For some of you, the original prospect of riding without a bridle and only having a halter and one rein, would have seemed like lunacy at best and mission impossible at worst. Knowing what we do now however about how the horse thinks, moves and acts, riding in one rein or a hackamore has become as natural as horsemanship itself. So, if we no longer need a bridle and understand that pulling on two reins never guaranteed us brakes anyway, why go back to a one? Having tasted that sense of freedom, while spoil it?
Some of you may be doubtful that YOU are ready, being so very aware of how much our own riding and independent seat, or lack of it, affects our horse. If you are unsure of just how much your hands affect your horse’s mouth, try this experiment. Take a hold of your Horseman’s String at one end and have a friend hold the other. You should both be holding the string in a firm fist, with the string coming out the bottom of your hand. Put a little tension on the string, then one of you open and close just your little finger. Notice how much the other persons hand is effected when you do this. This hand represents your horse’s mouth and the string is the metal bit!
The answer to the question lies in the metaphor of horsemanship being like learning a language. Level One is the alphabet and basic words. The early stages of Level Two are putting together sentences and now, at this point half way through Level 2, we are beginning to hold a conversation. As we become more fluent and our conversations become more complicated, we need a more sophisticated form of communication. Our horse is asking it of us; hence the bridle.
To continue to use the high phases and exaggerated movements of Level One and Two is simply too crude. It would be like adults communicating with baby talk. Your horse is getting lighter and lighter and more responsive, so you will want to interact with him in a more subtle and refined manner. Not doing so would be insulting to your horse. Because of the refinement that communicating with a bit will give you, everything will seem exaggerated for your horse, which will effectively magnify the good stuff and the not so good. This is the kind of communication we will be looking at in Level Three, so the time to begin preparation is now.
At this point in the programme we go through in detail, the steps and check lists to prepare both you and your horse for a bridle. In the meantime, here are a few things to consider. Horses never forget, but fortunately they are always willing to forgive. For some horses, going back to the bridle will bring back old and unhappy memories. For horses started naturally, this will be their first experience in a bit. It is important to understand the need to be prepared to make this transition. If you are, it will be an easy and natural progression. If you do it too soon, you’ll just drag out any and all bad memories or create a whole new set of issues for your horse. Be savvy about how you approach this and it’ll be a snap.
Make sure that you have been working on that independent seat so you won’t be jagging on your horse’s mouth every time he moves; know that nothing changes in a bridle – no pulling on two reins (one rein for control, two for communication) ; no gathering up the reins and riding with contact unless your are doing contact riding; make sure your horse is mentally and emotionally prepared for the extra claustrophobia he will feel as you take more control. Impulsion is a major factor now, for both of you. Be soft and light and polite; everything is magnified with a bit and bridle so if you are still riding like a cowboy it’s your horse that pays the price. Lastly, make sure you can do all of your ridden contact yields with only the lightest of pressure with the reins, including backwards and sideways. The next article will look at impulsion programmes to help you prepare emotionally.
Read More Road To Horsemanship articles.
- By Meredith Ransley, Quantum Savvy.