Blinkers on a riding horse?

R

Rose Folly

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 June 2010
Messages
1,906
Location
North East Somerset
Visit site
My mare came to me 6 years ago shying, and she still does. The dealer I bought her from was quite open about it, and the problem is outweighed by her many other charms and abilities.

However, I am getting antique, arthritic and less and less amused by her very swift and dramatic reaction to things that she perceives to be scary, which are usually visual rather than aural, and can be anything from cows moving behind a far hedge to (recently) all the Jubilee flags flapping in our village.

I could give her some form of calmer - and any recommendation on a good one would be appreciated - but I suddenly wondered if anybody on here rides a horse in blinkers? I was thinking more of the driving type than the racehorse type, which she would hate, as she toesn't like her head confined in any way.

Because I am used to the shying, which sometimes involves whipping round or trying to tank off, I can usually act swiftly to counteract it. But she did get me off on tarmac in the winter, which hurt!, and recently she deposited my (experienced) livery whom I had let ride her so that a friend could ride HER horse for a morning's hacking. I think blinkers would stop alot of the 'corner of the eye' things which scare her more than anything (she's actually quite good with traffic etc).

So, if anbody has experience of riding a horse in driving blinkers, I'd be very grateful to hear from you.
 
I've never tried or even heard of it. I'd be careful incase she does panic though, if she can hear cars or wagons approaching from behind but cannot see them it might make her worse?

Maybe try some sheepskin pieces on either side instead? It'll restrict her view but not to the point that she can't see behind at all.

Sorry to sound negative, I can just she her bolting or something if a big tractor approaches from behind or all of a sudden a cyclist is passing her and she couldn't see them. If you do give them a go give her plenty of schooling at your yard in them so she can get familiar with them :)
 
There are quite a few heavy horses that are ridden in closed bridles, normally because they were broken to drive first in a closed bridle and it was easiest to continue them that way.
Just out of interest have you ever had her sight checked?
 
You can get 'half-blinkers' which only restrict the sight of things from behind. They're still open enough for the horse to be able to see everything to the side.

I've ridden in blinkers as my mare had the same issue with things moving behind hedges (and even sometimes with me rising in trot!) and she was a lot calmer with half-blinkers on.
 
I had blinkers on my first mare who had Uveitis

helped her allot as she used to spook allot at shadows i had leather ones made and stiched onto her noseband.:)
 
Thanks so much for those ideas. Has made me feel a lot more positive. It's interesting that one or two of you HAVE ridden in blinkers.

I hadn't thought of the sheepskin thingies (what is their proper name?) though whenever I watch racing there will be a horse or two wearing them.

And I didn't know you could get 'half-blinkers' either. I have a couple of friends who drive so I will see if they have anything I could try out.

Yes, I too worry about restricting her vision, but after all, a lot of driving horses and ponies have them and that's what they were designed for originally, to stop fast-moving carriage and gig horses suddenly shying and tipping the vehicle. I only happy hack these days, so it shouldn't be too stressful for her once she got used to it.

And finally, what is Uveitis, Leviathan? Well, guess I can stop being lazy, and Google it! Thank you all again for your help.
 
a dealer near where I live breaks everything with blinkers. He's to be seen regularly riding all types of horse around the lanes with blinkers on. Seems to work for him.
 
I have been having major problems with spookiness with my mare (she has decided that one corner of the school is full of monsters despite having been worked in there for a year and a half) and keeps tanking off. Its made schooling and riding less than enjoyable recently and I won't hack her our alone when she's like it. No matter how much ground work and desensitization I do in the school (including lungeing, feeding her there, leading her round the area, standing and feeding her mints in the scary spot) as soon as I get back on, she reverts to being a rigid goggle eyed giraffe who makes for the hills if she so much as hears a noise.

My yard owner, on seeing the performance suggested blinkers and brought out light coloured sheepskin cheekpiece covers to see if it would help. She didn't like having them fitted but once they were on the difference was almost immediate. I rode her again in them yesterday and she was like a different horse. I'm going to try hacking out in them to see if they help with that as its been miserable not trusting her to go out without trying to tank off in fright. It seems that she was looking for things and scaring herself, now she can't look out of the corner of her eye at things she's much more chilled. I have to make sure I talk to her as she now can't see behind but I think they have been worth a go. Will be interesting to see if the effects last.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top