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How to fit & use an S-hack properly?

3K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  greentree 
#1 ·
Hi,
Hey experienced & successful S-hack users: I've been using an s-hack on my mare exclusively for about a year, and switched on & off between s-hack & snaffle for the two years prior- I started her in a snaffle.
I do exclusively outdoor riding, country roads, and very rough trail riding, typically ride 7 miles or more on each ride. Currently training this mare to bee an endurance competitor. I ride barefoot, and mostly bitless, use both treed and treeless saddles. I am a barefoot trimmer, have completed the Michigan shore to shore trail barefoot on another horse (250 miles in 10 days),
My question is : are there any limitations to control when using an s-hack? Specifically, my mare lately has been doing some obstinate head tossing when I want to ride her out away from her paddocks, and she does it when she seemingly wants to refuse to go forward , away from home.
It doesn't seem to be a pain or saddle fit issue, as she is perfectly happy if she is headed back home. It seems more of an obstinance issue, in which I need to be more firm with her, and/or make it more work for her to do what I don't want her to do, and less work for her when she complies with my directions. Problem is, I become afraid that she's going to escalate her behavior into something dangerous when she starts the refusals and the head tossing, and I've been getting onto the ground and walking with her, in the direction I want to go. Today she was so extremely uncooperative that I went back , got the other horse to ride, and ponied the obstinate mare out on the trails.
Wondering if the s-hack is a suitable device to use when correcting this problem of head tossing and unwillingness to turn right or left, when going away from home? Or perhaps do I just need to crank the s-hack more, and wait it out? Thinking of getting on the ground and making her trot in circles whenever she does this .
Also thinking the problem may have started with her recent experiences with my new riding companion, who several times has completely lost control of the mare, letting the mare go back towards home, over forbidden terrain, etc. I was riding with he on my other horse and I encourage her to work it out, when she can't or doesn't we switch horses and I make the mare behave properly. I don't want my nice horse to get into bad habits!
 
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#2 ·
What type of noseband does the one you are using have? I think that can make a big difference in how strong your cues come across.

All 4 of our horses go exclusively in s-hacks. The 3 older horses use padded nosebands and the greener guy has a thick rubber noseband (it's the weight and feel of those thick rubber bungie cords you see on work trucks). One of the older geldings can get quite up at the start of a ride and do some head tossing. I react the same way I would if the horse was bitted - close my leg and ask him to come forward into the hack and flex at the poll and behave himself. I will direct rein when needed (esp on the greenie), though do not ride with contact in general.

How well does your mare respond to the hack ordinarily? Does she turn willingly with only a light cue? It sounds to me like your mare simply wants her own way, which is to not go out. Assuming nothing has changed that would be causing her pain, she just needs to be reminded who is the one making the decisions. How you go about that specifically depends on your comfort level. Could be she just needs a well-timed smack with a crop when she ignores your leg and that will be the end of it.
 
#3 ·
I'd also want to know if your horse has normally turned easily and lightly in the S-hack.

Sometimes an S-hack is too strong/has too much leverage so it works just fine when a horse doesn't need any correcting or goes on a loose rein, but when the horse needs contact it is too much. The turning cues are also less clear in a leverage-type head gear than with a direct-rein type head gear.

I find an S-hack is most appropriate for a horse that neck reins well and can go on a loose rein.
If your horse does not turn easily in an S-hack when acting up, and you prefer a bitless option, you could try a hackamore sidepiece with less leverage (flower hackamore, etc), or a sidepull. The shorter the shanks get, the more clearly you can use a direct reining cue and the less leverage and pressure you will apply.

With head tossing and not wanting to go out, I'd suspect one of two things:
Either something changed in the herd and your horse has bonded to another horse in a different way, and now has separation anxiety about leaving...which would require some schooling to teach the horse to be comfortable going out again. Ponying is one good solution.

Or there is a pain issue that you are not aware of. Horses with pain issues will often only show resistance to going out, because they know getting home will make them comfortable again. How rough is your footing you ride barefoot on?
I thought my mares were "gravel crunchers," which they are in the short term. But even though I could see no bruising or hoof issues, when I was training for endurance on gravel roads both of them became reluctant to go out when I took them out regularly barefoot. Once distances were more than a mile or two of rough ground, this issue came up. Wild animals in our area cross roads and go down them for short distances, but they do not willingly travel only on rocky roads. I began using boots for longer distances, and both mares immediately became willing to go out again. I can only conclude their hooves became sore from too much hard ground.
 
#4 ·
Thank you for the tips!

yes, thank you .
She normally responds very well to all cues, including turning, with use of the s-hack.
The s-hack has the same noseband it came with, which is some sort of synthetic thick rope, it looks like a piece of lariat. It has caused no apparent chafing.
Could be her feet are sensitive on the road, I will ride her on the softer side of the road, and see if there is a difference.
She started this behavior about two weeks ago. Probably this started when a new to her and less confident rider was on her and let her "get away" with some of this stuff. I was riding my other horse and watching.She only acts like this for two situations:
1) first heading out, during the first 15 to 20 minutes.
And-
2)- entering a new environment, where she is afraid. Such as when we rode up the road to an event- the hundreds of people, tractors, lots of cars , unfamiliar building and noises, the horse was excited and scared. I got off and walked with her until we were far enough away, and she was again calm and compliant. Then rode calmly about 3 & 1/2 miles home.
Last time we rode, I added a neck rope rein to her rope halter, in addition to the s-hack and reins. When she pulled the refusals to turn on cue and the head tossing, we worked through it, and went on to an excellent ride. There were no fear or excitement issues going on on that ride- only her obstinance. The rope halter seemed to apply more effective pressure than the s-hack alone.
Problem on the way to being solved!
 
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