Does anyone hack (excitable horses) in a hackamore???

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miss_wilson

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My horse recently has not been happy with her bit, or maybe i have just become more aware, her teeth are fine, she just likes a really loose rein whilst out hacking! I have been trying out bitless bridles and she does seem much happier, the Dr Cook was great in walk and trot but just not enough when cantering, so am trying the english hackamore!

My mare can be very jekyll and hyde though! currently hacked in french link 2 ring gag, and yes i do have brakes, she can be either donkey or jogging excitably monster!!!

I was just wondering if anyone else hacks an excitable horse bitless and has as much control as when bitted??

Thanks
 
Recently changed to English hackamore myself as my horse constantly gnashes on any bit. Was in a NS universal before. Think the breaks in the hackamore okay. I do still have a martingale too. Try to use weight and voice too to slow down.
 
I had my very excitable horse in a hackamore for a few months since he was very sensitive in his mouth. I found it very useful when jumping and did hack out in it too, the only problem I faced was that my horse has a tendency to put in some very acrobatic bucks when excited and in the hackamore there was just no way to keep his head up when one of these broncing episodes was in full swing- something to be aware of!!
 
Good point but when they really want to bronk not much will stop them. Generally speaking hackamores are good breaks not great for steering though.
 
Hackamores can be very harsh so you should have brakes, just use them carefully! :)

I use to hack mine in a hackamore, and do XC, SJ etc.

I am not making assumptions about you (it being a forum and all) but I have seen terrible things done with hackamores to horses noses, sometimes because they are fitted too low on the nose and break the cartilage, sometimes just because people just haul on them too much and don't fix the real braking issue.

Best of luck:)
 
Ebs used to be a sparky ride, I would rest her mouth by using a libbys scawbridge bitless bridle... she was fine in that, and I still had perfect control
 
Yep ive hacked and xc schooled my tb in a hackamore who lights up at jumps.
Brakes were fine, very responsive, accuracy on turning for combinations was slower using just weight aids and legs :)
 
yep i used to hack my strong, stubborn mare in a hackamore. it was the only thing that gave me enough brakes to stop her spinning and running home. she hated having a bit in and was much happier and settled in the hackamore.
 
I used to hack my strong gelding in a scawbrig/snaffle combination using two reins. I got used to the double reins really quickly, and suddenly he had brakes!
 
My daughter's pony can be strong and excitable bitted, but is very soft oin an English hackamore. Bizarre I know but she is obviously very sensitive to nose pressure.
 
My view is that bits are not a brake, and if you have to rely on a bit to stop, you are not riding the horse as he should be ridden.

You should be riding with your seat.

You should be riding the horse, not just his head.

The bit is an aid to communication between you and the horse. That communication should be so light with your hands as imperceptable to an onlooker.

The horse should be in a position where you have earned the right to put a bit in his mouth.

I ride all my horses in a headcollar and all his paces and direction are controlled by the seat. When this foundation has been achieved, to go on to higher levels then I will start to ride them with a bit.

You are probably a lot safer riding without a bit than relying on one which if the horse takes from you puts you in a helpless position.
 
Pale Rider said:
My view is that bits are not a brake, and if you have to rely on a bit to stop, you are not riding the horse as he should be ridden.

You should be riding with your seat.

You should be riding the horse, not just his head.

The bit is an aid to communication between you and the horse. That communication should be so light with your hands as imperceptable to an onlooker.

The horse should be in a position where you have earned the right to put a bit in his mouth.

I ride all my horses in a headcollar and all his paces and direction are controlled by the seat. When this foundation has been achieved, to go on to higher levels then I will start to ride them with a bit.

You are probably a lot safer riding without a bit than relying on one which if the horse takes from you puts you in a helpless position.
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That's a lot of "shoulds"..........Since we're not all perfect, a hackamore can work with horses which are not happy in their mouths (this, I think would be better phrased as "not happy with the hands on the other end of the reins", but that's another story) as it removes the pressures in the mouth, but it is not "brakes" any more than the bit is, and can be very severe if you jerk or don't release (you cannot ride "on a contact" with a hackamore).
 
I've never ridden in a hackamore, but someone I know did, and had a nasty accident on the road. Their TB was quite highly strung, and many of us at the yard, suspected that the severity of the hackamore (in not the lightest of hands) may have been a contributory factor in why the horse reared up at a road junction and fell backwards onto his rider?
 
I wouldn't ride out in just a headcollar, but share horse who was incredibly strong with very weak brakes, would listen incredibly well in a headcollar and leadrope back to the field in any pace :rolleyes:

Pan
 
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