Shantara
Well-Known Member
Just pondering. Have you used them for ridden horses? Did they work or make matters worse?
Thoughts on blinkers?
- Thread starter Shantara
- Start date
WelshD
Well-Known Member
I havent used them but have used sheepskin covers over cheek peices to effectively do the same sort of thing
redriverrock
Well-Known Member
I suppose it depends what you are trying to achieve and if it is safe to restrict the horses vision which is obviously what blinkers do. There are alot of different blinkers/visers that block the view of the horse from different angles used in racing depending on what the problem is...ie backward thinking, lazy, wandering etc My horse was blinkered when he raced as he was abit laid back and it kept him focused but have never felt the need to use anything like that for normal work
Shantara
Well-Known Member
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230873318...eName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 I came across this on ebay, so I thought I'd ask 
I doubt I'd get any, unless they'd make a huge difference. Just for lessening spooks, I guess!
I doubt I'd get any, unless they'd make a huge difference. Just for lessening spooks, I guess!
redriverrock
Well-Known Member
I might be wrong but they could actually make things worse for normal riding...im guessing the last thing you want is your spooky horse to go quicker!!
Shantara
Well-Known Member
Haha very true!
I really know nothing about blinkers, but I did know of a horse with a missing eye, apparently it made him very bombproof to almost everything on that side, unless it was a sound he hadn't come across before. Had he heard it before (cars etc) that was fine, but unknown noises were scary!
Aces_High
Well-Known Member
I would personally go for an eye shield/pacifiers rather than a blinker. Blinkers are great on racehorses but some horses can become very keen when they wear them.
TheSylv007
Well-Known Member
I have used sheepskin french blinkers on my spooky mare and they did actually help by taking her mind off looking backwards. They have them on eBay, might be worth a try
Shantara
Well-Known Member
He's actually very good! I'm surprised at how good he was! We only had 2 spooks (Well, what I'd call spooks, there was plenty of looking) I might try the cheek piece things, just as added security, but I may not even bother with them if he carries on being so good!
EMC
Well-Known Member
Best left on the track.
Came across a horse ridden in them on a hack (looked like the racing variety) and it was too busy refusing to go forward past us let alone be distracted from what was going on behind.
Came across a horse ridden in them on a hack (looked like the racing variety) and it was too busy refusing to go forward past us let alone be distracted from what was going on behind.
Irishbabygirl
Well-Known Member
Nah, am I right in thinking yours is believed to have road raced? Same as mine. Mines not spooky so not needed but it might be worth using the fleece cheek peices as a 'halfway house' rather than riding in full blinkers...worth a try at least x
Shantara
Well-Known Member
We're not 100%, I don't think we'll ever be 100% on anything, which is a shame! I'd love to know his past. But yes, the way he moves and things he does makes me think he might well have done!
Unless someone said "Yes, absolutely, you MUST get them, they'll make your live fantastic" I wouldn't have got them, I just stumbled across them while searching for red riding things and started pondering
Might try some cheek pieces, if I can prevent a nasty spook, that'd be fab!
Irishbabygirl
Well-Known Member
I've seen some of your videos - mine can pace too - I don't know mine had been raced for sure either, but it definitely explains a lot if he has! Nice to know there is a fellow HHO'er who doesn't ride a typical 'riding horse'!
katastrophykat
Well-Known Member
never used then ridden but can confirm that my ride and drive D is significantly better in blinkers than an open bridle.... and if i drive him for a couple of weeks then put him back under saddle, the ride is really sharp until he settles back into an open bridle.
dont know how much help that'll be!
dont know how much help that'll be!
Shantara
Well-Known Member
Hehe, he certainly isn't 'typical'
I love hearing about other people's standies
Ned seems to pace more when we're alone, I noticed when I ask for canter, he's really looking at his legs trying to figure out which order to put them! It took a good 5 or 6 strides to sort himself out the first time! Once he gets into the swing of it, he has a great canter
Irishbabygirl
Well-Known Member
I don't think mine is a standie, but the only thing I know for sure is that he's Irish! Think he's Irish Cob x TB ishy thing! He rarely paces now but that's taken two years to train him to do a lateral trot - we should start a tread on this! I too love hearing about others pacers and their training techniques and I'm sure you've found out by Googleing that there isn't a lot of UK information to be found!
FlaxenPony05
Well-Known Member
They're red of course!!
Sorry that I have nothing intelligent to add...
Sorry that I have nothing intelligent to add...
jinglejoys
Well-Known Member
My little driving mule Blue used to spook till I took the blinkers off.Now she can see things she's much better (Think how you jump sometimes when something sneaks up and whizzes passed you you didn't know was there)
Shantara
Well-Known Member
We should! When Ned came to us, he did have some knowledge of how to trot, but it wasn't great! It didn't actually take us (I say us - I had no part in that aspect of his training) that long, probably a few months, though that's probably due to his previous knowledge. I am starting to wonder if he was a road racer, then sold on as a riding horse (came with a saddle) but they didn't get along with him and sent him off to the sales.
He was only kept so long by YO because me and another lad fell in love with him and over time, Yo did too! She did buy him to sell a year later, but she couldn't do that to us
I find pacers so interesting, have you youtubed them? The speed that some of them go is mind blowing!!
Flaxenpony05 - Pahaha! I don't care what it is, if it's red, I'm havin' it
Sam&MrD
Well-Known Member
Cheek pieces might work for you. My two standies are exercised in an open bridle. On the track one wears a full bridle, the other wears a hood with 1/4 cups.
Shantara
Well-Known Member
Can I ask what open bridle/full bridles are? ^^ thanks!
Ooh, you have racing Stadies? How exciting! I've never seen them race (on an actual track) before!
Ooh, you have racing Stadies? How exciting! I've never seen them race (on an actual track) before!
Sherbie
Well-Known Member
Totally agree, some/ most of the training methods for pacers/trotters is not as widley advertised (not sure thats the right word lol). I had to learn alot in the past year and fast! Was lucky enough to know a couple of people 1. who harness races and another who has a retrained harness racer as a riding horse. You tend to find that they if they have raced or trained to race they will mostly (from what I know anyway) have worn blinkers. Also most of the time after racing or if not fast enough they will be sold as riders. It takes time and patience to retrain them. Mainly due to the training they have had in early days, its different to a 'regular' riding horse, a little understanding will go a long way. Brilliant horses though!
Anyway a friend of mine used the fleece cheek pieces on her lovley horse for a while for many different reasons and they really helped! He now does not need them atall. I considered them for my ' i wont leve the yard ridden' standie lol. If your thinking about it, it may be worth jusst seeing if you can borrow a set from someone to try. Im sure I saw red ones when I was looking at them for my boy lol
Anyway a friend of mine used the fleece cheek pieces on her lovley horse for a while for many different reasons and they really helped! He now does not need them atall. I considered them for my ' i wont leve the yard ridden' standie lol. If your thinking about it, it may be worth jusst seeing if you can borrow a set from someone to try. Im sure I saw red ones when I was looking at them for my boy lol
Irishbabygirl
Well-Known Member
Yeah its shocking! And explains his two splints and bought him when he was only 5! (he's inow 7). Do you know of any org
Irishbabygirl
Well-Known Member
Sorry posted too early - bloody phone! Was meant to say, do you know of any other forum users with pagers?
Irishbabygirl
Well-Known Member
*Pacers*! Aarrgghh! Sorry! Should get off my phone and get my laptop out! Lol!
Sam&MrD
Well-Known Member
I can't post a pic as on my phone but open bridle is when there is no blinker at all. Full is basically like a normal driving bridle. I apologise if that doesn't make sense I won't go into Swedish blinds, can't see backs, and telescopics
I won't go into Swedish blinds, can't see backs, and telescopics
Shantara
Well-Known Member
I can't post a pic as on my phone but open bridle is when there is no blinker at all. Full is basically like a normal driving bridle. I apologise if that doesn't make sense
Ooh, I think I understand
thanks!!I did start a thread a while back about standies and pacers but it's really old!
I might start a new one now
Irishbabygirl
Well-Known Member
Yes! Do it! I'll join in!
Sherbie
Well-Known Member
I can't post a pic as on my phone but open bridle is when there is no blinker at all. Full is basically like a normal driving bridle. I apologise if that doesn't make sense
Mine raced in an open bridle aswell, thats one of the reasons we decided against cant see backs (cheers forgot what they were called). away to google the others now...
Crosshill Pacers
Well-Known Member
Nah (and everyone else), just wanted to show you this video if you haven't already seen it. Talking of speeds pacers go, this is Doonbeg, the little horse that could. He's probably not even 14'3hh this little guy, he came from Canada to Ireland due to an allergy that made it difficult for him to race over there in their slightly different climate to that of wet and windy Britain!
This is him setting a new British record and a new record on a half mile track (I think) (watch his little legs go!):
http://s4c.co.uk/rasus/cgi-bin/rasus.pl?rm=race_watch;tx=106;race=1132;l=e
He now stands at stud in West Wales and we're all looking forward to seeing how his offspring perform.