just curious...

I sometimes use a breast plate if we are doing a lot of hill work and canter work. usually just bridle saddle but I've always ridden in a nose band without much thought to be honest so I going to take it off!
 
It is not possible to "swallow" the tongue. If a horse's jaw is "too flexible", ride with more elastic hands. Running martingales interfere with the contact no matter how loose they are, and when engaged act as pulleys which can exert a tremendous amount of leverage. Gadgets are useful if there is no alternative I suppose, but the alternative is better training and riding. Cavesson nosebands are presently the fashion; in past times (19c, and racing up until recently) no noseband was also in fashion, they come and go according to the mode but have little effect if not cranked up tight. Some horses go better without one.

Here (Ireland) running martingales are unfortunately standard on pretty much every horse and will be put on when the horse is being broken in. Most people don't even know what they are supposed to be for; "it came with the horse" is a common answer when asked why they are using one.
 
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I will be honest in saying that my horse has two nosebands when he is ridden, a grackle and a kineton. I have tried riding him with one, and it was just a battle of wills and me having to use heavier aids to get him to listen. In the set up that I have him in at the moment he goes as light as a feather and carried himself nicely and forward; but in a safe way and not going at whatever speed he thinks is appropriate and only going home/stopping when he wants too..

He also has tendon boots for the front (because he was a 2* eventer and has had a hard and full working life, at 17 he is now doing low level comps and hacking/schooling so the extra support I think is needed). He also has bandages on his backs for the extra support and because his boots rubbed him.

I will admit it is annoying to put all this on, but I have got it down to a fine speedy art now haha.. I do agree with the mantra that less is more, but I also think that if you find something that the horse goes well in, no matter if its unusual or not deemed traditional, then you should stick with it x
 
if its not possible for a horse to swallow its tongue then why do some people use tongue ties? i thought the reason behind tongue ties was to stop the horse playing with the tongue and also to stop it "flapping around" so they couldnt swallow it/could breath better. and the grackle theory is what i got taught from instructors from NRC and also from trainers at my previous yard. if we had a horse with breathing issues we would put a grackle on to see if it helped 8/10 times it would help. it seems to help my old boy out anyway even if it is a coincidence. hasnt gurgled once with it on but take it off and he sounds terrible. (ive had him scoped and vets looked at him and is quite happy with him to continue his work as normal.)

If certain gadgets are needed then obviously the correct thing would be to put it on Eg.boots. as people have said. and im not too stubborn to put my horse at risk of injuring himself just so i dont have to put "extras" on.

also it made me laugh (in a good way) when people say their horse looks ugly without a noseband, my horse has a big roman nose and i admit hes not the most handsome boy in the world and yeah he prob would look better with one on but in my eyes it adds to his character and i love him for it. (im not having a go when i say this, just saying i can relate to how "ugly" horses can look without them).
 
Less is more over here too.

I just ride in a rope halter, GP saddle, saddle cloth & a sheepskin half pad.

Oh, plus high viz leg wraps, neck strap, fleece/coat & headband for hacking.
 
I just ride in: bridle with noseband, breastplate, saddle, numnah, sheepskin saddle pad tendon boots, overreach boots, brushing boots and sometimes knee boots. Plus high viz for all legs and tail. Takes approx an hour to get ready lol.
 
I doubt anyone is going to pipe up and say 'I look like I know what I'm doing with all this gear' :D

For some reason I love looking at the tack when watching horses compete. I guess it might be a bit sad but I love it
(I don't compete I'm a humble hacker)
 
Both mine have simple nosebands, nothing fancy like drop etc, have not tried new pony without nosebands yet but wellie doesn't like it without one, always acts funny and even tries to rub his nose on something to check if there is one on him, lol!

Apart from that the have regular saddles, bridles and new pony has a running martingale for when galloping as holds his neck up and strains it. Also has a fluffy/padded attachment to nose band as he has a scar and it rubs otherwise.

Definitely think less is more, only use if necessary!!
 
Schooling - Micklem bridle usually with a bit, but schooled today without and think I might continue in that vein! Saddle and thin saddle pad/numnah, over reach boots. If I'm doing a hard schooling session with lots of lateral work I will put on brushing boots or, more likely, bandages.

Hacking - definitely bit in! Usually a running martingale (although as he is tucks his head in and down when being a prat it is much more for my psychological comfort than any practical use!) and brushing boots get added to the schooling get up.

Having seen how many people ride in micklems I will take this opportunity to pipe up and say what a huge difference using a micklem has made to E's happiness. He arrived with a very nice padded bridle with crank noseband and I umm-ed and ah-ed about changing to a micklem as I thought they 'looked odd', his bridle was really nice, and did they really make that much of a difference anyway?! Well, Eggs has gone from resisting having his bridle put on to opening his mouth for the bit (without being asked) and from rubbing his head frantically as soon as he finished work to being far more concerned about where his haynet is! He also works very well in it!
 
I have a grackle and a combination bit on my horse. Hes not that strong, and im not too bad. He does cross his jaw and hes just happier in that bit over the many many ive tried! It looks alot, but means I can ride him quieter and happier
 
This summer at a BHS camp I was asked if my lad was sporting a new type of bridle? Well yes, kinda, it was hot, so I removed his noseband that he didn't need and replaced it with a slightly looser browband fitted to the cheek pieces so it looked like he had one on, less leather around his head and a look of a full bridle! Result? a far less sweatier face :)
 
Urgh ordinary horses without nose bands make me shudder.....although a beautiful racehorse head is just about acceptable :D

I boot up/bandage every time I ride. Recently there was a post on my local FB asking what boots people used....i got bored trying to type out my various combinations for different work :D Wouldn't dream of risking it without.

I like to ride every horse in a snaffle & all my horses are schooled well enough that this is possible on the flat but jumping/fast work wise I'd rather have a stronger bit/noseband combination which requires soft, allowing hands than the need to haul on the horses mouth for the sake of saying I only ride in a snaffle!

I always laugh that quite often here the snaffle is held up as being the only acceptable bit for a horse yet the highest levels of dressage require a double bridle......
 
Marie1 said:
I will be honest in saying that my horse has two nosebands when he is ridden, a grackle and a kineton. I have tried riding him with one, and it was just a battle of wills and me having to use heavier aids to get him to listen. In the set up that I have him in at the moment he goes as light as a feather and carried himself nicely and forward; but in a safe way and not going at whatever speed he thinks is appropriate and only going home/stopping when he wants too..

He also has tendon boots for the front (because he was a 2* eventer and has had a hard and full working life, at 17 he is now doing low level comps and hacking/schooling so the extra support I think is needed). He also has bandages on his backs for the extra support and because his boots rubbed him.

I will admit it is annoying to put all this on, but I have got it down to a fine speedy art now haha.. I do agree with the mantra that less is more, but I also think that if you find something that the horse goes well in, no matter if its unusual or not deemed traditional, then you should stick with it x
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Intrigued.com how on earth do you combine a grackle with a kineton?
 
Froddy said:
Intrigued.com how on earth do you combine a grackle with a kineton?
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http://s804.photobucket.com/user/te...[user]=138310912&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=1

http://s804.photobucket.com/user/te...[user]=138310912&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

Disclaimer for the second photo, I did not ride him like that, I threw the bridle together after washing it just to show the set up clearly, I know the reins are back to front and the kineton is way too loose, and that the grackle is over the cheekpiece.

The grackle goes under the kineton to still have an effect, and the kineton is over the top so as not to interfere with the grackle.
 
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Haven't read it all, and as always I am happy to admit I am pretty much a novice with experience happy hacker :)

Anyway Boyo came to us in a martingale and flash combo, after a few months we decided to see how he went without - no difference actually even a bit lighter on the forehand if anything. He is in a very mild myler bit.

We have our first lesson together next week, so will be interesting to see what instructor says...

Oh and FWIW I can't get him working correctly from behind and my legs are all over the place, hence the need for lessons!

Wish us luck - I think we will both be knackered by the end of it lol!
 
I really don't mind or care what anyone else uses. I use the minimum I can get away with because I don't like cleaning more than I have to. (who needs browbands & nosebands anyway :) )
 
I use browbands.. No nosebands though as most of the time the bridle goes on over a rope halter (much easier for endurance). Saddle, numnah, and that's it. I've done thousands of miles with no boots. The only time we boot is when the kids jump XC due to the potential for mixed messages, crap take offs and whacked shins!
 
No browband, no throat latch, no noseband, no martingales or any other gadgets on my main riding horse. All he has is a cheekstrap attached to a headpiece with one slip ear, bit and 10ft split reins. I have every gadget under the sun in my tack rooms ... all have been gathering dust for the past 10 years. All of my horses are ridden with minimal tack however I have no problem with anyone riding their horse in whatever they choose so long as they use it correctly, don't inflict pain or undue stress on the horse. Live and let live. OP you need to move across the Pond, it's rare to see people using loads of gadgets where I live, most horses are just ridden in simple snaffles and cavessons or no nosebands at all, so you would be seen as normal over here :smile3:
 
Marie1 said:
http://s804.photobucket.com/user/te...[user]=138310912&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=1

http://s804.photobucket.com/user/te...[user]=138310912&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

Disclaimer for the second photo, I did not ride him like that, I threw the bridle together after washing it just to show the set up clearly, I know the reins are back to front and the kineton is way too loose, and that the grackle is over the cheekpiece.

The grackle goes under the kineton to still have an effect, and the kineton is over the top so as not to interfere with the grackle.
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Good heavens, have you considered the action your tack combination actually has. An american gag was the last bit I expected to see.
 
I have to agree with Adorable Alice. That is a serious set up & I wasn't expecting to see an American gag with it!
Is he really that strong for everyday general riding?
 
glamourpuss said:
I have to agree with Adorable Alice. That is a serious set up & I wasn't expecting to see an American gag with it!
Is he really that strong for everyday general riding?
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He really truly is that strong. This is the tack combination I took him on with and believe me it's not like he was being strong one day and they threw this on him. They had him for 11 years and they have tried every bit and noseband combination under the sun and this is what he goes best and listen best in. He rides as light as a feather in this and in anything else he just barges through and downwards transitions are non-existant. I take great care in making sure it all fits properly, and trust me if he was unhappy in it he would 100% let me know.
 
Cortez said:
Yes, I have to agree with Adorable Alice. If I had to use all that just to get it to ride I think I'd throw in the towel.
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Just wondering about this comment, throw in the towel because of the horse being so strong, or throw in the towel because of the rider having to ride in that set up?
 
Marie1 said:
He really truly is that strong. This is the tack combination I took him on with and believe me it's not like he was being strong one day and they threw this on him. They had him for 11 years and they have tried every bit and noseband combination under the sun and this is what he goes best and listen best in. He rides as light as a feather in this and in anything else he just barges through and downwards transitions are non-existant. I take great care in making sure it all fits properly, and trust me if he was unhappy in it he would 100% let me know.
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You know your horse best :) I would certainly not suggest that you just decided to put that on just for the hell of it. Like you say it's better to have an enjoyable horse in a stronger bit/noseband combination.
I've no qualms at all about bitting up & using different nosebands &, unlike some, I don't feel that having to ride in something different/stronger than a snaffle is a sign of a crap rider BUT I do use the minimum I can.
My old lad is a monkey for leaning on my hands when galloping & jumping. It's not a schooling issue dressage is a lozenge, loose ring snaffle & caves son & he scores easily 65+ every time out. But I wouldn't dream of jumping/galloping him without his flash & universal bit.

I think what is a bit shocking about your bit/noseband combination is its very 'contradictory' in the actions of each piece of it.
 
I agree, as little crap on their face as possible is best. I try to ride my horses in minimal nosebands (I think Ive ridden one in a flash once and that was it, all others in cavessons) with as basic bits as possible and I never ride anything in martingales. It'll always stay with me a lady coming over to me at a BE event saying how nice it was to see me competing in the novice with minimal tack (my grey I always competed in a cavesson and Myler dressage legal snaffle bit), I loved being told that and it was so nice she noticed! Don't get me wrong, some horses need something else like my warmblood I used to jump in a pelham because he would go like a tank (and at 15, no chance of reschooling although he did get a lot better!), but I think a lot of people automatically use a flash (usually because it comes with pretty much ALL new bridles - why?!) and martingales, and usually too strong a bit.
 
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