opinions on bungees?

[hannah87]

like title says really, have noticed a few ppl using them recently and wondered wat ppl thort of the?ETS i mean the elastic ones that go over head, thru bit,and attach to d rings..

 

[jumbyjack]

I use one on my mare, it's set at just short of the longest possible length and 'suggests' to her it would be nicer if she did not stalk along with her head stuck out like a camel.

Because she's quite a rangy horse and a tad on the resistant side it is a big help to me but in no way pulls her into any sort of outline.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

I think the have their use, but like all gadgets, it depends on who is using it, how and why.

 

[MizElz]

i have used one for years on my mare; she used to stargaze, and the bungee has helped stop her doing that. that said, i cant honestly say i have ever felt completely comfortable using it; my trainer jumps his horses through grids using the bungee, to make them rounder, and on the couple of times i did it with ellie, the difference in the feel of her jump was huge. whether this was a good or a bad thing, i dont know, it just seems to me that she became very restricted in her movement, and had to jump with her head down.

i tend not to use it anymore; i prefer drawreins, providing they are used properly.

 

[kerilli]

much better than drawreins, because the elastic is independent of the rider's hands so isn't working as a lever, but still no substitute for learning how to feel for the correct contact, and teaching the horse to look for and then accept it.
i believe that any contact or outline gained through the use of gadgets is a bit dishonest, because it's often gone the moment you go back to just using a snaffle with your aids, whereas teaching the horse the correct way takes longer to get the results, but when you get them, they're totally honest and you can build upon them consistently. the dead solid contact gained with draw reins is a prime example.

 

[burtie]

Personally don't like them, whilst I'm sure there are horses out there who they would suit. I suppose in less experienced hands they are less uncomfortable/damaging for the horse than draw reins but IMO can cause as many problems.

For the record the horses I've seen use them tend to lean on them and go on the forehand, but I have never used them myself so perhaps it's just the people using them.

 

[only_me]

i dont like them, as they nearly runined my pony. when he came to me, he was trained on the bungie and as soon as he came off that his head went straight up in the air. our instructor didnt think we would ever get him working on the bit it was that bad. after a year of hard work, he finally worked on the bit with no resistance.

but my boy was really young and had only ever been ridden in the bungie so didnt know how else to go.

 

[debbielinder]

i have used a bungee on my mare for years usually just on the lunge but occasionally whilst ridden. she had a bad injury 2 yrs ago to a hind leg and it helps her use her back end more i was recomended it by my trainer who got me it about 10 yrs ago so we had ours a long time before every one! in the right hands i think they can be a huge help

 

[hannah87]

ok, so would you use them on a horse that is begining to work in a outline v novicey one tho, but who has a naturally thin neck and lack of topline - to help build up the correct muscles to make it easier for horse to eventually carry itself in an outline?

 

[Skhosu]

I''ve never had a horse lean on them, I use them quite a lot as I feel they encourage and put them in a better position than drawreins.