SNAFFLES - PROBLEM NUMBER 1

STICK OUT YOUR TONGUE…I WANT TO USE A NUTCRACKER ON IT! 

Many of us use whatever bit is in the barn or what ever bit the horse we purchased came with. Most horses are in a snaffle. Like a badge of honor we say, “He is so easy to ride he goes in a snaffle.” But what is the truth about a snaffle?

Let me ask you one a basic question:

Would you rather me put a pencil in your mouth or a nutcracker?

A Snaffle works exactly like a nutcracker on a horses tongue. Every time the rider take up the reins, adjust their length, turn or make a transition they unintentionally nutcracker their horses tongue. Over and over again as riders make 1000 adjustments during every ride a horses tongue gets pinched. Plus a snaffle will never work evenly in a horses mouth. The joint will always twist more freely to one side thus helping to create that truly one sided horse. Or the horse that can only switch leads to one side. 

Now answer these questions:

1. Which one would you evade?
2. Which one would you lean in to and come round in the bridle?
3. Which one would you preform great transitions in and not throw your head?
4. Which one would you turn easily with?
5. Which one would you halt with and not pull against?
6. Which one would make you happy?

Now try these next questions:

Does your horse “evade” the bit by:

1. Putting his head up high?
2. Kissing his chest?
3. Sticking his nose down and out?
4. Opening his mouth
5. Sticking out his tongue?
6. Twisting his head to the side?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, your horse is trying to tell you something.

He is telling you he is in pain when his head is in the correct position (on the bit) and is trying to find a comfortable place to move his head in order to evade/avoid that specific discomfort. Just like if you were wearing a backpack the stuck into your back while hiking. You too would adjust your body away from the pain in order to continue to hike.

Can you pay attention and learn something new when you are in pain?

Just imagine how much more effective your training would be if your horse spent more time paying attention to you than his own discomfort. In order to properly train you horse he must be as focused as possible during the teaching portion of your ride. He then must be able to continue to focus during the repetition portion of your ride.  In order to get results that are not temporary, of triggered continually by the rider your horse must be paying attention.

I’m sure my horse is trained to be soft and round in the bridle, or is he?

Many horses are able to come round and accept the bit when a rider takes up the reins. The question becomes whether the horse is actually trained to be round in the bridle or is he triggering being round by a flick or wiggle of the reins? The deeper question becomes, is he supporting himself there through his entire body and remaining in the bridle for more than three strides. Experienced riders can “round up” almost any horse at any training level. Trained to massage, squeeze, vibrate, tension/release the reins trainers have manages to make any horse appear broken to the bit and bridle. The trouble begins when a less experienced rider mounts the same horse. Without the same aid as the trainer and surely lacking the balance and experience that the trainer has, the riders cannot replicate the same level of performance from the horse. Another point at which the false frame becomes evident is when your training level becomes so advanced that the horse must self-support. In order to not destroy his body, especially his back and hocks, a higher level horse must be correctly balanced through out his entire frame in order to support the demands of their performance. In other words, if your horse is hollowing his back and not using his hind end properly because he is evading mouth pain, you may be causing lameness through his neck, back and hocks; the leading reason for back issues in a painful bit.

So what can you do?

1. Remove the snaffle from your horse’s mouth.
2. Try ANYTHING - look in your extensive bit collection for one that is NOT broken in the middle.
3. I mean Anything…even a kimberwick. Which by the way causes much less mouth pain than a snaffle.
4. Go for a ride and NO fiddling, massaging…
5. Is your horse really broken to the bridle when you take up contact?

1.     

Next Blog I will address what to do if he is not broken to the bridle.

Be sure to look for our next Blogs in our Bitting and Training Series Where you can learn about:

1.              The three keys to horse training.

2.              How bits function in a horse’s mouth.

3.              The differences between bits.

4.              And I will guide you on choosing a bit that will help you train your horse.

We are responsible for the well being of the horses in our care. If we expect 100% effort from them while we ride, we owe it to our horse to be sure they are as healthy and comfortable as possible.

You may contact me with questions about bitting and your horses training at:

mdsaddle@gmail.com