Do you ride in an elastic training aid???

E

el_Snowflakes

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 May 2009
Messages
3,318
Visit site
Just wondering really....

Ive seen mixed things on the web. Im talking about the elastic bungee type aid which goes over the poll (adjustable at poll) through the bit and either between legs or to the sides (attaching to girth or saddle)


a pic incase u dont know what one i mean......

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/1306...ixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla&crdt=0

I have one for lunging but a few people have said they are safe to ride in?



thoughts??
 
thats great :) pleased to hear its helped.
I may try this myself. Do you use it between forelegs or to the sides....i would imagine it being safer to the sides. How often did u use it and was your mare particularly unfit? Mine is pretty fit but Id like her to work 'rounder' into the contact & develop & strengthen her backside/back more.
 
You can ride in them, I do, I will ride with the training aid through the front legs (like draw reins) and If I lunge then I will add them to the side- like side reins
 
eillie_E is it safe enough.......the horse cant get its legs over can it?....i suppose draw reins are similar in respect that they go through forelegs...
 
I have done put don't use it to the sides as I feel there's too much risk of your leg becoming entangled in it if you had a fall so I personally would only use fitted between the forelegs.
 
Thanks for that goldenstar, that's a valid point. I lunged the other day in it. Clipped it onto the girth & it's damaged my girth as I struggled to get it off :( so im thinking of attaching it to twine-to the girth between front legs so it breaks incase of emergency- good idea?
 
elsazzo said:
Thanks for that goldenstar, that's a valid point. I lunged the other day in it. Clipped it onto the girth & it's damaged my girth as I struggled to get it off :( so im thinking of attaching it to twine-to the girth between front legs so it breaks incase of emergency- good idea?
Click to expand...

I use a leather boot lace ,it will break in a disaster I loop it to a metal ring ( salvaged from an old head collar ) and attach the bungee to the ring.
 
Great idea! I'm sure il be able to fashion something :D how often do you think it's wise to ride in such a gadget? My horse is in her teens & fairly fit :)
 
My mare can be resistant and tends to go on the forehand. She leans on my hands alot too. I have tried working her from te back end forwards but I find it very hard to get her to soften her neck/poll/jaw. When she does go softly i can control her when she doesnt she can be very strong and braces herself against me. I feel if I could get her 'give' more and become softer in her neck etc I would have much more control which would help us with hacking as well as in the school. She can step under herself perfectly well, she is sound and her tack is all fitted etc. I feel the barrier to achieving more in terms of riding comes from the lack of softness so I would like to (slowly) correct this . As she is an older horse (16) I feel she has developed some bad habits over the years and been allowed to get away with them!
She has massive shoulders and her back end needs to catch up in terms of muscle because of going on forehand. She is built VERY uphill (Belgianx Dutch WB) and my instructor says she has perfect dressage conformation, so theres no physical reason for her not to carry herself well. Her previous rider was much shorter than me and struggled to get her leg 'on' so I suspect she was ridden to much 'from the hand'.
 
Last edited:
We have used with some sucess hacking my groom at that time was waiting for elbow surgery my OHs hunter had a habit of doing a rude little yank now and again and it really made her sore so we put the bungee on him loose and that was that but the side effect was that he developed much better top line and became softer we do a lot of walking up steep banks to get fit and the combination of using the bungee on the banks worked very well.
For school work I would do say twenty minutes twice a week at first make lots of transitions and make sure you ride forwards with the leg properly and make sure give the hand forward regularily to make sure she's holding herself up not using you.
You will have see how it goes I would end every session by riding without it if you don't get improvement you must get eyes on the ground to check its not just holding her head down slow steady progression is what you are looking for .
You can increase how much you use it gradually but don't risk making her sore.
I would say that walking hill work in is worth thinking about if possible It did help our hunter .
 
I haven't ridden my current chap in a bungee as he can be funny about his ears and occasionally spooks at it halfway through lunging...special.

I used to ride my previous cob in it once or twice a week - and sounds like I had the same problems you do. He was a teenager who was very on his forehand and generally quite heavy on the hands. I found that he was a lot softer in the bungee as it gave him something to 'hold', and gave him a steady contact, but he had to learn to hold himself to make it comfortable. It also had the advantage that if I felt he was still leaning on me, I could just let go of the reins and he still had some contact, so I could concentrate on seat aids rather than ending up in a tug of war... When he got better, I used to just use the bungee occasionally, if I felt that he was a bit heavy in the hand on the previous schooling session.
 
No, bloody dangerous IMO. They used to make us ride in them at college on a couple of horses. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now. You can't release them from on board.
 
Flame_ why do you believe it's too dangerous?

Tried it tonight. My horse is a bit older & not a spooky sort. Tried it in school & it was fine, just made sure it wasnt too loose between her knees & not too tight of course! & attached it to some old leather steps do incase of emergency it would break. It was a delight! Nice light contact & felt her back coming up :) she did begin to lean towards end but she was probably getting a bit tired as she's using different muscles so I would maybe just use it for shorter time next time. Had someone on the ground check that it wasn't too loose & that she wasn't in danger of stepping over it. Personally wouldn't use it out hacking but that's just me :)
 
Exactly the same reasons why it is dangerous to ride in side reins. Just because there is much more give in those bungees it doesn't make them safe. There is no way for the rider to release the action. I didn't, and never would feel comfortable on a horse if I was unable to choose to give it its head, you never know when you might need to.
 
Flame_ said:
Exactly the same reasons why it is dangerous to ride in side reins. Just because there is much more give in those bungees it doesn't make them safe. There is no way for the rider to release the action. I didn't, and never would feel comfortable on a horse if I was unable to choose to give it its head, you never know when you might need to.
Click to expand...

TBH I felt alot more in control of my horse when she had it on tonight!
 
Please don't ever lead or ride a horse across a concrete yard with an elastic bungee on. If the horse slips or trips it can't raise its head to save itself from falling.
 
RobinHood said:
Please don't ever lead or ride a horse across a concrete yard with an elastic bungee on. If the horse slips or trips it can't raise its head to save itself from falling.
Click to expand...

I dont ever ride accross yard but thanks. Same as hacking with them on I would imagine as others suggested they do.

ps. I dont think you should ride in anything so tight that horse couldnt recover from a stumble either.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top