eahotson
Well-Known Member
Watching some old clips of Caroline Bradley and Tiger and also John Whitaker and Milton.They were riding their horses in snaffles.Shocking isn't it.
Just been
- Thread starter eahotson
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smellsofhorse
Well-Known Member
😱
I think more riders should take a look and see how well they did before so many gadgets.
I think more riders should take a look and see how well they did before so many gadgets.
chillipup
Well-Known Member
Snaffles.....is that all? how very dare they! Wasn't Milton the grey that used to spin his tail over jumps? And what was the name of a little bay or perhaps chestnut, that jumped to the same height as the bigger horses?, with a female rider?....gosh my memory is fading fast.
rachk89
Well-Known Member
I wish we would go back to that. I mean now you must have double bridles and must wear spurs to get go a high level. What's wrong with snaffle bits? Why do we need Pelhams and gags?
Auslander
Well-Known Member
It wasn't all rosy in the old days - there were some nasty bits masquerading as snaffles. They aren't allowed any more...
I've seen worse damage done to horses wearing snaffles than I ever have from stronger bits. I'd far rather see a strong, keen blood horse ridden with light hands in a strong bit, than heavy hands in a snaffle.
A snaffle, in dressage certainly, is for young horses, and lower level classes, and is replaced by a double bridle when more refined aid is needed. It is NOT an instrument of torture - if anything, it allows the rider to ride with a lighter contact, and to use the bits precisely to achieve what they're after - rather than hauling away on a snaffle when the horse is a bit strong/keen/onward bound. Ditto spurs. They are not for goading a horse to go faster. They are for pinpoint accuracy when riding more advanced movements.
Yes, these things get abused, but that is not the fault of the equipment. It is the fault of the person attached to the equipment
I've seen worse damage done to horses wearing snaffles than I ever have from stronger bits. I'd far rather see a strong, keen blood horse ridden with light hands in a strong bit, than heavy hands in a snaffle.
A snaffle, in dressage certainly, is for young horses, and lower level classes, and is replaced by a double bridle when more refined aid is needed. It is NOT an instrument of torture - if anything, it allows the rider to ride with a lighter contact, and to use the bits precisely to achieve what they're after - rather than hauling away on a snaffle when the horse is a bit strong/keen/onward bound. Ditto spurs. They are not for goading a horse to go faster. They are for pinpoint accuracy when riding more advanced movements.
Yes, these things get abused, but that is not the fault of the equipment. It is the fault of the person attached to the equipment
Michen
Well-Known Member
It makes me want to bang my head against a brick wall when non professionals start judging professional riders for their choice of tack. I'm sure you could all swap the double bridles/Pelhams/gags and get the same ride from the horses? The pros must all be doing it wrong...Heaven knows how they got there 
Elf On A Shelf
...
Milton used to fly leap when presented with his rossettes and Stroller and Marion Coates is the pony who won the Hickstead Derby you are thinking of.
alliwantforchristmas
Well-Known Member
Milton and Tigre ... amazing horses and riders ... and of course Stroller as well. I used to watch them when I was a kid ... dreaming ... well, lol, I still dream - too scared to jump anything more than a tiny log!! Them were the days! Somehow showjumping just doesn't do it for me now like it did then, it was always such a special treat on the telly, being allowed to stay up late to watch it. Not going to comment on the tack, but this thread has brought back some lovely memories!
Elf On A Shelf
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Not forgetting Midnight Madness, Its Otto and Welham - along with their various prefix's of Everest, Virtual Village et al lol
Illusion100
Well-Known Member
I got to cuddle Milton once, he was very sweet.
MotherOfChickens
MotherDucker
I was quite surprised watching Olympia etc, at how much plainer tack and bitting has become more recently tbh-seems to be quite a few in snaffles and no martingales etc atm.
chillipup
Well-Known Member
Oh wow, thanks EKW, Stroller, was he about 14.2hh? and was Marion Coates aka Marion Mold/Mould? or have I really lost the plot? So who was the grey that was always spinning it's tail....oh crumbs that's going to bug me now.
chillipup
Well-Known Member
Orca
Well-Known Member
Funny. I was talking with someone recently about SJ in years gone by and we remembered a lot of german hackamores! Were we mistaken?
chillipup
Well-Known Member
Same here Aiwfc, 'dreaming' being the operative word. I was obsessed, my parents weren't, but were kind enough to allow me to watch, despite my desperate pleas for them to buy me a pony afterwards!
chillipup
Well-Known Member
No, I think you're right there O, I sort of remember this too, as it was quite unusual at the time.
rhylis
Well-Known Member
Chillipup, there was a grey called Tutien ( spelling could be wrong!) Ridden by Annette Lewis. He used to spin his tail and she used to launch herself about a foot off his back over every fence. That's the only one I can remember doing it.
FfionWinnie
Well-Known Member
She had him as a junior and didn't want to part with him so rode him as a senior.
If you like this stuff look at the golden age of showjumping on FB.
Illusion100
Well-Known Member
Pray tell, how? when?
At least 20 years ago now, back in the days when I was still a Pony Clubber! He was at a Demo as a crowd pleaser, after the event while I was waiting in the cold and dark to be collected, I got the chance to fuss him while he was chilling in a stable.
He was such a show off even as an old man. In the demo he was ridden in at the very end through a smoke screen with 'Simply the Best' playing on the tannoys. Very proud character!
chillipup
Well-Known Member
At least 20 years ago now, back in the days when I was still a Pony Clubber! He was at a Demo as a crowd pleaser, after the event while I was waiting in the cold and dark to be collected, I got the chance to fuss him while he was chilling in a stable.
He was such a show off even as an old man. In the demo he was ridden in at the very end through a smoke screen with 'Simply the Best' playing on the tannoys. Very proud character!
Oh how lovely, And you were a pony clubber eh? I could but dream...though would have dined out, on seeing and hugging Milton, for years and years...(yes, you're right, I'm a rather sad and lonely member of Society!) I can't be the only little girl, (now larger and 55!) that's never grown out of dreaming of ponies, surely?
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chillipup
Well-Known Member
Thanks FW, I'm not a particular fan of FB, probably due to my old age and ineptitude handling modern technology but I'm on the case and will definitely be checking this out. Cheers, much appreciated
Illusion100
Well-Known Member
Oh how lovely, And you were a pony clubber eh? I could but dream...though would have dined out, on seeing and hugging Milton, for years and years...(yes, you're right, I'm a rather sad and lonely member of Society!) I can't be the little girl, (now larger and 55!) that's never grown out of dreaming of ponies, surely?
Course you can, I don't judge!
jojo5
Well-Known Member
I saw the Simply The Best demo as well, Illusion100. Got to say, it was a bit of a weepy moment when Milton came out of that smoke at the end - I had remembered him jumping when I was really little, he was my fairytale horse, and there he was right in front of me! Amazing.
chillipup
Well-Known Member
Thanks R, I'm going to be googling like mad now...of course as I'm older and much wiser, (debatable no doubt) swishing, spinning or flashing of a tail would make me think that there was something amiss with the horse. I'm hoping there wasn't and it was just a quirk
Illusion100
Well-Known Member
He looked fantastic, didn't he? Certainly didn't look (or act!) his age!
Allsorts0413
Member
If I remember rightly she jumped straight off the derby bank from the top at Hickstead but I may be confusing her with another rider on a grey horse!
Dreckly
Well-Known Member
We can't be talking about the good old days of jumping without mentioning Ryans Son. The one that started it all for John Whitaker. The cart horse who could fly like the best and buck like the naughtiest ;-)
Elf On A Shelf
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Or Harvey Smith's famous V's!
jojo5
Well-Known Member
He certainly played to the audience! I think the demo was Geoff Billington as well as John Whittaker, but I can only remember Milton's moment!
chillipup
Well-Known Member
Sorry eahotson, I appear to have hi-jacked your thread, it's all the reminiscing that's done it. As only a 'pony owner dreamer' at the time, I will admit I had very little knowledge regarding any tack used or the lack of it. I was just smitten with horses and ponies and had very little awareness of what I was actually seeing and little knowledge how different the tack used, could affect a horse. I'm not sure about it even now, as things have moved on immensely, but I do enjoy the forum for providing new and up to date information. Perhaps it's just as well it's been a long time since I owned a horse. As they say ' you're never too old to learn'. I have a lot of catching up to do