opinions on using a harbridge?

siennamiller

siennamiller

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I know it is an artificial aid so some people will not agree with it but a bit of history on horse. He tends to fall on his nose a bit, can lean and pull a bit and is a bit unbalanced in canter.
When I got him at 4 he could only just walk and trot in school, I have had him 4 years, had epsm diagnosed, and recently given him a year off due to my pregnancy.
His falling on his nose is him on the forehand I guess. I am not the best at schooling and I never have anyone to watch to tell me what I am doing. Can't really afford any lessons at mo either.
Today he was spooking at the same thing in the school EVERY time he went past it so I tried an exercise someone said on here from tina sederholm I think. You bridge the reins over the neck and have your hands really low down and it puts them into an outline. He always acts like he can't canter in an outline but he did like that, even when I lengthened my reins. I am wondering of he is having me on(cos he is a bit lazy) and whether a harbridge would help. It would mean I could concentrate on getting my legs on and getting him working thru from behind? Going forward is not an issue, going forward correctly is the problem.
Sorry, this turned into an essay!!!!
Any advice gratefully received
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have you tried lunging him, or even putting poles on the ground and going over them every so often, I found this worked with my mare. What bit is he in, and can you try different ones
 
My horse is spooky, lazy if let and can often be on the forehand especially when hes in a lazy mood. My advice is to forget the front and work on getting him forward, the rest will come on its own once hes going. He can feel a fly and will shudder to remove it so they must respect your leg being very light. He can feel it. Practise asking him to walk from halt and if he doesnt go meaningfully with a light aid, back it up with your whip. It will only take a couple of times for him to realise but you have to be consistant which is something Im not and am working on. When my horse goes forward properly which is something Ive only realised this week (he can actually move!!) they forget the spookiness. Lazy horses are the most dangerous especially out on the roads. He must learn to respect your leg and work from behind into your hands which will in turn bring him into an outline. I tried a harbridge and at the time he was so on his forehand I worried he'd actually get his legs caught in it. It didnt work either.
Good luck.
 
Hi there. Have used a harbridge and although it does the job of pulling the nose in, it doesn't teach the horse to work from behind which is were they need to learn. That's when the balance comes. Would you consider lunging in a pessoa instead (you can pick a look-a-like up on ebay for about £30, then £30 for the roller). Mine never really got the hang of the harbridge. She was fine in it, but as soon as you didn't use it she just leant on the bit and hooned around again. The pessoa has really muscled her in the right way and she can control herself much better and her head carrage is lovely; although at the moment I will be honest and have just witnessed this from the ground. However, when she's not in the pessoa and I ask for an outline lunging on two long reins, I get it every time. Only took Honey about three weeks, three times a week in the pessoa to build the correct muscles and learn how to carry herself. Hope that helps.
 
Sorry I missed that going forward isnt a problem, just read the lazy bit.
Agree with the pessoa, I got one that cost me £15 on Ebay, its only a webbing one but does the job.
Also Ive started lunging with just a bridle on to get him forwards and using his back end. My boy does a great show pony impression of flicking his toes but not moving behind and with side reins hes a bit choppy. I read a post on here a while back on how someone just used a bridle and that after a few times her horse became so balanced. Well Ive seen such an improvement, his trots so much better and hes beginning to use his back, canters still a bit iffy though.
 
Not my favourite tool due to the downwards action on the bit, and not a good choice for something that is on the forehand. A market harborough might be a better option, though it does sound as if what you really need is some help from some one on the ground (think lesson would be cheaper than harbridge
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Hiya everyone
He is currently ridden in a gag (with the 3 rings-can't remember what it is called). He was in a snaffle but got too strong in that for some reason
Already have both a harbridge and a pessoa. He does work well in a pessoa but I need to get motivated to actually use it.
I was wondering if he had the harbridge on maybe then I could concentrate more on getting him going forwards-god that makes me sound rubbish doesn't it but he is not easy in the school, he uses spooking as an evasion. It doesn't help that he has a vile canter, instructors always say how uncomfortable he looks, it makes it difficult to ride properly.
thanks
 
My instructor let me use a de gogue to ride in with reins attached to it, so not fixed, just so I could sort myself out, concentrate on getting him going without him feeling awful and like I was riding a giraffe. It really did help me and gave me a feel of what it should or could be like. Youve just got to make sure when you use gadgets that they are going forward from behind. Sound like a stuck record, sorry but its being ingrained in to me
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You will get there, keep at it.
 
I tried a webbing harbridge on my previous horse, he snatched at it, caught one strap in his lower jaw, panicked and fortunately broke it as opposed to his jaw. Won't try one again!
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I used one on my mare, when she came to me she was in a real state and I restarted her completely, unbalanced, tight in the back stuck her nose out couldnt bend the list goes on. After Blood sweat and tears she started to responded really well to the schooling I was doing with her but through pure habit still cant fall easily into an outline. I tried her in a harbridge and was amazed how easily persuaded she was to work in an outline. I occasionally still use it when shes in hard work just as a gentle nudge in the right direction half hour in a schooling session should do the trick. Theyre not intended to tie the horse in just remind it to lower its head when it starts working a bittoo high. My mare is terrible with pressure on her mouth and accepts this very well so it cant be that harsh.
IMO Fitted correctly and used with respect they are no more harmful than any other products on the market today, nothing is as good as natural hard work and effort but not all of us were blessed with perfect horses or exceptional riding skills,me especially.
 
I tried him in a market harborough this morning and he was much better. It is annoying cos his hacking canter is fab, lovely long stride, he really eats up the ground. It is just in the school it needs work.
He goes really well in walk and trot, it is just the canter. I might give the harbridge a try in the school and see how he is
Thanks
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The only other thing that I would add about the harbridge is that I don't think that is something that you should ride in. I know that I had seen it advertised as a lunging and riding artificial aid, but due to the fact that it is either on there and fixed or off, I wouldn't personally ride in it, any more than I would ride in side reins, for the same reason. I have used the harbridge on a lot of different horses and I like it - but if your horse is on the forehand I would look for something else. Definitely would recommend lessons - which reminds me, must phone instructor and book mine!!
 
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