Why

[BeckyFlowers]

In terms of doing things from the left, I once read horses lack the connections between the two hemispheres of their brains that we have- they have connections but they are much smaller. Therefore, they struggle to transfer learning from the left to the right.

In practice this means a horse that has learnt to be mounted and led from the left, has to relearn it from the right. Some of the skills may be there, but not all- it is essentially a new experience for the horse. IMO, this means the trainer should train the horse from the left and the right, but in practice is may mean you are safer doing it from the left, because this is what the horse is used to.

Some horse may transfer learning more easily than others, but in general, you should not assume a horse that can do it from the left can do it from the right.

In which case then why, given we don't carry swords any more, do we still only do certain things from the left and therefore teach the horse that things are only done from the left? It's one of the most ridiculous things that we do with horses in my opinion. Horses have two sides (as do we) so why only use one side? My horse is used to everything being done from either side. I don't know why we are potentially setting them up to fail from a young age by insisting that everything is done on the left!

(Not questioning you directly Wishfilly, just musing about the theory you posted about)

 

[Wishfilly]

In which case then why, given we don't carry swords any more, do we still only do certain things from the left and therefore teach the horse that things are only done from the left? It's one of the most ridiculous things that we do with horses in my opinion. Horses have two sides (as do we) so why only use one side? My horse is used to everything being done from either side. I don't know why we are potentially setting them up to fail from a young age by insisting that everything is done on the left!

(Not questioning you directly Wishfilly, just musing about the theory you posted about)

Personally, I think one should train a horse to be led and mounted from the right as it's much safer on the roads. But you need to be aware it won't translate well from a horse that knows how to be led and mounted from the left in many cases.

But I think a lot of people just follow tradition without truly thinking critically about what they are doing!

 

[DabDab]

I tack up more on the right than the left, because in a backwards facing lorry the right is the side you have easy access to. I don't undo the noseband to take bridle on and off so the only thing I need to get at on the left is the throat lash/latch (it is throat lash obvs, but I'm being inclusive ).

One of my horses doesn't really grow a mane and the other two hang theirs to the left, so I fail on the mane thing too

 

[NLPM]

the only thing I need to get at on the left is the throat lash/latch

... Why do bridles have throat lashes? They're not tight enough to keep the bridle from coming over the head, although they do provide a handy buckle for attaching ID tags. Were they originally fastened much tighter, so they did hold the bridle in place before the negative impact of that was realised?
Two of my mine don't actually have the option of attaching a throat lash to their bridles, and they've never slipped out of place on their faces or come over their heads accidentally.

 

[rabatsa]

On driving bridles the blinkers have a steel plate inside them so they weigh enough to "help" the bridle over the ears. Especially on ponies with small ears and a thick mane.

Originally with horses it was another military thing. When dragging tired horses about it helped keep the bridle on the horse.

 

[twobearsarthur]

OK here's another one - why is the showing outfit such an awful mixture of colours? Blue hat, green or brown jacket, brown gloves and black boots. Who decided that and were they colour blind?

Most showing traditions are based on hunting traditions. I’m probably in the minority who thinks that it looks perfectly coordinated when done correctly because the colours should be muted and therefore not clash. I also like to uphold the traditions and despise with a burning passion new fabrics and innovations when it comes to showing. But that’s just me.

So ladies wear/wore a blue beagler, men black. I don’t know the real reason for this one but I always think it’s because navy is less harsh and more flattering on a lady.

Brown and green tweed was better quality than blue tweed, blue being the “cheap” option so not as desirable.

Brown never black gloves because you would only wear black gloves if you were in mourning and wouldn’t be doing something as frivolous as riding if you were in mourning.

Brown boots would be worn cubbing with ratcatcher so I’m not sure why they aren’t worn more in the show ring apart from they maybe don’t look as smart as a pair of shiny black boots with garter straps.

Folding up your ribbons on your hat is a throwback to only hunt staff having their ribbons loose so you can tell who they are from behind.

Brown tack not black for showing again this was a quality issue as well as black tack historically being used for driving. Black tack was often cheaper leather that had been dyed black to hide its imperfections.

Odd number of plaits down the neck (even inc forelock) is purely aesthetics as an even number can make the neck look like it’s cut in half as your eye is drawn to the centre of the plaits are even.

Most of the left handed stuff comes from the cavalry/carrying a sword.