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 Go For It!
   
Location: Texas | I feel like this is a big topic and I want to elaborate on some of the dos and do not's of bitting up a horse. First, let me say that it is a powerful tool in my training program. Secondly, let me say it is merely a TOOL. Do not go out to your stall and start bitting up your horse after you read this. GET SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP. Bitting up a horse can be VERY dangerous if not done correctly. Even when done correctly, by an experienced person, it can be dangerous. There is one essential reason that I bit up horses, and that is to teach collection. There is an art to doing it correctly. For me, it is not so much about softening them up in their face as getting them to use their body correctly. It will soften up their face and help them to break at the poll as well. Where and how I bit them up depends on the feel of each horse. I don't do them all the same, because they aren't all the same. I NEVER tie a horse's head to the side. Once I establish collection in a horse, the side stuff is easy to do. What we need to remember is that we are not wanting bend through the neck but softness and suppleness through the body. Collection, collection, collection! Never bit up a horse in a small area, (stall) especially the first time. Get quality help. Have a blessed day! |
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Location: Texas | 
I am glad you said this and I agree 100%. Majority of the people who "don't like it" or "would never do it" feel that way because they have seen it done the WRONG way - by people who shouldn't even be doing it. I have seen horses get hurt and have heard of horses dying because the 'trainer' was incorrectly bitting up the horse. I have also seen trainers and horsemen, who I have the utmost respect for, do it correctly and achieve great results. It is part of my program, I believe in it and stand behind it. Does that mean I think everyone should do it? NO.
Any training technique done by an inexperienced, careless person will 'look' bad, not produce results and potentially hurt or ruin a horse.
Edited by EqualRanch 2015-05-06 8:23 PM
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 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | |
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 Swiffer PIcker Upper
Posts: 4015
Location: Four Corners Colorado | I see what you are saying but breaking at the poll isn't really collection and that is where the misconception comes from. True collection comes from behind. I see tons of horses breaking at the poll, with their face on the vertical who are strung out behind. I start teaching collection to youngsters on a lunge line, with a whip and in hand on the ground no side reins, no bit. I will also do it with older horses. Now if your horse has been taught to follow a feel it is pretty easy. You simply frame them up between your lunge line and whip and encourage them to step under themselves. If you are doing it right your horse won't speed up but will step more under and they will start to naturally break at the poll, change their neck position, elevate their shoulders on their own and become collected. I ask for a few steps, then let them rest, I ask for a few more and just build on it. I just can't see many benefits to biting up a horse anymore at least to me. I teach softness in hand too but more than anything if they follow a feel in a halter they will be soft to the bridle. I hope I don't offend anyone but I don't think this post explained the nuances of collect very well. There is way more to it than having a horse break at the poll and I think many people look to bitting up to shorten the process.
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Veteran
Posts: 113
| I think it all comes down to go learn from a trusted horseman/woman in person, there is no substitute to hands on experience. |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Good post and topic!
Coming from a pleasure background, bitting up is one of my favorite tools to use to help them balance, get soft, and move have used several different methods. They seem to come along quicker, and I like the fact that I can see what they're doing and help them.
I will say one of the biggest things that gets people in trouble with bitting up is not knowing your horse and reading your horse. Even if they're already soft and have been bitted up a lot they may not be in the right frame of mind for it, or have enough edge worked off. |
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Go For It!
Location: Texas | equussynergy - 2015-05-07 8:44 AM
I see what you are saying but breaking at the poll isn't really collection and that is where the misconception comes from. True collection comes from behind. I see tons of horses breaking at the poll, with their face on the vertical who are strung out behind. I start teaching collection to youngsters on a lunge line, with a whip and in hand on the ground no side reins, no bit. I will also do it with older horses. Now if your horse has been taught to follow a feel it is pretty easy. You simply frame them up between your lunge line and whip and encourage them to step under themselves. If you are doing it right your horse won't speed up but will step more under and they will start to naturally break at the poll, change their neck position, elevate their shoulders on their own and become collected. I ask for a few steps, then let them rest, I ask for a few more and just build on it. I just can't see many benefits to biting up a horse anymore at least to me. I teach softness in hand too but more than anything if they follow a feel in a halter they will be soft to the bridle. I hope I don't offend anyone but I don't think this post explained the nuances of collect very well. There is way more to it than having a horse break at the poll and I think many people look to bitting up to shorten the process.
A good horseman knows the difference between breaking at the poll and collection. If you truly know collection you can use bitting up as a great tool for achieving results regarding softness as well as collection. It is a tool... not a fix all, and won't replace feel when riding.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 964
Location: Alberta, Canada | I agree. I've been recommended to do it with a mare I have but refuse... not because I don't agree with it but because I am not comfortable doing it myself. I do not know enough about it nor been taught well enough to trust myself to do it. It's definitely one of those things that can create ALOT of problems if done wrong. |
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