rather not.  Sort of hand breaks.  99+% of the
time it's irrelevant, but sometimes....  Last time we went out she took off
in soft sand and did minor damage to her suspensory rehab program.  She's
back on hand walk and then just walk and so on.  The problem is she gets
monumentally bored and then does something stupid like handstands if we turn
her out (Turnout is also soft sand).  It's 2 steps forward and one back.
Any way, with someone like her who seems to think that she's Superman would
a hackamore help?  If so, what kind?  What are sidepulls? I see them listed
in catalogues and haven't a clue.  Some of the endurance halter/bridle
combos seem to have multi uses.  Can you recommend one, especially one that
I can count on coming in an Arab size?
Thanks.
Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
Cairo, Egypt
gabbani@starnet.com.eg



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