Gadgets - what would you class as one?

tabithakat64

tabithakat64

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After reading Tia's post I was wondering what people class as a gadget?

As a child I was taught by my RI that anything that wasn't a eggbutt/loose ring or French link snaffle or a cavesson noseband was a gadget and that whilst gadgets may help with training young horses, schooling problem horses etc a good rider with a well schooled obedient mount should never need to use anything else.

Following this line of thought this would mean that many bits, all martingales, and some nosebands (such as a flash or crank) as well as artificial aids such as spurs and whips are all gadgets.
I think most people would only put items such as draw reins in the gadget category.

I don't really have a view on this but would be interested to hear what other people think
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I agree completely with your instructor but I would add a correctly fitted double bridle to their list; sadly, all too few riders know how to use one properly. Being old school, I detest flash and crank nosebands although a properly fitted drop is perfectly acceptable (to me!)
 
any of those awful Myler contraptions are surely 'gadgets'; likewise the continental bits and rope nosebands, etc! market harboroughs, bungees, draw reins and side reins have their place as training aids, but are also, in my view, 'gadgets!'
 
I always think of them as a tool that it particularly handy for the job, not necessarily a bad thing if used when they are needed to get the job done!
 
I wouldn't class anything that is dressge legal as a gadget, so hanging cheeky snaffles, full cheeks etc aren't gadgets imo I wouldn't class a waterford as a gadget either.
No way would I class a flash noseband as a gadget!!!
But any type of martingale, side reins, bungees, market harboroughs,draw reins are. Just because they are "gadgets" doesn't mean they are bad if they are used in the right way though.
But then surely and pessoa or anytype of lunging equipment is! As it forces the horse to do something, but they are very helpful.
 
So are gadgets good or bad?

I can't see how something that helps me and my horse enjoying the riding thing more be classed as bad.

I'd much rather have fun in a martingale (
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) than be miserable without one
 
I'd agree with your instructor - although like MFH_09 I'd include a double bridle in that. I've nothing against using 'gadgets' on the lunge and spurs/martingales etc for competition but I think a well schooled horse should be able to be worked in a plain snaffle or similar, no spurs etc or other gadgets when at home. Maybe some riders have genuine cause to use these gadgets, but I think a lot could do without if they were better schooled.
 
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So are gadgets good or bad?

I can't see how something that helps me and my horse enjoying the riding thing more be classed as bad.

I'd much rather have fun in a martingale (
blush.gif
) than be miserable without one

[/ QUOTE ]
I think they can be good if they are used correctly. But if they are used wrongly then they are awful, my instructor once told me that if you keep winding you draw reins in and in then they have been known to break a horse's neck (yeah, unlikely but true) but then he let me ride one of his horses in them and that was the best flatowork I have ever done on him.
 
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I'd agree with your instructor - although like MFH_09 I'd include a double bridle in that. I've nothing against using 'gadgets' on the lunge and spurs/martingales etc for competition but I think a well schooled horse should be able to be worked in a plain snaffle or similar, no spurs etc or other gadgets when at home. Maybe some riders have genuine cause to use these gadgets, but I think a lot could do without if they were better schooled.

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Do you think it acceptable to use "gadgets" to get your horse up to that level of schooling though?

At the minute im riding my horse in a martingale. I can ride him without one, but he behaves better and his work is much more consistent with it. I plan to enter an online dressgae comp where you arent allowed martingales so i am trying to ween him off it sort of speak.

But its hard to get a horse better schooled if they are trying to evade the bit ect to begin with....

A martingale is the only "gadget" I use

would a straight bar happy mouth snaffle be classed as a gadget, as its not a french link, sorry if OP meant all snaffles are not gadgets... I got a bit confused
 
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would a straight bar happy mouth snaffle be classed as a gadget, as its not a french link, sorry if OP meant all snaffles are not gadgets... I got a bit confused

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Of course it wouldn't be classed as a gadget!!! If anything I would class a french link as more of one that a happy mouth if I had too!! But neither are as they are both very mild!
 
I have never ridden in spurs until this week because I'd always classed them as a gadget that I wouldn't need if I was using my legs and seat properly but I've been converted.

I would agree with your old instructor and class a gadget as anything other than the most basic tack but I don't think they are necessarily wrong if you are using them for a specific reason and under experienced supervision then I don't see a problem with them.
 
I would agree with your RI too. There is a place for gadgets, but too often they are used as a 'quick fix' rather than proper schooling.
 
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