Ep 169: Choosing the Right Tools to Communicate With Your Horse
We all have days when we ask our horses for one response and get something completely different than what we were expecting. Any time you are progressing your horses to new levels or exposing them to new situations, there is an opportunity for your communication methods to be interpreted differently.
If you ask for a response from your horse in the same way you always ask, but in a different scenario, there’s a chance you will receive a different result. Even when all other factors are constant, any time you change the environment in which you are applying these fundamentals, there is still a change that is happening. One small change can be enough to trigger fear, anxiety or a lack of confidence in your horse, giving you a different response than expected.
While I do not believe that changing bits can fix everything, I do believe that making a slight change in the tools you use to communicate with your horse can be an effective way to get from one level to the next or overcome miscues with your horse.
When I am starting colts, one of my favorite tools is the D-ring snaffle bit. In my experience, this bit is a great tool for communicating with your horse because it is very user-friendly and it allows the horse plenty of opportunity to understand and respond to the signals you are sending. In other words, it allows you to establish familiar signals, confidence and feel. When a horse gets to a point where they are ready to transition up from this bit, you can always go back to the D-ring snaffle to create a familiar feel where they are comfortable and relaxed.
The need to transition into more of a shanked bit comes with the progression of a horse’s performance in a particular discipline when a more advanced control of speed and direction is needed. When a horse is ready to transition up from a D-ring snaffle, I usually gravitate towards a short shank snaffle bit or a bit with a slight gag. The reason I gravitate toward these bits is because the mouthpiece is simple and similar to the D-ring snaffle. By changing the shank of the bit, I’m still making a slight change to the signal I’m sending, but with a familiar feel. The main difference is where the bit comes in contact with the horse’s mouth and cheeks. I want the signals I’m sending to have some consistency so that as soon as I achieve a point of contact, I can maintain the slightest amount of pressure needed to affect a positive result.
At the end of the day, the effectiveness of the equipment is dependent upon who is using it. Many people think the secret to better control with your horse is to increase the strength of your bit or the pressure that you apply to the reins. The bit is not a tool to control; it is a tool to communicate. It is a way to clarify the signal you are trying to send. By manipulating the point of contact, you are able to gain better accuracy with your release.
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