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Location: midwest mama | One of my students needs help finding headgear to run in that keeps she AND her horse happy. I've helped her all I can.
She has a gelding that is super strong on the back side of his turns and he blows her backwards when he launches to go to the next barrel. He doesn't elevate - but he goes hard. When that happens, she can't help but snatch his face a little when her body whips back and then that makes him mad as he has a fairly sensitive face.
He is pretty push button. Broke really nice. Doesn't need a lot of whoa. Not super sensitive unless you snatch him a little too quick - then he overreacts. He needs a little help staying square going into a barrel (he wants to float an outside shoulder a little) so that's why she's riding him 2 handed.
She is almost 60 years old. She has a good deep saddle, has done the core exercises, gotten herself as strong as possible and is a pretty balanced rider. She has done all her preparatory homework.
The only thing we can think of at this point (besides getting her another horse) is to find headgear to run him in that has some type of a "delayed" reaction - i.e. when she gets blown back coming out of a turn that it doesn't "snatch" him so abruptly. In other words something that when she whips back, by the time the contact with his mouth happens it will be softened.
Anybody have any ideas?
Edited by OldSchoolCowgirl 2019-02-06 7:38 PM
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2930
Location: North Dakota | OldSchoolCowgirl - 2019-02-02 11:14 AM One of my students needs help finding headgear to run in that keeps she AND her horse happy. I've helped her all I can. She has a gelding that is super strong on the back side of his turns and he blows her backwards when he launches to go to the next barrel. He doesn't elevate - but he goes hard. When that happens, she can't help but snatch his face a little when her body whips back and then that makes him mad as he has a fairly sensitive face. She is almost 60 years old. She has a good deep saddle, has done the core exercises, gotten herself as strong as possible and is a pretty balanced rider. She has done all her preparatory homework. The only thing we can think of at this point (besides getting her another horse) is to find headgear to run him in that has some type of a "delayed" reaction - i.e. when she gets blown back coming out of a turn that it doesn't "snatch" him so abruptly. In other words something that when she whips back, by the time the contact with his mouth happens it will be softened. Anybody have any ideas?
In general, a bit that has a lot of gag action will allow a slower delayed response. The bit isn't fully engaged until, well, it's fully engaged.
What is she currently riding in?
While I'm not normally fond of Magic Seats, would something like that help her possibly?
What is she doing with her free hand? Is there a reason why she can't "support" herself by holding onto the saddle horn (and not allow her rein hand to pull on the horse)? Or is her horn hand just not enough?
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Location: midwest mama | r_beau - 2019-02-02 8:28 PM
OldSchoolCowgirl - 2019-02-02 11:14 AM One of my students needs help finding headgear to run in that keeps she AND her horse happy. I've helped her all I can. She has a gelding that is super strong on the back side of his turns and he blows her backwards when he launches to go to the next barrel. He doesn't elevate - but he goes hard. When that happens, she can't help but snatch his face a little when her body whips back and then that makes him mad as he has a fairly sensitive face. She is almost 60 years old. She has a good deep saddle, has done the core exercises, gotten herself as strong as possible and is a pretty balanced rider. She has done all her preparatory homework. The only thing we can think of at this point (besides getting her another horse) is to find headgear to run him in that has some type of a "delayed" reaction - i.e. when she gets blown back coming out of a turn that it doesn't "snatch" him so abruptly. In other words something that when she whips back, by the time the contact with his mouth happens it will be softened. Anybody have any ideas?
In general, a bit that has a lot of gag action will allow a slower delayed response. The bit isn't fully engaged until, well, it's fully engaged.
What is she currently riding in?
While I'm not normally fond of Magic Seats, would something like that help her possibly?
What is she doing with her free hand? Is there a reason why she can't "support" herself by holding onto the saddle horn (and not allow her rein hand to pull on the horse)? Or is her horn hand just not enough?
She has tried a Goostree Simplicity (different mouthpieces), plus several other gags. With/without bit guards.
Honestly she's not a very good horn rider. She tends to want to ride two handed around the turn - and her horse likes it better.
Edited by OldSchoolCowgirl 2019-02-03 2:47 PM
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 Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: SoCal | I've never tried one, and don't even own one, but the first bit that popped in my head was a no-hit bit. I have no knowledge about their function, but might be an option.
I would ask her to still go through double handed on the turns, and try to grab the horn right before he powers out. I use to have a Dash for Cash gelding that would pop you out of the saddle leaving the turn if you didn't grab the back of the seat to hold on, and you got used to grabbing it because you didn't want to be on his neck. I've never done it on another horse since, but you sure didn't miss it on him. Pulling forward on the horn did nothing with him. |
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Veteran
Posts: 217
| I loved my no hit bit. Does she need a lot of control to whoa or set up? Or is it used more so as a guide and he's pretty automatic? What kind of mouth piece does she need/use? Anything with a chain doesn't seem to bump as hard when I was falling way behind on my gelding. As for the being popped/balancing, I'm no help there. I'm still working on sitting back more on my pockets |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Maybe a tad unorthodox but jumpers use the neck straps. I personally agree, she would grab her horn on the backside of the barrel but that can be hard to get timing right so if she has something to grab, mane or a neck strap, it would help.
Hard to recommend bits without knowing what this horse needs for the rest of his pattern. My niece's mare is super sensitive and she rides best in a flat leather w/padding S Hack. Dang near a halter but she needs very little throughout her pattern. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2930
Location: North Dakota | OldSchoolCowgirl - 2019-02-03 2:45 PM r_beau - 2019-02-02 8:28 PM OldSchoolCowgirl - 2019-02-02 11:14 AM One of my students needs help finding headgear to run in that keeps she AND her horse happy. I've helped her all I can. She has a gelding that is super strong on the back side of his turns and he blows her backwards when he launches to go to the next barrel. He doesn't elevate - but he goes hard. When that happens, she can't help but snatch his face a little when her body whips back and then that makes him mad as he has a fairly sensitive face. She is almost 60 years old. She has a good deep saddle, has done the core exercises, gotten herself as strong as possible and is a pretty balanced rider. She has done all her preparatory homework. The only thing we can think of at this point (besides getting her another horse) is to find headgear to run him in that has some type of a "delayed" reaction - i.e. when she gets blown back coming out of a turn that it doesn't "snatch" him so abruptly. In other words something that when she whips back, by the time the contact with his mouth happens it will be softened. Anybody have any ideas? In general, a bit that has a lot of gag action will allow a slower delayed response. The bit isn't fully engaged until, well, it's fully engaged.
What is she currently riding in?
While I'm not normally fond of Magic Seats, would something like that help her possibly?
What is she doing with her free hand? Is there a reason why she can't "support" herself by holding onto the saddle horn (and not allow her rein hand to pull on the horse)? Or is her horn hand just not enough?
She has tried a Goostree Simplicity (different mouthpieces ), plus several other gags. With/without bit guards. Honestly she's not a very good horn rider. She tends to want to ride two handed around the turn - and her horse likes it better.
Personally, what I would suggest then is to work on teaching the horse to go better one-handed. And teach her to be a better horn rider. If she's already put forth the effort to get as strong as she can, then I would put forth the effort to do a little re-training for the horse (and rider).
If she's snatching him in the GooseTree (including the simplicity), I'm not sure if there are any bits out there that will work much differently. Especially in the Simplicity, you've got to apply pressure and hold to get that bit to slide all the way to full engagement. (or enough pressure right off the get go to quickly bring it to full)
Might not be the option she (or you) wants to hear, but if it were me, that's what I would try to do.
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| No where does this description tell us if the horse his very light or if he needs quite a bit of help and whoa. Those things will help determine suggestions.
If he's light, then she could also loosen her reins a couple inches. I agree with the hack idea too, because she won't get in his mouth so much. |
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Location: midwest mama | Nateracer - 2019-02-04 3:21 PM
No where does this description tell us if the horse his very light or if he needs quite a bit of help and whoa. Those things will help determine suggestions.
If he's light, then she could also loosen her reins a couple inches. I agree with the hack idea too, because she won't get in his mouth so much.
He is pretty push button. Broke really nice. Doesn't need a lot of whoa. Not super sensitive unless you snatch him a little too quick - then he overreacts.
Needs a little help staying square going into a barrel (he wants to float an outside shoulder a little) so that's why she's riding him 2 handed. |
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Location: midwest mama | Anyone Else? |
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Curve Ball
Posts: 2256
Location: Pelham, TN | I would use a bit with gag action and let her reins out long! I hate really long reins but on the mare I am running it is the only way I stay out of her way. Maybe not the prettiest pictures with them flopping but we are having some nice runs! |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I would get her to use the horn, its a tool she needs to use it to help her balance, sounds like to me if she is not useing the horn and riding two handed she is balancing off the reins and gets in his face.. I read that she needs to guild him two handed but she needs to learn to use her inside rein to help with shoulder control. Most the ones I have seen running two handed will balance on the reins when they wont go to the horn. The horn helps..  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1210
Location: Kansas | I agree with those saying that it sounds like she's using the reins to balance herself. She needs to learn to use the horn, and probably lengthen her reins. |
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Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | She most like needs to shorten her stirrups. Make sure she’s using the saddle horn in the turn. By that, i mean she shouldn’t be grabbing the horn, she should be pressing down on the top of it. Most people want to pull on the horn which actually pushes them out of the saddle.
If she’s not dropping to one rein, at least in
The turns, she needs to. Inside hand in
The rein, outside hand in the horn. Two hands in
The turns will put her way too far out of shape and have her way behind the horse.
It’s not about the bit, it’s about her timing.
Edited by Liana D 2019-02-12 9:32 AM
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12703
| OldSchoolCowgirl - 2019-02-03 3:45 PM r_beau - 2019-02-02 8:28 PM OldSchoolCowgirl - 2019-02-02 11:14 AM One of my students needs help finding headgear to run in that keeps she AND her horse happy. I've helped her all I can. She has a gelding that is super strong on the back side of his turns and he blows her backwards when he launches to go to the next barrel. He doesn't elevate - but he goes hard. When that happens, she can't help but snatch his face a little when her body whips back and then that makes him mad as he has a fairly sensitive face. She is almost 60 years old. She has a good deep saddle, has done the core exercises, gotten herself as strong as possible and is a pretty balanced rider. She has done all her preparatory homework. The only thing we can think of at this point (besides getting her another horse) is to find headgear to run him in that has some type of a "delayed" reaction - i.e. when she gets blown back coming out of a turn that it doesn't "snatch" him so abruptly. In other words something that when she whips back, by the time the contact with his mouth happens it will be softened. Anybody have any ideas? In general, a bit that has a lot of gag action will allow a slower delayed response. The bit isn't fully engaged until, well, it's fully engaged.
What is she currently riding in?
While I'm not normally fond of Magic Seats, would something like that help her possibly?
What is she doing with her free hand? Is there a reason why she can't "support" herself by holding onto the saddle horn (and not allow her rein hand to pull on the horse)? Or is her horn hand just not enough?
She has tried a Goostree Simplicity (different mouthpieces ), plus several other gags. With/without bit guards. Honestly she's not a very good horn rider. She tends to want to ride two handed around the turn - and her horse likes it better.
I can say from personal experience that going to the horn is going to be the only way to learn to stay off the face of a horse that takes off rocket-like. Xena was the 'Rocket Mare' for just this reason. I worked out for a year before riding her trying to build enough core and balance to ride that takeoff. But I always ended up with too much input to her face and had to learn to use the horn to pull myself forward and give her her head off the barrels. It is tough to learn, especially as an older rider (I was 50+), but I don't think any headgear is going to help. JMO. You could try a hack so she's not on the mouth, but having the nose too much will make them bow off the turn. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Liana D - 2019-02-12 9:27 AM She most like needs to shorten her stirrups. Make sure she’s using the saddle horn in the turn. By that, i mean she shouldn’t be grabbing the horn, she should be pressing down on the top of it. Most people want to pull on the horn which actually pushes them out of the saddle. If she’s not dropping to one rein, at least in The turns, she needs to. Inside hand in The rein, outside hand in the horn. Two hands in The turns will put her way too far out of shape and have her way behind the horse. It’s not about the bit, it’s about her timing.
this this this ^^^^ |
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