Re: Why is bad behaviour a sign of good riding?

 i couldnt agree more i absoutley hate it all my horses are ridden in snaffles and no gadgets straps atall a simple bridle and a saddle if your horse is trained correctly you shouldnt need all theses gadgets i think its cruel in my opinion.

Re: Why is bad behaviour a sign of good riding?

 just to get back to what i said earlier - i think it was me who mentioned the whole breastplate thing, i actually didn't mean that they shouldn't be used full stop (Minty is ridden in a breastplate & grackle) what I meant was they should only be used when they are necessary and by people who know what their actual purpose is, NOT when they think it looks good on their horse. 

Re: Why is bad behaviour a sign of good riding?

madzjoker said:

I actually don't have a problem with the use of running martingales and breast plates on any horse. A martingale fitted correctly will not affect the horse in any way, shape or form unless the horse lifts it's head too high - and knowing an elderly man who had his entire bottom lip ripped off when his excitable tb shoved her head up - I see the use of them and view them as a seat belt. Any half competant owner will realise they are there for that purpose and if the horse generally has a problem they'll look into it - but sometimes when they just get excited the head goes up, and I for one would rather have a martingale on when that happens!

the other points I mostly agree with

^^ Very good point and 100% agree. I think it was Tim Stockdale who said 'martingales are like seatbelts, you don't want to have an accident but they're there should you need it'.

Though I don' t think you should put a strong bit on a horse just because it 'may' run off with you.

Re: Why is bad behaviour a sign of good riding?

my mare is very dominant and knows how big she is! when i firt started looking after her she would rear up just being lead out of the field, for no apparent reason. she hadnt been ridden in 2 years, since being backed at 5, and had barely been handled in that time either.

because of over harsh treatment for a few months when she was on loan with someone else (was at another yard, long story, got left at the yard im at, so i took her on), she was either really scared or got over defensive and boistrouse.

yes sometimes she is strong, but she is never nasty.

since july i have rebacked her very slowly, didnt even try to get on her for 6 weeks, just handled her every day. i always took precausions, leading her in a bridle with a lunge line and gloves, but never put a bit in her mouth other than a gentle snaffle. i do ride her with a martingale and neck strap as she tend to put her head up, and on rare occasion when she spooks she tends to rear up, so like to have sumthing to hold on to! because i have been gentle, she respects me for me, not because i have a massive bit in her mouth. if she is bargy i have to be very firm back, but with my body language and voice, not a very strong bit on a whip. when she is good she gets lots of praise, and the occasional treat.

sorry for the waffle, thouught i wd share my story about how more gentle methods and body language work. the other day she was being really bargy as she wanted to rush out to the field and i just put my arms up in the air and firmly said 'back' and she listened and took a few steps back, then said 'stand' she stands, and waits untill i tell her she can walk on, all in a snaffle bit, or sumtimes just a head collar.

some people seem to be pulling the horses neck in possition with loads of gadgeds, so they are in an 'outline' but not actually carrying themselves. then because they are so restricted in the front they dont go forward enoth, so they then use loads of leg, spurs and wips to get them moving forward. if i were then horse i wud deffinatly feel like bucking!

Re: Why is bad behaviour a sign of good riding?

I TOTALLY AGREE  WITH THIS FORUM SUBJECT...............Just because you can sit and bucking rearing bronko does not make you a good rider at all.  Riding is about the relationship between horse and rider not about remaining in the saddle after a naughty episode with a horse.  A good rider will build the relationship and trust between themselves and their horse and will have boundaries which in turn will have a happy well disciplined horse. A GOOD well displined horse = a good rider.