Help on S Hackamore or Doctor Cooks

sjp1

sjp1

Well-Known Member
Sep 14, 2009
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I would like some advice please on what you all think would be best for my boy. He is 5 and I have had him since December. His steering was dreadful when I got him and he hated a snaffle. I tried several bits all of which he would fuss with, sticking his head sideways when being ridden etc., then put him in a Myler comfort snaffle as occasionally he gets a bit strong. This I have had the most success with, I have good brakes and steering is also good. HOWEVER, he hates having his bridle put on - clenches his teeth, dashes to the back of the stable etc. He also keeps stretching his head out when we are riding trying to have no contact on his mouth. I am told I have very light hands and I never push him into an outline or anything. I would like to go bitless but am not sure a Dr. Cook's would give me enough brakes but my concern about a hackamore is that we ride over the moors and down through tracks in the woods all the time. He rushes down hills at 100 miles an hour and trips loads. He is improving a bit and I am starting to manage to get him off the forehand a bit and slow him down, but obviously need to keep his head as otherwise we end up on his knees. What do you think?
 
Forgot to mention my concern with hackamore is that if he trips and I am keeping us up don't want to end up hurting his nose/jaw
 
He sounds a bit like my lad. I can ride my lad no problem in a rope hackamore, but not on hacks. He can get very strong and he rushes down hill, he doesn't trip thankfully, but he does pull the reins down and try to get them out of my hands.

I rode my boy in a dr cook, then changed to a happywheel, now we are in an s hackamore and very happy.

I would suggest teaching him to turn from weight aids instead of off the bridle though as in my mind it's better for the horse, and easier with a hackamore bridle as they arn't very precise on steering:)
 
As the tracks we ride aren't terribly wide and he is better off my legs now, I am not so worried about direction, but do you think the hackamore would be OK with his tripping issues, or a the wheel one? I think if I could get him to concentrate a bit more I could get him to stop rushing quite so much and I think that contributes to the tripping. Am also wondering whether because he hates his bit so much he is fighting more? Grr....!
 
He could be rushing as he knows if he gets it done quicker he gets saddle/bridle off?

The s hackamore has very quick reactions and less leverage than an english hackamore because if the design of the shanks.

The happywheel (LG bridle now) is good as you can buckle it anyway you want to give the pressure you need, and if you find you need more pressure they have shanks you can attach, which makes it more like an english hackamore.

There is also the flower hackamore by marylot, although you cannot add shanks to that one.
 
He could be little monkey - down is always unfortunately the way home! Think he is now happy with his saddle as two weeks ago I changed to a Freeform which we love - no bucking - although maybe he has just decided to save it up till I least expect it!

I suppose it is going to be a case of trial and error. Perhaps the LG would be a good idea - I suppose I could always try the knock off Dr Cooks I have which I used on my lovely ex racer who unfortunately had to be put down. If I hacked along the road that would probably be alright and might give me an idea of how responsive he will be.

Why did you change from the LG to the S Hackamore?
 
I changed to the s hackamore as the LG didn't offer quick enough, or enough pressure for me to stop him. I got dragged for 5 miles on on endurance ride behind another horse:rolleyes: Tried an english hackamore on him but he wasn't happy with the shanks (too close to his mouth) so I got him an s hackamore and it's great, got loads of brakes and power steering with my neck reining:D
 
Sorry - I know I am a pain but do you think the S hackamore would be a problem with his tripping - ie. don't want to break his nose whilst keeping him up. I had a hell of a fight holding him on a fun ride (his first) on Sunday when we met up with other horses (typically in the woods going downhill!), so brakes would be brill.
 
I think it depends if you are trying to drag his head up or slip the reins when he trips.

I always slip the reins, or at least push my hands forwards so he they have their head if my horses trip so they can sort themselves out, I don't want to be affecting my horses balance by dragging their heads up, so it doesn't matter what's on their head as I won't affect them.
It sounds like your boy is quite strong, so if you don't ride on a strong contact then an s hackamore might suit you, it might be worth trying the crosspull though just to see if he is happier without a bit :)
 
The other suggestion - based on what worked for me - is to try to use the bridle much less for both brakes and steering. I spent a good while training a nice stop off a neck strap at a time when my horse was very worried and panic-y about going out. It seemed to give him a lot more confidence, once he understood that his head wouldn't be pulled around or restricted in a speed-up situation. If I want to balance him now, I just pick up the neck strap and he steadies himself. It also stops him being so much on the forehand, because he tends to lift his neck and withers :)

This isn't to say that in a real all-out bolt situation I wouldn't consider e.g. a one-rein-stop, just that he is much less worried when all that comes down the reins are gentle cues and guidance :)

It also has the strange side effect of improving my position and security in the saddle. We are now long over our anxious spinny bolty times, but the new style suits both of us much better so I've stuck to it :)]

ETA:
I had a hell of a fight holding him on a fun ride (his first) on Sunday when we met up with other horses (typically in the woods going downhill!), so brakes would be brill.
Click to expand...

One of the big tests - for me - of our new approach was to ride him in a very large (over 20 acres) steep open field with an excited companion. I kept him to a (relatively) calm walk all the way up the hill where we've galloped before, and all the way down the very steep hill, solely using the neck strap to steady him and my legs for steering. He was excited, but not worried, because I was leaving his head alone :)
 
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That sounds interesting - how did you start off - using the bit and the neck strap simultaneously?
 
I ride Arnie in a hackamore. The DrCooks seemed like the answer to my prayers but over time he learned to pull his head down against me. I was constantly having to pull his head up. Not a lot of fun for either of us.

With the hackamore I need far less pressure and he doesnt pull down the way he used to - and he has stopped tripping:D

I have a neckstrap on though and if I need brakes I pull on it:D. It slows him down with no head pressure (and helps me hang on:eek:)

I taught him to respond to it by literally pulling back till he moved back then praising and releasing. He is great with it now:D

I am a bit heavy handed:eek: so its good to know I have an alternative to swinging on his head (although he is that blooming skittery its hard to let go in case he spins:()
 
I think I shall definitely try the neckstrap, and hackamore - we went down steep tracks last night - I think we are slightly getting the hang of a bit slower down hills, I praised him like an idiot and he was delighted with himself.

Which hackamore are you using? I can't slip my reins if he trips - every time I have ridden him on a loose rein and he has tripped we have ended up on his knees. Fortunately he is like Mr Bendy and only 5 and as long as I sit still he gets us up, but no fun. If I hold him and he trips we just trip.:D
 
sorry to hijack with a possibly stupid question... but what do people use as a neckstrap? I want to use one as Im using an english hackamore now but am concerned about it slipping down his neck if he ducks his head
 
I ride with halter and rope on under the bridle (we currently use a Dr Cook style but with the rein clips on the side rings, so on a sidepull function rather than cross-under). I often get off and have a rest on hacks (creaky knees), and it's useful to have a long rope for the horse to graze.

I tie the lead rope in a fancy knot around his neck, and that's my neck strap :) I am aiming for a Mounties look ;)

You can see it in this pic (although the halter is on over rather than under the bridle, and there is more rope dangling than usual - I tacked up in a big hurry, blame Skippy's Mum who was already mounted and raring to go... :D).

P9130354-1.jpg


In terms of training the stop to the neck strap, I did this on the ground first - we do quite a lot of in-hand training. It's one of my aims to be able to ride off the neck strap only, with no bridle. We can do basic stuff but although brakes are good, steering is not yet very accurate and gear changes are random ;)
 
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I'm just using a standard English hackamore - and the neckstrap off a martingale:). It doesnt slip.

If it helps, Arnie is now 6 so I think they grow out of the tripping as they work out where their feet are??:D

Here it all is - on the same outing as Capalldubhs photo - with Kushas daughter on him!

IMG_9246800x600.jpg
 
Thankyou also, I hadnt thought of using a neck strap to aid stopping too :cool:

I started teaching him last night on the way in from the field :)
 
Easy Trek Bitless Bridle

Hi I am new to this bitless bridle thingy but bought an Easy Trek this week and have ridden my girl in it twice and so far she seems brilliant, her transitions are much better and she halts nicely. I have yet to take her out on a longer hack and am concerned if something spooks her but saying that she has never run off with me. I know she is has never been happy in a bit and tends to nose poke when I bring ask for downward transitions but in this bitless she does it nicely. I am getting nervous about hacking further afield. Will let you know.
 
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