French Blinkers

[KatB]

Anyone use them? For what? And do they help?

 

[Bossanova]

Have used them on a very spooky baby horse. They did help him focus a little more but they didnt transofrm him into a wonderfully straight, brave event horse!!

 

[langside]

pm gamebird shes been using them and persuaded me to buy them today see nuumed post below lol
im aiming to improve locability at a fence in combinations hopefully going to try them at xc schooling on sat

 

[KatB]

Yeah Gamebird has already mentioned them to me

Thanks Boss, Goddy is very brave (not at all spooky at "scary" stuff) but just doesnt focus all the time!!

 

[pootler]

My instructor has just recommended some for my boy. Do they come in dark colours, I'm not sure I could cope with a set of white fluffy ones!

 

[KatB]

Yep they come in dark colours

Am eyeing up some brown ones...

 

[pootler]

OOh just found this:

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/article.php?aid=143014

 

[Shipley]

IO have them on my boy for jumping they help block out distractions on approach to the fence they are not a miracle cure but they are better. I have them in black sheep skin my local saddler made them for me.

 

[Gamebird]

I like them! Be wary of BE stewards with rulers though. 3cm max!!! I've noticed that a lot of people just use a short strip behind each eye, rather than the full length of the cheekpiece and might try this next time.

I hacked out round the block in them first just to check that the horse wasn't super-worried. Just remember not to run up behind the horse or anything as they have limited vision.

Like Bossanova said they won't do miracles but I would say they add to Carthorse's concentration and focus. He loves to look at the view between fences

 

[k9h]

So the 3cm rule

Is that 3cm fluffy out from the face or length wise down the cheek piece?

 

[Gamebird]

3cm from the horse's skin!

 

[KatB]

Great, thanks GB, think it might just sharpen brat pony up and get him focusing a bit.

 

[Gucci_b]

I ride my horse in the sheepskin cheekpieces nearly all the time, helps my horse to concentrate and would say cut's out any spookyness by 40%. I use a sheepskin noseband cover and cut it in half. WFP uses the sheepskin cheekpieces most of the time on the X-country, have seen a few riders do this now.