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hack or snaffle dont know which way to turn.

2K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  xilikeggs0 
#1 ·
so for a while i was using a hackimore and she responds amazing but i dont have controll and she can get away from me some time. Know with the bit she fights it alot when im trying to pull her to a stop but i have better controll with her and make her go where i want her to go. so i dont really know what to do. lounge some more???
 
#2 ·
No, lounging won't help. Unless of course you're getting tired of fighting and need to kick up your feet and take a break. Sorry, just can't tell you how many times I've seen people confused "longe" and "lounge".

On a serious note, longing may help if you need to reinforce your word cue "whoa". I'm a little confused though- what do you mean by she gets away from you when ridden in a hack? Specifically. Does she bolt? Does she drop her shoulders or hips? Etc. Then with the bit you say you have better control but can't get her to stop? Sounds like worse control. You may need to get her more accepting of the bit by reinforcing the 'give to the bit' lesson.
 
#3 ·
yah its kinda confusing like with the hack she responds better to the whoas and such but she bobs her head and puts her head down and jerks up ect. but with the bit she doesn't do that and if shes acting up she calms down. but i cant stop her as good with the bit. so there are faults with both
 
#6 · (Edited)
I think you just got to get her sensitivity level up again to it. as soon as she responds into the pressure that you are asking release, that way she knows how to make the pressure go away instead of fighting. Also eliminate any pain issues that could be there. Seems like you need to build a better stopping attitude, you can keep a constant light pull on the rein, and than as she doesn't slow down or stop, progressivly pull more, till she at least slows down in the begining, and eventuially she'll figure out that to get away from that pressure she can (at the begining slow down) and than stop and you'll release it and make it go away. And onetoomany was right, longeing isn't going to do much, unless your bettering your voice commands, and re-enforcing the respect on the ground. I hope that you understood and this helped. you should see a difference after 20 minutes of working with her just at a walk, you have to start slow and work your way up. if that doesn't work try the indirect rein stop where you slide your hand down one rein and pull it towards your weist, and only release that pressure once she stops. Yet again you have to build that sensitivity level up. The slightest try don't be afraid to over emphasize your reward, but when you do it, also mean it. :)
 
#8 ·
If you need to stop her use a one rein stop. Pulling back on both reins will not work, nor is it the best thing to do. A horse can brace against both reins, but when you use one to stop them you disengage his HQ's and that takes all the power away.

Sounds like the horse needs a lot of foundation work. I'd put him in a snaffle and ditch the hack. If he's bobbing his head around like you say he is, he's telling you he doesn't like it (and who can blame him). Bits are not meant for control and should not be used for control. You need to teach him the value of riding on a loose rein.
 
#9 ·
I agree with spirit horse, it was well said, the horse is letting you know though body language that she doesn't like the hack at all. Bits are nice, plane old snaffles are good, they aren't rough. I'm going to try to train my horse to be a barrel racer but without a bit, just with a natural rope halter, I want him to be really responsive.

I was just saying try the two rein stop just to see how she reacts, but if she doesn't react the slightest, than go on to the one rein, one rein is your safest route of action, one rein stop dis engages their hind quarters, that way they can't go anywhere but a circle and as soon as she is stopped spinning around as soon as she halts, just release the pressure and let her stand there! :)
 
#10 ·
^^I ran my appy in barrels years ago in a rope halter hackamore. I was told later by family and friends that people were standing on the outside of the arena saying "She doesn't have a bit in that horse's mouth! How's she gonna stop him??" lol! It was great, after we rounded the last barrel and ran home I'd sit back, relax, and put the tiniest bit of feel on the reins and he would come down to a walk and I would exit on a completely loose rein. Talk about emotional fitness!
 
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