Posts Tagged ‘old horse’

Advice on Dressage and Horses

Dressage is the fastest growing equestrian activity today. It covers training the rider, training the horse and preparing for dressage competitions. Classical riding and training methods have survived for hundreds of years, largely passed down by word of mouth. These techniques have been proven to do the greatest good for the greatest number of horses. It is all about the gradual, systematic and gymnastic development of the horse. The emphasis is all about training the rider, explaining the basic riding skills, which will enable riders to develop their horse’s talents. Dressage appeals to all riders looking for humane and sympathetic approaches to riding and training their horses.

Dressage horses for sale

Buying a horse is real business. Aside from the initial expenses that you would incur, there are other maintenance costs that are relatively taxing. This is why you must be very decisive when buying a horse, especially dressage horses.

While we may benefit from on-sale items, we still must discern if we would profit in the long run. Before indulging yourself with the least expensive horse at your glance, be sure that you are secured with your choice and that you will have no regret in the end. As we have said, buying a horse, any type of horse for that matter, is a taxing business. You would not want risking your money over an old horse that can’t speed up while on track.

One of the major considerations when selecting an option for al horse is its speed. After all, horses are bought normally with speed in mind, not on the beauty of might or elegance of your steed but on its agility and performance. You are against no subjective rules while on racetrack but your bane is the time. Thus, you must give priority on how fast the horse for sale can go.

You should also put in mind the training a horse for sale has gone. Early discipline is vital with a dressage horse as this is not only a discipline-based event for horses; it also incorporates focus while on track. Earlier during the selection, you should ask for some display of skills.

There are horses that have problematic temperament, regardless if they are oriented to dressage. Even some of the best can present difficult behaviours at times. Common problems include hesitance before the competition, which may manifest during the onset of the game or the ending of the competition itself.

Some horses can be very aggressive which leads to missing the angles that must be hit to be able to perform the cloverleaf pattern perfectly.

Others, on the other hand, could be hard headed with following commands during the dressage level. Thus, common mistakes occur. Still others can be very timid or too deviant during the end of the competition, which could then result to delayed acceleration towards the finish. Put in mind that a slight delay due to the horse’s hesitation while on the arena would mean lesser points on your end. Thus, you must check into the temperament of your prospect horse. Lower price is nice but if this would endanger your performance then it would be better if you go with much priced barrel horse with greater capacities.

Dressage tests:

Another problem commonly encountered with horses is their tendency to become tired of training. It won’t hurt if you would ask bits of information about the horse’s background. This way, you would know how to get around the stuffs that would stress the steed. Say, sudden change of environment would be detrimental for the horse.

As much as possible, if the horse got fixed with a specific atmosphere that has proven to be healthy for him, make it a point that this same environment can be partly adopted. In such case, you would need ample assistance from the previous owner of the horse.

Lastly, but certainly not among the least consideration is the justification of the price. Too low price, considering that the horse is for sale might imply lesser efficiency on the horse’s part. High commanding price may also be too advantageous. Either way, you must discern things properly.

Author: Sonia Dixon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Make PCB Assembly

Owning an old horse can be at time upsetting when you see your old companion fading away. However, nowadays, horses can live happily until a very old age, some well after the age of 30. Hopefully this article will help you and your old mate find the right care.

According to NRC and veterinary bodies, a horse is considered geriatric at the age of 20. In general, a horse is considered a senior horse from 15-16 years of age. In fact, many horse feed manufacturers provide specifically designed feed stuff for horses 16 and over. Whether it is true or not is debatable. Some horses seem to age earlier, others later. The horse will age differently depending on the lifestyle it had therefore it would be wrong to label all 16 year-old horses as old. However, from 20 onwards, a horse is definitely labelled geriatric as its body and organs have started deteriorating significantly.

As a guideline, when the horse reaches 15 or 16, one should pay extra attention to its condition to ensure it stays healthy and its weight stays consistent. From the age of 20, a body condition of 2-3 (Australian body condition scoring 0-5) should be maintained.

Most common problems encountered with senior horses

Feeding the old horse might become a challenge as various factors play an important role in feed absorption.

Teeth
The most common issue is related to teeth. As the horse ages, its teeth will wear off, some might fall off, some might become decayed and chewing of feed will be impaired causing improper absorption of feed and nutrients.

The usual signs for bad teeth are:

• Slow to chew, inability to masticate properly
• Feed falls off the horse’s mouth – the horse seems to be messy at feed time and kind of dribbling
• Whole food found in droppings such as grains and long stems
• Bad breath due to rotten teeth
• Thick nasal discharge, usually on one side, may appear if a decayed tooth has been left untreated and has become infected
• Tendency to choke
• More prone to colics. According to an Auburn University study conducted in the mid 90s, impaction colics have a ratio of 88% in older horses in comparison to 29% in younger horses. Out of the 104 horses above 17 years of age, one of the main reasons was dental diseases (as well as poor grazing and tumours).

  During the same era, another study was conducted in Texas (USA) over a period of 12 months to identify dietary and management factors associated with colic in horses. The results identified that horses aged 10 years and over who are stabled and still get regular exercise are at higher risks than those pastured at all times. Among other factors are recent changes in diet, in type of hay, in weather conditions, in housing and worm infestation. Further studies confirmed similar results in 2000/2001, where 364 horses were examined over a period of 12 months in Texas USA. In summary, changes in diet (type of hay, grain or concentrate) as well as feeding more than 2.7kg of grains, feeding round bales of hay, and decreased access to pasture contribute to high risk of colic.

Worms
As seen above, worm infestation is a primary issue. This also applies to all horses, young and old. If the horse is ridden with parasites, its feed absorption will be lessen. One should follow a worming regime of 6 to 8 weeks.

A horse infested with parasites is more at risk to have colics and difficulties in putting on weight. If the horse has received a consistent worming programme all its life, it is less likely to have colics and more likely to have a long and healthy life.

Poor digestion
As the horse ages, its digestive system seem to become less effective at breaking down food as the horse may have reduced salivation and oesophagus functions. Although calcium absorption does not seem to be drastically affected, fibre and phosphorus digestion reduces with age. The later being even more pronounced in horses with tumours.

When the horse is depleted of important nutrients, its immune system ability to fight illnesses will also be decreased, exposing it to high risks of not only becoming ill, but also not being able to recover easily.

The horse is then prone to lose body condition and weight.

Arthritis
Arthritic conditions are painful and may restrict the horse in walking and grazing.

Other illnesses
Horses who developed pituitary and thyroid tumours may have reduced insulin response and become sugar and starch intolerant. Same applies to founders which is often linked to pituitary tumours.

Horse with renal and liver diseases also require special diet. In case of renal problems, beep pulp and lucerne hay should be avoided due to their high content of calcium. In case of liver and hepatic diseases, high protein and high fat diets should be avoided.

How to care for the senior horse

It is important that the old horse be comfortable and enjoy its retirement.

Its teeth should be checked every 6 months and full vet check-up should be done every 6 to 12 months. A full blood test is not expensive and will help you understand how to care for your old companion. It will show many abnormalities and your veterinarian will be able to help you find appropriate treatment.

In case of arthritis, apart from medication to make the horse more comfortable, many natural therapies may help as well. Acupuncture, homeopathy, shiatsu, acupressure, aromatherapy and clay therapy are some. The herb Devil’s Claw can work as a natural anti-inflammatory instead of giving phenybutazone (Bute) but should not be given if stomach ulcers are present, in case of diabetes and cardiac disorders. French green clay applied as a poultice to sore area may provide great relief.

Old horses quite often get bullied by the youngsters at feed time. One should ensure that the senior horse is able to eat in peace and all its meals.

For better digestion, feed small quantities 2 or even 3 times a day.

A good shelter is essential to the old horse as it is more sensitive to weather changes.

In cool weather, if the horse accepts it, a rug will keep him warm and will help save his energy.

Always provide clean fresh water at all time.

Vitamin C may help the horse’s immune system. Vitamin C can be found naturally in Rosehip. 1 to 2 tablespoons a day in the feed.

Vitamin B group in the form of Brewer’s Yeast might be beneficial, especially in cases of renal and hepatic diseases. It will help with digestion as well. Up to 100 g/day.

Sweet feed should be avoided, especially in founders and sugar intolerant horses. This includes molasses, honey and sweeten feed mixes.

If there is no liver dysfunction, the addition of vegetable oil may help keep its body condition. Up to 2 cups a day, introduced slowly over a 3 week-period. Virgin coconut oil is a rich source of lauric acid, the source of disease fighting fatty acid derivative monolaurin. Cold pressed Canola oil is also an excellent oil for horses. It contains around 10% omega 3 fatty acids, 20% omega 6 fatty acids and omega 9 fatty acids. Omega-3 and 6 are essential to the normal functioning of all tissues and for vision, heart, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. These two fatty acids need to be balanced and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 should be about 2:1, which is provided by cold-pressed Canola oil. Coconut oil can be given in smaller quantity than Canola such as 25-100ml. Canola can complement to reach 2 cups of oil a day. When providing fat and high protein diets to a horse, one must monitor the horse’s dropping to see if their consistency stays normal. If the droppings become too lose like “cow pat”, reduce the oil and/or the protein content. Too much protein can be seen in urine as it becomes thick, smelly and difficult to pass.

Avoid starch food for better digestion, especially if the horse has a tendency to tie-up or founders.

Because the digestion is not optimal at this age, avoid feeding grains. Extruded grains are much safer and have shown good results with geriatric horses. Feed manufacturers provide extruded/micronized grains as well as especially designed feed stuff for senior horses.

Herbs that may help with gut ulceration are Marshmallow, Meadowsweet, Liquorice and Slippery Elm Bark. A handful each of Marshmallow and Meadowsweet once a day may help with gut ulceration, inflammation and irritation. Liquorice has to be used with caution as it is a laxative and should not be used if the horse is scouring or have loose manure. It should not be used long term either and only 1 teaspoon a day for up to 3 months. Slippery Elm Bark is good for scouring at a dose of 1 to 2 tablespoons a day.

You may provide good quality protein (12-16%, 8-10% if renal diseases are present) in the form of full fat soy meal or stabilized copra meal. Copra meal like CoolStance provide 20% crude protein whilst a full fat soy meal like Soygize (HyFeed) contains 39% protein, so only a small quantity might be needed. If no liver and renal diseases, good lucerne chaff may be added in small quantity for protein.

Because the horse might have poor teeth, provide its meals as a soft mash for easier chewing as well as good quality chaff. Hay might be too hard to chew or the horse might choke on it, so the hay might need to be dampen to soften it, or chopped like chaff. It is good practice to dampen hay so it is not dusty. To do so, John Kohnke recommends to put the hay in an hessian bag and let it soak in water for up to 1 hour. Remove the bag and let it hang to drain water.

Always provide hay at ground level. If hay is in hay nets that are suspended too high, there is higher risk of choke. A horse, by nature, grazes with its head down and its digestive system is adapted to this practice. Having to eat with its head up goes against its physiology and causes problems.

As we are on the chapter of dust, rations should always be dampen to eliminate dust. Dust is very damaging to a horse’s lungs. Stabled horses should also have a dust free environment.

And of course, always seek veterinary advice, even if it seems to be nothing! Better be sure than sorry

You can find more information on feeding your horse at http://www.australiannaturalhealing.com

References:

Siciliano PD. “Nutrition and feeding of the geriatric horse“, The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice, 2002, p491-508

Cohen ND, Gibbs PG, Woods AM. “Dietary and other management factors associated with colic in horses“, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1999, p53-60

Dr J. Kohnke, Dr. Frank Kelleher, Dr. Penny Trevor-Jones. “Feeding horses in Australia, a guide for horse owners and managers”, RIRDC Publication No. 99/49, 1999

D. G. Pugh, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACT, Diplomate ACVN. “Feeding the Geriatric Horse“, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 2002

Dr John Konhke. “Feeding the senior horse”, Fact Sheet

Pete G. Gibbs, G. D. Potter, W.L. Scrutchfield, M.T. Martin. “Mature, Senior & Geriatric Horses: Their Management, Care and Use“, Texas Cooperative Extension, The Texas A&M University System, 2005

Victoria Ferguson “The Practical Horse Herbal”, Horses For Courses, 2002

Catherine Bird “A Healthy Horse The Natural Way”, The Lyons Press, 2005

Author: Cass Martinez
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Beading Necklace

So, your little girl has been taking riding lessons for a year now and
(surprise) she wants her own pony. Heres how to begin.

First, talk to your childs trainer. He or she may have an experienced
lesson horse they would be willing to lease to you. Thats a good way to
get your feet wet before you commit to the full-time obligation of caring
for your own pony. Leasing arrangements vary, but usually you pay a
monthly fee for riding privileges any time you want, as if it were your
pony. You can ride, train and show the pony. You may also have to pay
for farrier services (usually a hoof trim and/or reset shoes every six
weeks), periodic de-worming and veterinary services.

If you cant find a suitable leasing arrangement and are still interested in
owning a pony, here are some tips and things to consider along the
way.

1. What age do you want your pony or horse? An ideal age for a
beginner rider horse is 10. You can go a little younger, if you want, but a
well-trained 10-year-old horse has already experienced a lot of life. He
probably wont be as frisky as a younger horse and will be less likely to
spook or act unpredictably. You are looking for a “bomb-proof” horse,
especially for your childs first mount. Ten years old is great, as well,
because as your child grows, the horse will have many healthy years
ahead of him for riding and showing.

2. What gender should your pony be? Common experience tells us that
geldings are the best beginner mount, however, some mares can be
excellent babysitters as well. The main drawback to a mare is that some
get moody during their monthly cycles, and can even nip or kick. The
other consideration is if you are ever going to have additional horses
and plan to turn them out in a pasture together, its better not to have
one mare and several geldings. Even though they are gelded, the males
will still want to fight over the mare. You can avoid that headache by
sticking with geldings. However, if you plan to always keep your horse in
a stall in a stable with individual turnout, a mare can work out fine. Of
course, a first-time owner should never buy a stallion.

3. Do you want a horse or pony? A small horse may be a better option
than a pony for several reasons. First, your little one is going to grow up
and may be faced in the future with having to sell her beloved pony
because she’s outgrown him or her.

Second, horses are a little easier to care for. Ponies are famous for
foundering, a condition that occurs especially when a pony overeats rich
grass. The safest bet for a pony is to never let him eat grass. Feed hay, a
little grain and turn him out on dirt. Horses can founder as well, but not
as easily as ponies.

If you have a pasture-only boarding situation, opt for a horse, not a pony.
Some stables, however, have many ponies they turn out together on dirt.
If your barn is set up to care properly for a pony, go ahead, if not, stick
with a horse.

3. Look in the newspaper, on the internet, ask around at horse shows or
call other trainers. Many trainers will help you find the perfect horse for a
finders fee. It can be more expensive, but well worth it in the long run to
have professional assistance. Taking along a trainer to look at a horse
with you can give you confidence as well as an expert set of eyes and
ears in the situation.

4. Once you have a prospect located, find out as much as you can about
the horse or pony. What is its training or background? Has it showed
and where? Does it have any bad habits or fears? Is it friendly toward
other horses? Does it load in a trailer and can I do it myself? Does it or
has it ever had any health problems? Why are you selling now?

5. Get a veterinarian check before you buy. This can cost up to $200, if it
includes x-rays, but it can be well worth the expense and trouble.
Coming home with a horse that immediately is lame can be a big
disappointment. Consider the possibility, too, that the current owner may
be giving the horse bute (horse aspirin) to hide lameness when you are
looking at the horse.

6. Check out the horse unannounced. Show up at the horses stables or
pasture when you are not expected. Ask to take the horse for a ride or to
trot him on the lead rope to check for problems. Unfortunately, some
people drug their horses to make them appear more calm than they
really are. Arriving unannounced helps you see the pony as he really is.

7. Get ready for expenses. Make sure you understand and budget for all
the expenses associated with owning a horse or pony. There are
monthly boarding bills, which include food and care. You may also want
to supplement your horse or pony with a hoof, coat or joint supplement.
Your horse needs its hooves trimmed or shoes reset every six weeks.
You also need an annual check from the veterinarian, which at least will
include shots, teeth floating and a coggins test. Many owners give their
horses twice yearly shots, as well as de-worming at least four times a
year.

Of course, now there are expenses for saddles, blankets, bridles, bits,
riding clothes, lessons, helmets, riding lessons and showing fees. If your
trainer will transport your horse for you, great, if not, add a horse trailer
to the list.

Finding the right horse or pony can be a long adventure. Dont be
tempted to pick one out of the paper and surprise your child with it at a
birthday party. Considering the investment on your part, you want your
child to fall in love with this animal, so his or her opinion needs to count
as well. Finding the right equine companion for your child can begin a
relationship that will last for years.

Author: Diane Samson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News

Feeding the boarded horse is slightly different than feeding the horse that lives on pasture. The boarded horse may spend more amount of time in a stall and therefore requires a different feeding regime. The boarded horse does not usually have an ample supply of roughage and it is your job to provide him with as much as he needs. The boarded horse may also eat grain but not always have a place to release any energy acquired from it. This makes it important that you feed him only what he requires and not what he desires.

The horse’s exercise regimen should be considered when developing a feeding strategy. Age, gender and size all play key roles in deciding how much the horse should be fed. A four or five year old horse that is ridden for an hour a day will do well if he is kept on a maintenance diet. He is not working extremely hard and would be considered lightly worked. It does not matter if the horse is a gelding, mare or stallion. The horse should receive approximately one percent of his weight in hay per day and will work well on a ten percent protein feed ration. If the horse is a pregnant mare, however, her feed intake will need to be increased throughout the year so that she will have enough energy to sustain her pregnancy. She may also need to be fed a higher protein ration later in her pregnancy.

Horses that are used for a sport such as jumping, roping or cutting will have different feed requirements from the lightly worked horse. The horse will need about one percent of his body weight in hay, however, he should be fed a higher protein ration. He may also require a larger amount of feed depending on how well he gains weight and keeps his weight. A general rule of thumb is that if the horse requires more energy then you should gradually increase the amount of feed he intakes. High performance horses will also do well on fat-added diets as their bodies will use the excess fat in performance situations and it will help sustain their glucose levels. This holds true for heavily worked cutting horses, roping horses, racehorses and cross-country eventers. These horses are doing an extreme amount of physical work.

The nutrition requirements for feeding horses is generally that a mature adult horse requires eight percent protein for daily maintenance. If the horse is on a very good grass hay or alfalfa hay, he will not need supplementation from grain. This horse is lightly worked and more of a weekend rider. Younger horses require ten to twelve percent daily protein depending whether or not they are being rapidly grown or not. A horse that is being rapidly grown must receive a constant supply of energy. Switching a rapidly growing horse to a diet for a horse that is not being rapidly grown will result in devastating health effects. Owners can buy a well balanced sweet feed from the feed store with a good alfalfa hay and will meet their horse’s feed requirements. If the horse begins losing weight, gradualy increase his feed until he appears to be gaining weight again.

A classic feed ration for horses is oats and grass hay. As this is hard to mess up and your horse should not founder on this feeding regime, it is actually not the healthiest regime for a horse. There is a calcium to phosphate ration figured into all feed rations. This ration should be 2:1. The ratio in oats and grass hay actually has an upside down ratio of 1:2. While this may not cause noticeable effects in a horse now, it my cause him to lose calcium as he ages due to the phosphate tying up the calcium in the bones. This may cause the horse to be more susceptible to broken bones. Another common scenario found is people who feed their horse a mix of both oats and sweet feed. There is a common misconception that sweet feed causes horses to be hyper, when in actuality the horse should have his grain ration cut back or removed completely. Many people believe that the molasses in the sweet feed is what causes horses to be hyper and will “cut” the feed with oats. This actually hurts the horse more than it helps as the feed is balanced on it’s own but when you add the oats then the balance of the feed is changed. It is best to pick one type of feed and stick to it rather than change it. If you must change the type of feed, then you should do it gradually as not to disturb the microbacterial population that resides in the hind gut of the horse. Many racehorse trainers and show horse trainers choose oats because they can find them anywhere they travel. They supplement the oats with a well-balanced hay and insure that their calcium to phosphate ratio is okay.

The boarded horse may require a hay bag or interval feedings of hay depending on the quality of the hay. It is best if the horse is able to munch on grass hay all day and receive alfalfa with his grain. This will keep is digestive system working properly as if he were grazing in the pasture. This is not always capable of happening and splitting the hay ration in half and feeding it to him twice a day will suffice. Some farms offer multiple feedings per day. If you find a facility that offers this, this great for your horse’s health. Horses have small stomachs and benefit from receiving five or six small meals a day versus two large meals per day. This immitates their natural grazing behavior and allows their digestive system to work properly. Multiple small meals per day also eliminates many of the causes of colic as well. The system is not being shocked by large amounts of carbohydrates and sugars all at once.

While making the decision what and how to feed your horse there are a couple of thoughts to consider. First, look at how much work your horse is doing now and how much work your horse will do in the future. Secondly, look at what he is being fed by his current owner. The owner or breeder should have the horse on a good diet, however, you may decide that the diet needs tweaking. You should also look at the horse’s body condition and decide whether or not he needs to gain or lose weight. The individual needs of the horse must be assessed before committing to a feeding regimen and even then he may require some adjustments along the way. If you do feel that your horse should receive extra grain for extra hard work on a particular day, it is best to feed it as another meal and not include it in his nightly ration. This will help him digest properly without causing him to overeat at one meal. As a rule of thumb, you can expect an average horse to stay in shape on one pound of concentrate and and one and a half pounds of hay for every hundred pounds that he weighs. This may and most likely will need to be adjusted as your horse ages or begins to receive more exercise.

Author: Ron Petracek
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Credit card currency-exchange fees

As a horse trainer, one of the most frequent questions I get asked is about bits and bitting. It seems there is a lot of confusion about when to use a certain type of bit and when not to.

People also want to know what type of bit they should use during a horse’s particular stage of training.

In this report, I want to clarify some of the misconceptions about bits and how to use them.

Let’s start with snaffle bits.

Most colts should be started in a snaffle bit. And, many older horses that need fixing should also be schooled in a snaffle bit.

To my way of thinking, a horse should be ridden in the mildest bit that he will respond to for the job that he is intended to do.

Here is the reason why:

Most horses will lose some of their sensitivity as they get older. A two year old colt will have a much more sensitive mouth than a ten year old horse. The more pressure or abrasiveness the horse’s mouth is subjected to, the quicker it will toughen and lose its sensitivity.

That is why I want to use as mild a bit on the horse as I can get away with. I want to preserve the sensitivity of the horse’s mouth as much as I can.

Now, don’t confuse a mouth that is merely “sensitive” with a mouth that is “educated”.

A horse’s mouth can be sensitive but if its not also educated on how to respond to pressure, the sensitivity really doesn’t help much.

Ideally, you want both… an educated mouth that responds and is sensitive to light pressure.

With that idea in mind, a green colt will usually be ridden with an o-ring snaffle that has a smooth 7/16″ mouthpiece. And you stay with that mild bit until the colt doesn’t respond to it well enough anymore.

Here is where a lot of folks get confused. They don’t know what bit to go to next. Should they go to a snaffle bit with more “bite” to it or should they go to a curb bit?

Generally, the horse should stay in some form of o-ring snaffle bit until he is well along in his training. Ideally, the horse should be taught to do everything that you want him to while being ridden in the snaffle bit.

So, if you want your horse to be a reining horse, you should teach him to stop, spin, change leads etc. in the snaffle bit. Once he knows how to work, then you can step him up to a curb bit. Curb bits are for “refining” the training that you have accomplished with the snaffle.

Same goes for a cutting horse. He should be in a snaffle bit while he learns to stop, turn and rate the cow. I believe the snaffle bit is the best tool for teaching a horse how to position himself and use his body correctly.

Any performance horse needs to learn to give his head to the direct rein, move his shoulders off the indirect rein and position his ribcage and hindquarters from leg pressure.

Here is the sequence of the various types of snaffle bits that I use:

I try to do most of the foundation training with an o-ring snaffle with a 7/16″ diameter mouthpiece. I stay with this until the horse is too heavy in it and I can’t get him to respond as lightly as he should.

To get the horse to lighten up and respond, I’ll try schooling him with a snaffle that has a mouthpiece that is smaller in diameter… usually a 3/8″ mouthpiece.

With some really sensitive horses this is all the snaffle I’ll need. But for the majority of horses it won’t be quite enough.

Most horses are going to need a snaffle with a thinner mouthpiece so I’ll go to my absolute favorite snaffle…

My favorite training snaffle has a thin mouthpiece that is 3/16″ in diameter. I call it a “thin, smooth-wire snaffle”.

I love this bit because it gets the desired results but isn’t harsh or abrasive to the horse’s mouth.

I’ll use this bit to lighten a colt up for a few days and then I’ll switch back to the regular snaffle. After a while though, this is the bit I’ll be using to do MOST of the training.

I’ll stay with the smooth-wire snaffle just as long as I can. The horse will be taught the majority of what he needs to know wearing this bit.

However, sometime during the training process, a horse will need to be lightened up even more. Especially the older horses that are being tuned up or re-trained.

So to get the job done, I’ll go to a twisted-wire snaffle. Either the regular or the thin twisted-wire.

These twisted-wire bits have some “bite” to them and will convince even an older, hard mouthed horse to respond and lighten up.

Even though it works well, be aware that a “twisted” mouthpiece is abrasive and can sore a horse’s mouth if it’s used too many days in a row or too harshly.

I recommend riding the horse with it for one or two days to lighten him up and then switch back to the smooth-wire snaffle.

Side note:One of the questions I constantly get asked is why I don’t use a “running martingale” with a snaffle bit to help position the horse’s head.

The answer is simple: The running martingale DOES NOT work well.

If you adjust it short enough to encourage the horse to flex his poll for vertical flexion, it is too short and interferes with lateral flexion. If you adjust it long enough not to inhibit lateral flexion, it is too long to help with vertical flexion.

For 10 years, I trained with a running martingale simply out of habit. I finally asked myself why am I wasting time and money on a piece of equipment that doesn’t work. That was 15 years ago and I haven’t ridden with one since.

If you want to try a piece of equipment that DOES HELP a horse learn to give to your hands, supple-up and flex at the poll… use a German martingale.

It’s the best training aid there is.

Okay, now let’s get back to the bitting process.

Another bit that I sometimes use to lighten a horse up is a “draw” or “gag” bit. On some horses this bit works great. The reason is because it works on different pressure points than a regular snaffle bit.

A regular snaffle bit works by placing pressure on a combination of points. Mainly the horse’s tongue, lips and bars of the mouth.

The gag bit works by placing pressure mainly in the “corners” of the mouth and the horse’s poll. Many horses work well with this bit and it gives you a lot of control without putting a lot of pressure on the horse’s bars.

Again, as soon as the horse lightens up and is responding well, I’ll switch back to a milder bit.

The practice of using a stronger bit to lighten a horse up and then switching back to a milder bit, works really well to preserve the horse’s mouth while keeping him working right.

Read the above sentence again, its key.

Be aware, there are always exceptions to the rule.

Some horses just won’t lighten up the way they should in a snaffle bit. For those horses, you are going to have to go to the “next stage” of the bitting process sooner than you would the average horse.

After the horse has a good idea of what is expected of him and is pretty far along, I’ll start riding the horse in a “transition bit”.

Transition bits are middle-of-the-road bits used to transition the horse from the snaffle to a regular curb bit. Transition bits are the stepping stones between the green horse and the finished horse.

When I feel the horse is ready to leave the o-ring snaffle, the first transition bit I try will usually be a short-shanked curb bit with a snaffle mouthpiece. This is basically a snaffle bit with 5″ to 8″ shanks (cheeks).

The horse is already familiar with the snaffle mouthpiece so the only thing he needs to adjust to is the curb action of the shanks. For most horses this is a very easy transition. Others are really bothered by it.

I’ll ride the horse in this bit until he is totally adapted and working well in it. Then, I’ll move on to the next bit in the transition process.

The next bit in the sequence is my favorite transition bit.

It’s a loose shank bit with what is called a “Billy Allen” mouthpiece. (Billy Allen was a top trainer who invented this mouthpiece many years ago. The design has stood the test of time as one of the best bits ever invented).

What I like about this bit is that it gives the horse the “feel” of being ridden with a curb without scaring the horse.

The reason why is because the Billy Allen mouthpiece moves and is flexible similar to a snaffle.

However, the Billy Allen mouthpiece has a “roller” that is molded over the middle joint. This roller “limits” the movement of the mouthpiece.

The horse gets the feel of a mouthpiece that is almost “solid” like a regular curb bit yet still has some “flex” to it.

This semi-solid mouthpiece gives you a lot of control without scaring or worrying the horse. Most horses love this bit and you can usually leave a horse in it for most of his training.

The extra sensitive horses, I’ll ride with the 7″ shanks but most horses I’ll ride with the 8″ shanks.

This is also the primary bit I use to teach a horse to neck rein.

The loose shanks and flexibility of the mouthpiece allows me to use a direct rein to position the horse’s head before I apply the neck rein. It’s very easy and very effective. (You can see how I do this in my “Teach Your Horse to Neck Rein” video).

You can teach a horse a lot in the Billy Allen. And some horses work so well in it that you can keep them in it for years. However, most horses will eventually need to be moved up into a regular, solid-mouthpiece, curb bit.

For those horses, the next bit I’ll use will be a low-port mouthpiece with 8″ loose shanks (cheeks).

I like using the low port as the horse’s first solid mouthpiece because is relatively mild. The bit pressure is more evenly distributed over the tongue and bars of the horse’s mouth.

Important note: Even though I’m advancing the horse in the bitting process, I still want the curb bit to have “loose” shanks. The loose shanks make it much easier to take a horse’s head to the side and get lateral flexion. After the horse gets farther along in his training, then “solid” shanks can be used with good results.

I’ll ride a horse for a while with this low-port curb bit and see how he responds with it.

From this point on, it’s just a matter of experimenting with different bits to see what the horse responds to best.

Some horse’s can stay in the low port for years and years. Others will need to be moved up to a medium or high port bit. With the higher port, there is less tongue pressure and more bar pressure. The majority of horses will respond well to this.

Keep in mind, all through the training and bitting process, if I run into a problem, I’ll sometimes go back to an o-ring snaffle to iron out the trouble and regain the horse’s confidence. Usually, a few rides in the snaffle fixes the horse up and I can go back to the curb bit.

Also, be aware that some horses just can’t stand prosperity. Ride these horses with a mild bit and they just take advantage of you.

I have a horse like this in training right now. Every time I go back to a milder bit to reward the horse for good performance, he cheats me and won’t work right. So I’m forced to ride him in a stronger bit most of the time.

Now, this particular horse behaving this way disappoints me but I don’t hold it against the horse. I don’t get angry with him for it. It’s just part of horse nature to take the easy way out and slack off.

In reality, most horses will slack off from time to time and not work up to their potential. They will test you by being heavy. Either they refuse to lighten up at all or they will get light for a while and then revert back to being heavy.

And you sure as heck don’t want them to slack off just when you are about to take them to a show.

A day BEFORE the show or maybe even DURING the show, you want to ride the horse with your TUNING bit.

A tuning bit is a bit the horse will REALLY listen to. It’s usually a stronger bit than the horse really needs on a day to day basis. But not so strong that it scares the horse. Yes, I want the horse to have a lot of respect for that tuning bit but I don’t want him so afraid of it that it worries him.

Remember, a horse that is scared or worried won’t work to his full potential. He’ll be tentative and prone to make mistakes due to his nervousness.

You want him attentive and responding well but not afraid.

There are two primary “tuning bits” that I use.

One is for horses that are still in the o-ring snaffle. The other, I use on horses that are in a transition bit or a regular curb bit.

For the horses that are normally being ridden in an o-ring snaffle, I’ll use a curb bit that has a “correction” mouthpiece and very short, curved-back, “Argentine” shanks (loose shanks).

The correction mouthpiece will really get the horse responding well… especially for the stop.

This type of curb bit can easily be used on a snaffle bit horse because the shanks are so short and curved back that there is almost no curb action. The lack of leverage allows you to take the horse’s head laterally without scaring him.

On my horse’s that are normally ridden in a transition bit or curb bit, I’ll use a tuning bit that has a “correction” mouthpiece and 7-inch loose shanks.

This bit has some leverage to it but it’s easy to get lateral flexion because the shanks are loose.

I should also mention, on some of the heavier horses, I’ll use a curb chain with this bit that has more bite to it than the usual one that I use. Usually, a dog-chain curb works well.

I’ll normally ride the horse with a tuning bit for a ride or two (or show him in it) and then go back to whatever bit I normally ride him in.

Well, I hope this information helps you with your horse training. If you would like to see what the different types of bits look like, go to my website or simply click on the links below.

Take care,

Larry Trocha

Larry Trocha Training Stable

Author: Larry Trocha
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Pressure cooker