Is she too young....?

L

ldlp111

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 March 2009
Messages
6,899
Visit site
Well after another little practise in field with youngster for inhand showing I am left wondering whether to bit her for her first show (there is one 5th jan that i'm aiming for). We were attempting to achieve trot without me getting dragged off etc. She is proving to be quite a stubborn monkey only trotting when she really wants to go that way :rolleyes: hoping this will improve with practise (think she wanted to go for walk out on road as was dragging me down the field but when I went to put her back out in field she didn't want to go) She is proving to be pretty strong when she trots (canters whoops!) and fast not sure I can keep up lol, so wondering whether to get an inhand bridle instead of show slip so I hopefully have abit more control. Do I need to def buy a inhand show bridle or can I buy any show bridle etc :)

Thanks :)
 
How old is she? Keep practicing, If you dont think you will have full control at a show get an in-hand bridle and bit, she may be even harder to control at a show.
 
You don't actually say how old she is. But if she is getting away from you then to me making sure she doesn't learn bad habits is more important than whether others think she is too young
 
Lol just thought I hadn't put age whoops! She is roughly 7 months old but is already 13.2 :) That was I was thinking re show, hence thinking about getting bridle :)
 
Sorry I'm not up on where you are at with this youngster (how old is she?) but it sounds like you're trying to run before you can walk ... quite literally! I do not move on to any faster movements with my foals until they fully understand leading. Stick to walk for a while longer and don't move into trot until she understands what leading is all about. She should not be zooming off with you at any gait if she has been taught to lead properly. I do all of this in a headcollar and would only move onto a bridle if required for the show, or later on pre-backing.
 
She does walk on lead fairly well, but as I said she is stubborn and will walk the way she wants at a good pace but is slow when she doesn't want to go. I am currently using a lunge line incase extra length is needed, I do use the lunge line on bum to encourage her to move/ be more forward when being slow/stubborn but she doesn't take much notice. Am wondering whether I need to carry a whip as well :) not to beat her with (although i think she would take little notice anyway) :)

ets she doesn't zoom off everytime, altho is hard to get back to walk esp if heading where she wants. I making her sound like a right hooligan but actually she's mostly well behaved :)
 
Last edited:
Okay, sounds like she hasn't quite got this leading malarky down to a tee yet. Do you have a friend who could help by walking along behind her? I don't use lunge lines to lead foals, I prefer 10ft cotton lead ropes. If we have one in the very early days of learning to lead I ask my groom to walk behind giving a gentle clap of hands every time the foal stops and the foal will almost always walk on when hearing the clap. I only use lead over the bum in the very first day or so of teaching to lead. I don't like to use it for too long as it can become a bit of a crutch for the foal so I like to be leading proper as soon as I can. Usually a couple of days, several times a day for a few minutes each, should see your foal understanding and leading very well.
 
Thanks :) I don't use lunge line around her bum but use it like a whip to give her tap on bum etc she just ignores it though, so you think ditch the lunge line, I don't have anyone during week to help me, may be able to convince the bf to help over weekend but he's not particularly horsey :)
 
Your other concern (sorry been there!) is what else is in the ring with you!

I decided to bit mine and got a little inhand bridle (that's now outgrown and for sale), everything in my classes was bitted and two were so naughty that it could have caused a problem if they werent bitted.
I led off the noseband outside the ring until I realised that I needed to lead off the bit as she was a bit strong!
 
Yes I think you should ditch the lunge rope. That's an accident waiting to happen. Find a longer than usual cotton lead rope and do not loop it around your hand. Figure of 8 it and hold in the middle of the figure 8 so your fingers are not inside the rope at any time. If you can badger your BF to come up 3 or 4 times on Sat and Sun, just stick to walking leading for 5 minutes each time, then release foal and go back later for another 5 minute stint. Don't have BF threaten the foal in any way, just gently clap hands as mild encouragement. Mine always walk forwards if they see the person behind and hear the clapping. Keep foal close to you and pre-empt if she feels like she's going to whiz off with you and take avoiding action with a 'tscht' and maybe even a slight change of direction. Anything to distract her from her plan to disappear with you.
 
Is it compulsory for your foals to wear bridles over there at shows? Ours are all shown in little leather headcollars. I've never seen foals shown in bridles over here, not saying it mightn't go on, but nowhere I've ever shown foals are they bridled.
 
wildwest said:
not wearing a bridle though surely ?
:{
Click to expand...

She wore an inhand slip bridle

Spring Feather said:
Is it compulsory for your foals to wear bridles over there at shows? Ours are all shown in little leather headcollars. I've never seen foals shown in bridles over here, not saying it mightn't go on, but nowhere I've ever shown foals are they bridled.
Click to expand...

I think that OP would be showing as a yearling- you can wear inhand slip bridles (no bit) but most shows over here ask that colts are bitted.
 
Yes lunge line was done in figure of eight to avoid any 'accidents' but will pop to tack shop for a longer lead rein instead. Dianchi can you pm what size etc your bridle is. Foals over here when shown young I think are shown loose with or without headcollar I think :)
Was just quering a bridle as by January technically she'll be a yearling hence thinking skip slip and go for bridle. I don't think leaving in field when she needs to be taught to pick feet up etc for farrier is a option. I also think she is nearer to 8 months :)
Thanks for all the help :)
 
Good luck. Slow and steady wins the race. I personally wouldn't consider using anything stronger than the little leather head collars mine all wear in their field to teach leading. If you teach leading properly in the beginning then a head collar is all that should ever be needed in future. My thoughts are once you move onto something stronger then you've lost a big life battle with horses.
 
When my now 4 year old was a yearling I thought about taking him to a show - I decided to go to a friends yard to practise leading away from his own yard to see what he would be like. Even though he was good to lead at home I literally got dragged around my friends place - I thought it would not be a good idea to go to the show unless he was bitted.

I decided not to go to the show - I just could not bring myself to bit him at such a young age. They have such tender wee mouths and it's not worth risking that being ruined. A bit in itself does not give control - I thought to myself, what if he does play up - rear or try to pull away, run off or whatever - inevitably that would have meant too much pressure on the bit and had the potential to cause too much lasting damage.

If your filly is not behaving at home then really how do you expect that she will behave at a show? They are still able to misbehave no matter what tack they are in and forgive me if this is wrong but you don't come over as having vast experience with youngstock.
 
It also depends on type natives are often shown in white halters, hunters in bitted in hand bridles, light weights and riding pony types in leather slips.
Personally I would avoid a bit and use a slip with a controller panel in it I have one, it is like and in hand bridle but has no bit fittings and the back noseband loops through to tighten and loosen at the back of the nose so if she pulls she gets a bit of pressure to her nose not on her mouth I prefer this and have used it even for my roughty toughty highlands and my very strong and forward connie It exerts a certain amount of control over the nose and doesnt interfere with her mouth.
I dont normally bit mine until ready to back at 4. Colts however do need to be bitted by the rules from january of their first full year so yearling year to show with most societies
 
windand rain said:
It also depends on type natives are often shown in white halters, hunters in bitted in hand bridles, light weights and riding pony types in leather slips.
Personally I would avoid a bit and use a slip with a controller panel in it I have one, it is like and in hand bridle but has no bit fittings and the back noseband loops through to tighten and loosen at the back of the nose so if she pulls she gets a bit of pressure to her nose not on her mouth I prefer this and have used it even for my roughty toughty highlands and my very strong and forward connie It exerts a certain amount of control over the nose and doesnt interfere with her mouth.
I dont normally bit mine until ready to back at 4. Colts however do need to be bitted by the rules from january of their first full year so yearling year to show with most societies
Click to expand...

Thanks :) do have a link of where to buy one like this? She is a irish sport horse part bred so would probably be classed as a hunter I would think :)
Thanks for all your advice and opinions :) I will go back to walk and bribe the bf to help me over the weekend, to achieve her walking when I want and at the pace I want, only then will I attempt the trot again :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top