Hackamore?

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Scribbles

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This is a bit of a pensieve question, and something I am only going to consider towards the end of the summer perhaps.


Anyway - what are people's opinions on hackamores? My young horse has never been happy accepting a contact. His teeth have been checked. He is happy with a bit in the mouth, but refuses to put any pressure on his mouth. He drops behind constantly, and will not go forwards. If you try to push him (even on the lunge) he just tucks his head in and rushes off on his forehand.

The fuss in his mouth diverts his attention from his feet, causing him to trip when he is at his worst head shaking/ducking.

I'm thinking of trying through the summer (as he is only coming into proper work now) and comsidering a hackamore as an option. Can you get nosebands which attach to a 'normal' bridle? Just because I've spent £180 on a bridle I don't want to be useless!
 
my horse is ridden in a hackamore as he has a melinoma in his mouth,just remove the noseband on your new bridle and attach to cheek pieces make sure you get someone who knows what they are doing when fitting a hackamore as they can be dangerous if fitted wrong,my horse is very light in his but if you have a badly behaved horse they can get under the hackmore and throwin a nasty buck(ermm yep has happened a couple of times) and the steering is not to great but i still like them
 
Hi, we have a horse like this, incredibly light and sensitive in the mouth. he is actually western trained and in a curb bit we have to be so light on his mouth otherwise he just tucks his head in. He is ok with a snaffle but again we have to be very light with our hands, the slightest bit of pressure causes him to go behind the vertical. He's been trained the same way as our other horses so he must be uber sensitive. He is still sensitive in a bosal hackamore, so it's been a case of being extremely sympathetic with our hands, but it's worth it as he is so light and responsive to ride. We like the Myler comfort snaffle as it seems more comfortable for him than a snaffle with the nutcracker action so that might be worth a try?
 
Yes, it's very annoying! My other horses have been all so easy. Just whack the right one in and go.

He has been broken in a rubber loose ring snaffle, then onto a sweet iron Dsnaffle, and is now in a loose ring Salox Neue Scheule with peanut in the middle. He is best in this bit, as he doesn't throw his head to evade contact as much, but is still not happy.

This is only his 3rd lunge session with side reins (advised by my instructor, to prevent the head tossing - which it is helping with) but he will not all pressure on his mouth. I am loathe to tighten the side reins, as I want him to go forwards into them, rather than forcefully pulling him back.
 
so it sounds as though maybe he doesn't like the nutcracker action either? would it be worth trying to lunge him just from a headcollar for a few times as it might help getting the forward stuff established whilst keeping him omfortable? If that helps him to be confident on the lunge it might be worthwhile - function over form to get him started, and then add a bit once he is happy with the lunge work..
 
He has been lunged free for the past few months, now I am introducing loose side reins he is obviously uncomfortable.

He is comfortable in 3 paces on the lunge, and stretches forward and down beautifully (occasionally bangs himself in the face!)
 
Hackamores can be strong, especially the type you'd need at present (with long metal cheeks - german hackamoresare generally more effective than english) to make use of your new bridle...

I'd take it back a few steps.
I'd avoid a joint entirely, at least for just now.

Dropping behind the contact is difficult to allieviate so really try and get him working comfortably straight away!

I'd put him in a straight bar bit - preferably a nathe (I feel like a broken record but really they are so excellent) but if not a cambridge snaffle.
http://divoza.co.uk/subcat50-1195.aspx

ETS - Alternatively, I'd wrap your current bit in sealtex latex bandage and spray it with some honey mixed with water in a flower sprayer

I'd also take his noseband off entirely, and ride with a very soft contact.

This is what I rode my 10yr old mare in last summer to get her comfortable in an outline, and now we've returned to a metal bit (a sprenger turnado)

Alternatively, I've heard excellent things about Dr Cooks bridles and would opt for one of these if going down the bitless root; german hackamores are, to reiterate, very strong hence a good option for sjers with hard mouths etc but obv depends on the action your horse prefers.

He just may be a wee bit young, unbalanced and finding it difficult to position himself as it's 'too much work' so give him time and don't rush things!

Good luck!
 
Thanks!

We have tried him in a straight bar, but he completely hated it. He head tosses less in this, it's more the dropping behind.

What is sealtex latex bandage?

My bridle is a split headpiece thing, so he just has a loose cavesson on (with calfleather padding) so it is super comfortable.


So should I just continue letting him choose where to put his mouth/evade a contact? Personally I don't have a problem with this, as long as he isn't fussy so can concentrate on walking/trotting without falling over!


Hum. This is the last week of pure lunge work, so I'll see how he goes. Onwards and upwards.
 
I just wanted to say - I've been looking at my schooling.training plan, and your idea works absolutely perfectly - thanks!

I'd never considered that if he wasn't happy with the bit, and it was affecting his'other'work, and building up too much muscle on the forehand, then to just leave him with a nice soft contact, and allow him to develop and grow some muscles first, so that he can learn to accept a bit. I feel he will always be very soft mouthed, but that is only a good thing, compared to the alternative!

He works beautifully uphill loose, so I will still lunge for the next week with side reins (the super elastic ones that do up on the poll) but only loose - not forcing him to take pressure on his mouth.


You're a star
smile.gif
 
i broke my mare in a hackamore and she responded beautifully! this was when she was a 3-4 year old

i then decided i nedded to bit her to show her and used a bit- which took around two weeks for her to get used to but when she accepted it, she rode off my seat and leg as this was all she was really used to.

i think hackamores are fine to try as long as you are apprehensive that they can be strong but at the same time it teaches your horse to listen to your body commands more!
hope it helps
 
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