Sidepull vs Dr. Cook-type bitless

KarinUS

KarinUS

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May 20, 2001
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I own a Dr Cook's for one of my horses and the horse goes well in it. With all the straps it's a bit of a hassle to put on but nothing major.
Per their website I can longe and ground drive in a Dr. Cook's.
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Since I can't find a good longe caveson in Minnie's size I am thinking of other options. All I want to do right now is ground work (long reining, etc.). I do not want to introduce the bit right now.
I saw some really nice sidepulls both in Beta as well as leather that seem pretty stable and have the jowl strap that the better lunge cavesons had.
I am torn between playing it safe and go with what I know - the Dr Cook's bitless (which comes in anything from mini to draft) or try out a custom made sidepull bridle but take a chance that I won't like it as well?
I am not talking about the Western sidepulls with the rope nose. I am either considering a leather sidepull made by Crit Taylor or the Beta sidepulls from Moss Rock Endurance.

Has anybody tried both the sidepulls as well as the Dr Cook's and can give me a comparison between the two?
 
Did you know Dr Cook will make you driving or ground driving reins?

I have a Zilco harness for one of my mini horses.. I hated..mean hated the Zilco driving reins that came with it.

So I asked the Dr Cook folks to make a set of Driving Reins for me. I love them..perfect size and feel!!:D

When I start my mini's driving.. I just use a regular halter for ground driving ..up to pulling tires and logs. When they go prefect in halter,, only then do I bit them.

I also have a Dr Cook driving bridle but no longer have the pony I used it on... I just snapped on the long Driving reins any time I did draft work..ie..ground work or pulling logs. Is really easy to do andit worked fine.;)
 
I have some really nice, really long driving lines (cotton) so I am all set on that. I want them to break if something happens. I definitely don't want them made in Beta or anything.
The only reason I don't want to start in a halter is stability. I'd hate for teh halter to turn and bother her eye. That's why I am looking for a longe caveson or sidepull type of headgear that stays more stable.
 
A Well fitting halter will not pull around and bother their eyes. The halter I used for the mini's can be adjusted so it fits snug. Its not super tight..nor will it move around and bother or hurt their eyes.
Sidepulls can be 100 times worse than a halter..ie rotating near or over their eyes when you pull.

If you already have a Dr Cook you can use that. Just remember..even when using a bit to use lighter hands, as the pull per lb ratio is much higher using long lines.
 
The Dr. Cook and a sidepull have very different actions on the horses face. I think it is worth trying both out to see which she prefers. My mare has a fairly strong preference to the sidepull type action. Plus I could never quite get my head around the function of the outside rein when using the Dr. Cook. I do have one for sale up in NY if you are interested (brown beta). ;)
 
Thanks for the tips! I'll keep it in mind.

Shari,
Maybe we have access to different types of halters and side pulls. The sidepull I am thinking about is this one with a jowl strap and looks much more stable than any halter I could buy here as they generally just have a throatlatch:
BridleCloseup3.jpg


Martini,
that looks very interesting! Minnie is very light and responsive though. Isn't the Dually meant to control stronger horses? Eventhough she is our youngest and biggest, she really is the best one to lead (both with a lead on as well as even with just body cues and no tack).
It is because she is so very good and sensitive that I want to make sure her tack is top notch and up for the job without confusing her or making her uncomfortable.

I've talked to some bitless/treeless folks about this and I think I am more clear about the pros and cons of sidepull vs. Dr. Cook's.
I think I am going with the sidepull for this job. :)
I've long-reined my other horses in the Dr. Cook's and I know I can always go back to that as well (although I'll have to order a bigger size. Minnie doesn't fit into the one I own.)
 
KarinUS said:
Martini,
that looks very interesting! Minnie is very light and responsive though. Isn't the Dually meant to control stronger horses? Eventhough she is our youngest and biggest, she really is the best one to lead (both with a lead on as well as even with just body cues and no tack).
It is because she is so very good and sensitive that I want to make sure her tack is top notch and up for the job without confusing her or making her uncomfortable.
Click to expand...

Yes it can be used for stronger horses and although people may just stick it on to have control of them it really is a training tool. As Martini won't be able to be ridden for a long time I decided to invest in one to do lots of groundwork exercises with her (and incase of any high spirits from being on box rest;) though she's been a little star). I like it because it is very precise and it works on pressure/release. It can only be harsh if it is abused by the person using it. The rope across the nose sits loose unless you put pressure on the leadrope or your horse gets ahead/behind you. You don't have to use the rope across the nose for leading though, as there is a clip underneath so it can be used as a normal halter. But you can clip lunge-lines to both sides and use it for long-reining and for ridden work it works the same as a sidepull :) Although it only comes in three sizes it is really adjustable. You have the strap across the head and top of the nose but also one underneath incase the horse has a small muzzle.
 
Dr. Cook

Adk_Katie said:
The Dr. Cook and a sidepull have very different actions on the horses face. I think it is worth trying both out to see which she prefers. My mare has a fairly strong preference to the sidepull type action. Plus I could never quite get my head around the function of the outside rein when using the Dr. Cook. I do have one for sale up in NY if you are interested (brown beta). ;)
Click to expand...

I just got interested in the Dr. Cook bridle. Do you still have one for sale? Details?
 
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