Riding on roads in a Parelli halter?

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I'm talking about the stereotypical nutjob, parelli loving, carrot stick holding eejit who doesn't actually have any control or horse hasn't got any respect for her.

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Aren't you making a judgement based just on what gear the person is using with their horse? You don't know if someone is ineffective or a nut job just by looking at what their horse wears.
Parelli bridles are in fact made of leather and designed to be used with a bit.
 
see above reply - for anyone's got experience of doing it then it's not a problem but for my stereotype, you'll get my meaning
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Tinypony - it's a jokey stereotype that appears on HHO a lot. Some people on here will know what I mean, it's not a personal dig
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I think the point is that if there were an accident courts look at the evidence. The prosecuting side is more likely to say insufficient control in a headcollar compared with a bridle. Thats because they would use things like the highway code advice (use a bridle) and other published points of reference. The recognised body in the UK for most training (the BHS) always says use a bridle for more control e.g. loading, leading, etc and this is what would be used against someone if they just used a headcollar.
 
As I said, I'd take my day in court. I think I could drum up some "experts" of my own to present some interesting evidence. End of the day, I'm not that interested in arguing a case in theory on a discussion forum. Question was about insurance, answer is that I am insured.
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Sorry Teapot, I'm familiar with the HH Parelli threads and can munch popcorn with the best of them.
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I didn't take it personally... because I don't carry a carrot stick...
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Just playing devil's advocate
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Ah me too, Lol!

You're right though, however how do these people manage in a bridle and saddle? You know, the thing is, there are numpties around in ALL equine spheres and there are useless riders/trainers who don't have a hope in hell of getting anywhere fast ... unless the horse chooses to!

I think it is just a shame that those of us who do know what we are doing are always lumped into this "they're ar3eholes" mentality. I don't do "IH" or "NH" or "Parelli" or "Monty Follower" - I'm just me, doing my own thing with my horses, and doing it just fine and dandy ... using rope halters (not Parelli rope halters, just the same ones that have been around for at least 70 years or so) and bridles and saddles and bareback with no bridles etc.

It's a shame that you guys in the UK have no experience of how these different types of teaching methods actually work well under experienced and competent hands.

My big bugbear though with this forum is the ignorant comments about rope halters being "Parelli rope halters", most of these halters are nothing to do with Parelli, they are just old fashioned rope halters that have been around since before most of these forum-members have been alive. It's total ignorance and never seem to sink in no matter how many times it is clarified
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using rope halters (not Parelli rope halters, just the same ones that have been around for at least 70 years or so) and bridles and saddles and bareback with no bridles etc.

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Exactly Tia, you are describing the way I learnt as a kid, I lost it a bit later, then the NH teachers reminded me of how it could be and how much fun life was.
 
To be very very fair, if the horse is going, it is going. Whether it is trained to respect a rope halter, a cheltenham gag, or anything in between, and where do you stand then, the line would be the same regardless...
 
I use good old-fashioned rope halters, they are neither parelli, NH, IH or anything else.

As Tia said, the Highway Code part that says a bridle and saddle should always be used is advisory, not law. It also does not state they should be used when leading.
 
If anyof you have done The riding and road safety test (really easy and worth while if you stick to it) then it says you must always ride with bridle and saddle (hackmores inclusive) but you must not ride in a halter if a horse can be trained parelli it can also be trained the traditional way i certaintly wouldnt muck up my insurance with a parelli halter same at comps
 
QR Well not so quick lol. Personally I have no issue at all with anyone riding their horse on the roads in a rope halter bridle, whether designed by Parelli, or otherwise. Principally they are the same thing, maybe a few tweeks with the designs of each but in principle most work the same. The same with hackmores, bit less bridles and even bitted bridles. I don't care what tack people choose to ride their horse in, whether on the roads or elsewhere. So long as it fits the horse properly, doesn't cause any discomfort, suits the horse and the rider is competent to use it.
What I do consider important though is that if riders ride along roads, especially busy ones they should have the competence to do so safely. They should be aware of other road users at all times and have the competence to be able to handle their horse in all situations. Whether a horse is ridden bitted or not bitted riders should be able to control their horses properly especially in potentially dangerous situations on the roads. If people are not competent enough to do so then they should not be on the roads full stop and should only consider road hacking when they are capable of doing so after further training.
I understand we all have to learn somewhere. I learned my road riding skills from my childhood days going on riding school hacks. Big difference was that when I learned all about road safety it was done so under the guidance of a fully qualified instructor and assistant and I was riding safe and sensible riding school ponies and horses.
My biggest concern these days and I don't know how it is in other counties is the lack of road hacking for children at riding schools. Maybe it has been affected by a hike in insurances and these stupid claims in which parents and riders have claimed against riding schools for accidents. A big bug bear of mine that is. Unless the horse/pony was not suitable for use in a riding school and the establishment knew this and took the risk then I am sorry but as far as I am concerned if you choose to climb aboard and ride an animal which can think for itself and which is far superior in strength to any human especially children then you accept that risk and if you fall off and get injured tough shite! Sorry mini rant over and also digressing from the point sorry.
But what I was trying to say is that I have noticed a few schools near to me that don't offer hacking out of any kind. So my main worry is that when these children become adults how are they going to learn the road safety skills they need, unless they take part in BHS approved courses or else have parents that are competent riders to teach them? Not all children come from horsey backgrounds. My mum had no interest when I learned to ride and even now is scared of my horses. My dad well he couldn't care less about me and was hardly there when I was a kid anyway and had no interest in my riding or indeed horses. From a personal point of view it was my own love for ponies and horses that led me to yearn to ride and not because of parental involvement.
I think all children when learning to ride should learn road safety sense when they have learned the skills to ride safely and properly in a school environment. We still have the road safety courses for children who ride bicycles so why should horses and ponies be any different?
I know that I am very grateful to the instructors and the skills I learned as a child and now I am able to use these skills and feel totally safe on the roads as a result.
I do worry though about people with horses that may be ring rusty from riding, (even if they learned as a child) or those who are even novice owners and riders, taking their horses on the roads, even more so when riding alone. I can bet it happens and I could just cringe at the thought. I would rather see a young horse or novice rider ( on roads) accompanied by a safe and sensible rider with a horse to match.
But sadly there are people out there who learn to ride and then think they can achieve everything in a short space in time and take risks that are avoidable.
The OP mentioned about people riding on roads with 'parelli' style halters. My reply is simple, if they are competent riders ( on roads as well) with a horse/pony that has been suitably trained to ride in such tack then that is fine with me
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In fact I see even more of these types of bridles circulating in the endurance sphere that I am involved with and these horses are not only been ridden on roads as part of the routes but are also taking part in competitive rides. All the horses I have seen wearing these bridles at such events have been competent animals and their riders very much the same.
Now if these bridles were being used by novice riders who did not fully understand how these bridles work or the horse was not accepting of the techniques employed then I would be worried to see such riders on the road. I don't make any exception for these bridles as I have said before my concerns relate more to the riders ability on the roads and the 'greenness' of the horse/pony rather than the tack used.
Caz
sorry for long post
 
I hack my horse to the field in a headcollar, bareback. It's approx 2/3 mile down the road, through a relatively busy village.
 
As far as insurance is concerned, unless there is a specific point in an individual policy an insurer cannot really determine what tack you can or cannot wear on your horse.

However, if you advised an insurance company that this is how you ordinarily ride your horse that individual company could decline you cover as you could essentially be seen as a 'moral hazard'!

Wearing a saddle & bridle is NOT law (neither is riding with a hat as far as I know) it is just a guide for safety really. Insurance companies may well put a clause in with regards to wearing standard safety hats/body protectors etc when taking part in certain events but we certainly do not have it written anywhere you have to have a saddle and bridle for general riding. If that's how you usually ride your horse then so be it!

Personally i wouldn't ride my horse out in a headcollar of any shape or form but that's cos he has no manners of respect for headcollars on the ground so I wouldn't fancy riding him in one! Used to ride my ponies in headcollars with a couple of leadropes as 'reins' loads as a kid - used to forget to tale my bridle to the stables so had to improvise!
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QR
Re good old fashioned rope halters, we have used them around the yard for years. Never used them for ridden work as they are 'left handed' cattle halters. I was amazed when my friend showed me her 'control halter' which cost her £30, mine cost me £4 at a local agricultural show. Give it a new name and charge a fortune.
 
i heard from my farrier there that someone in staffordshire rode on the road in a parelli halter, on advice from a parelli "instructor."
iirc the horse got hit by a bus and had to be destroyed.

no, i wouldn't hack out on the road in a parelli halter, but i would in a bitless bridle.
i wouldn't hack down the road in a normal headcollar either, just not enough control and too many variables out on the roads...
 
What Lady T and myself have pointed out is, there are no LAWS saying you have to use a saddle or bridle for either riding or leading.
An Insurance Policy must state, in a clause, if they do not cover for these instances.
 
I wouldn't risk invalidating my insurance.

People need to remember that insurance companies are businesses and will gladly do anything to get out of having to pay.
 
at the yard where i worked before we had to ride and lead out for exercise. My old boss insisted that the led horse was in a Parelli headcollar and long lead line. As I was uncomfortable with this - out on the roads, etc I refused to do this. I just didnt feel safe leading out a hunter (albeit it injured hence leading out before rebacking) along hunting tracks from the back of a fully fit and going out hunter - in a rope halter
 
Just had a look on here didn't realise it would cause such a reaction! Obviously I didn't see the horse for long as she was coming towards me, but it did look a bit 'jiggy' also a yard near us had a Parelli instructor do a couple of demonstrations a few weeks ago so I am assuming that this person has decided to ride in a halter. I am 99% sure it was a Parelli one (or very similar) as my YO uses one and I have often turned out and brought in horses for her that wear them, so I do know what one looks like. Also said horse was grey and the halter was black so it was probably more visible than on a darker horse, prob why I noticed it.

I have found a copy of the highway code and it says children under the age of 14 MUST wear a helmet which complies with the Regulations, it MUST be fastened securely. Other riders should also follow this advice.

So apart from kids under 14 it's general advice only about hats it also says

Riding
Before you take a horse on to a road you should ensure that all tack fits well and is in good condition, make sure you can control the horse, then goes on to say Never ride a horse without a saddle or bridle.

So that's what the Highway code says.

To be honest the roads round here are pretty busy with our fair share of complete head case drivers who have no respect for other road users, the horse in question may be OK to ride in a halter but it's the other idiots on the roads that worry me, I suppose I would like to know that I had good control and quick responses from my horse should I encounter a dangerous situation, and if using a bridle with a bit means that I do then I will stick to riding in a regular bridle.
 
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