Side reins attached to a cavesson instead of a bit

[Mule]

Horse is a bit one sided after his time off, so I want to do a bit of lunging.

I rarely lunge, but when I do, I attach the lunge rein through the bit. Horse is quiet but I'm not very comfortable using the lunge rein connected to the bit. I have visions of him tripping and me hurting his mouth or some similar drama :rolleyes3:

I have found a cavesson to use but I am wondering if there is any benefit in attaching the sidreins to the ring on the lunging cavesson instead of the bit? Basically both the lunge rein and sidreins would be attached to the lunging cavesson. The contact would be on the nasal bridge rather than the mouth. Has anyone tried it?

 

[Goldenstar]

I would not do this because it’s has the potential to but way to much pressure on the nose .
And for me it just containing the horse not showing anything useful .

 

[Clodagh]

We used to start horses like this, many moons ago, so I would see no problem with it.

 

[Schollym]

Horse is a bit one sided after his time off, so I want to do a bit of lunging.

I rarely lunge, but when I do, I attach the lunge rein through the bit. Horse is quiet but I'm not very comfortable using the lunge rein connected to the bit. I have visions of him tripping and me hurting his mouth or some similar drama :rolleyes3:

I have found a cavesson to use but I am wondering if there is any benefit in attaching the sidreins to the ring on the lunging cavesson instead of the bit? Basically both the lunge rein and sidreins would be attached to the lunging cavesson. The contact would be on the nasal bridge rather than the mouth. Has anyone tried it?

Please don’t continue to attach straight through the bit, use the lunge line through one side and over the poll to the other side. It gives you poll pressure and having seen the mess going through the bit can make of a horse jaw when something went wrong ,I wouldn’t wish that on anyone else.

 

[Shay]

I suppose you could - but it would not be as they are designed to work. The rings on the cavesson are further forward on the face than the bit would be. You'd have to be careful to adjust them so that there is a release for correct work. Otherwise you're just fixing your horse's head in place to no particular purpose. You can fit a headslip over the cavesson to attach side reins to. Just a headpeice from an old bridle and a bit. You don;t lunge from it - it is only there if you are working with an aid.

I'm not clear from your description if you are lunging directly off the bit ring nearest you - which is not ideal - or using an underjaw check where the rein runs through the bit, under the jaw and clips to the ring on the far side of you. If the latter that is actually fine - a gentler alternative to the overhead check Schollym described. If you lunge from a cavesson you have less breaking if the horse decides to prat about or tank off. But you can switch direction quite neatly.

 

[JillA]

Forget his head and concentrate on his body - if he is one sided in the bit you can bet your life he is one sided throughout. I use an american rope halter to lunge in but you can use a cavesson (in the way it was designed for) but ensure you do equal circles on both reins, and also lead him from the offside as often as you can.

 

[Mule]

Please don’t continue to attach straight through the bit, use the lunge line through one side and over the poll to the other side. It gives you poll pressure and having seen the mess going through the bit can make of a horse jaw when something went wrong ,I wouldn’t wish that on anyone else.

Oops I wasn't clear. By through the bit I meant through one side and over the poll. It still makes me a bit uncomfortable though

 

[Mule]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll just attach the lunge line to the cavesson ring and use the sidreins attached to the bit. I'd be happy enough with that.

 

[Mule]

Forget his head and concentrate on his body - if he is one sided in the bit you can bet your life he is one sided throughout. I use an american rope halter to lunge in but you can use a cavesson (in the way it was designed for) but ensure you do equal circles on both reins, and also lead him from the offside as often as you can.

Good idea about leading from the offside. He is uneven in his body. His stiff side has become less supple after his time off. So he isn't bending as well through his body to the right as to the left. My mention of sidreins was just for straightness.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Horse is a bit one sided after his time off, so I want to do a bit of lunging.

I rarely lunge, but when I do, I attach the lunge rein through the bit. Horse is quiet but I'm not very comfortable using the lunge rein connected to the bit. I have visions of him tripping and me hurting his mouth or some similar drama :rolleyes3:

I have found a cavesson to use but I am wondering if there is any benefit in attaching the sidreins to the ring on the lunging cavesson instead of the bit? Basically both the lunge rein and sidreins would be attached to the lunging cavesson. The contact would be on the nasal bridge rather than the mouth. Has anyone tried it?

I would say depends on the horse, if loosely put on, there is no issue. I have seen a horse panic throw his head up and run backwards too.