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 Regular
Posts: 92
Location: here there and everywhere! | My horse has continually plays with and pulls when he has a bit in his mouth. A friend recently recommended a Jim Warner short shank hackmore. Low and behold hes way quieter and less fussie with this on him. I am also riding better. I was told to not work him all the time in it. I was told these hackmores make a horse stiff when running barrels. He isnt running yet only trotting the pattern Can anymore explain in more detail as to why this happens??? 
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 ...Dot Dot Dot...
Posts: 2062
Location: SW New Mexico | SmokeNMirrors - 2014-06-10 8:08 PM
My horse has continually plays with and pulls when he has a bit in his mouth. A friend recently recommended a Jim Warner short shank hackmore. Low and behold hes way quieter and less fussie with this on him. I am also riding better. I was told to not work him all the time in it. I was told these hackmores make a horse stiff when running barrels. He isnt running yet only trotting the pattern Can anymore explain in more detail as to why this happens???
I went to a very knowledgeable gal that has been there and done that.... at least twice! :)
She had me get out of my ex-racehorses mouth with a long shank Jim Warner.. I school and dink with that in split reins, and can get him as soft and floating..as if he was in his myler snaffle.. She explained it's very important, the horse learns what the cues are on his face slow, and fast,too. The feel is of course...different than a bit...
I am running in that hack with a rope nose tiedown..which he likes... in my avatar.. he is beginning to clock , place ... and improving in it..
Patience.. and slow work, as well as fast , has helped him tremendously.
Edited to add.. a horse stiffens in a hack, if there's a lot of face pressure and no benefit of getting the horse rode and broke soft in one, and responding to the mechanics..in a positive manner...
JMO
Edited by jettster 2014-06-09 9:52 PM
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Regular
Posts: 92
Location: here there and everywhere! | Thanks I like him riding in this hack a lot. I am just worried about this "making your horse stiff". I am very light with the reins he responds well with it. Since I started using it have been trying to stay off his face as much as possible |
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  A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
 
Location: NC | I think it all depends on HOW you use it. If you do bending/flexing/supple exercises every time you ride, the horse will remain that way. If you slack off, they will too.
I RUN in a little S, for the fact that it does offer that little more stiffness compared to a bit. I was running him in a snaffle, that he's been in his entire life, but he wouldn't SNAP back on the barrels. His nose & neck would follow your hand, but his body wouldn't. Hard to explain. LOL But now with the Little S, I still have his nose, he still has a nice amount of bend, but his turns are much more snappy.
I work him at home in a lifter style bit, so that's what keeps him bending and supple. I always move him off my leg and make small circles bending him around my leg to keep him supple. Every ride, even when we're just puttering around.
I really think if you work the horse like you want the horse to work, the headgear shouldn't matter. |
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Regular
Posts: 92
Location: here there and everywhere! | hlynn - 2014-06-09 11:09 AM
I think it all depends on HOW you use it. If you do bending/flexing/supple exercises every time you ride, the horse will remain that way. If you slack off, they will too.
I RUN in a little S, for the fact that it does offer that little more stiffness compared to a bit. I was running him in a snaffle, that he's been in his entire life, but he wouldn't SNAP back on the barrels. His nose & neck would follow your hand, but his body wouldn't. Hard to explain. LOL But now with the Little S, I still have his nose, he still has a nice amount of bend, but his turns are much more snappy.
I work him at home in a lifter style bit, so that's what keeps him bending and supple. I always move him off my leg and make small circles bending him around my leg to keep him supple. Every ride, even when we're just puttering around.
I really think if you work the horse like you want the horse to work, the headgear shouldn't matter.
Makes sense...I am by no means an expert but I would think that working him the same and he responds the same (better now) he wouldnt change?
very good input! |
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A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | SmokeNMirrors - 2014-06-09 11:15 PM
hlynn - 2014-06-09 11:09 AM
I think it all depends on HOW you use it. If you do bending/flexing/supple exercises every time you ride, the horse will remain that way. If you slack off, they will too.
I RUN in a little S, for the fact that it does offer that little more stiffness compared to a bit. I was running him in a snaffle, that he's been in his entire life, but he wouldn't SNAP back on the barrels. His nose & neck would follow your hand, but his body wouldn't. Hard to explain. LOL But now with the Little S, I still have his nose, he still has a nice amount of bend, but his turns are much more snappy.
I work him at home in a lifter style bit, so that's what keeps him bending and supple. I always move him off my leg and make small circles bending him around my leg to keep him supple. Every ride, even when we're just puttering around.
I really think if you work the horse like you want the horse to work, the headgear shouldn't matter.
Makes sense...I am by no means an expert but I would think that working him the same and he responds the same (better now ) he wouldnt change?
very good input!
As long as he understands the cues from a hack (some horses take awhile to pick up on the differences) there's no reason you can't work and run in a hack without being stiff. At least in my opinion.
ETA: It wouldn't hurt to tune him up every once in awhile in a short shank lifter or a gag or something like that to reinforce the bend/flexing.
Edited by hlynn 2014-06-09 10:22 PM
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 412
Location: In Husker Land | I ride mine around in a gag or working cow horse bit, but compete in a hack. I was having a lot of issues with her grabbing at the bit and not wanting to turn. Never have looked back..she loves it and I even run her in flair strips too. This is a video of my mare running and I don't think she is stiff..
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FfnFvYypeb4
Edited by hckbarrelracer 2014-06-09 10:39 PM
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Agreed. My horse is a retrain project and instead of being taught to properly bend he was taught to be gumby in the next and bring his head to my foot.
He's gotten out of it in regular riding but during the pattern he was still way too bendy. I run him now is a pozzi hack and I love it. I can pick up and flex him in the warm up just fine, but I have his whole body not just his face in the run.
The Warner/pozzi hacks swivel in the shank which does help in giving them some more flex than other hacks. |
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Regular
Posts: 92
Location: here there and everywhere! | wondering if the "stiffness" comes more from incorrect use of the hack rather than the hack its self? |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | almost any hack will stiffen up a horse...........
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