|
|
Discussion on Dr. Bristol and bit question
Use the navigation bar above to access articles and more discussions on this topic.
| Author |
Message |
    
Ida
| | Posted on Thursday, May 20, 1999 - 4:15 pm: |   |
Anyone has experiece with Dr. Bristol bit, good or bad? What does it do? (Just curious)
I am still struggling with the correct bit for my horse. In the past I have a full cheek snaffle for him, and he learns to grap it and hold onto my hands. I change him into a loose ring hollow; has developed wonderful frame and using his hind, when he is not hyper I mean. When he feels like going, instead of grapping the bit, now he learns to throw his head up and hollow his back, until I ease up and let him go and run around.
When he is not hyper, he listens to verbal cues on the dime. How can I put some consistencies in stopping/slowing him? |
Chris Mills
| | Posted on Thursday, May 20, 1999 - 5:04 pm: | |
Ida,
A Dr. Bristol has a flat plate in the middle link. If you attach it to your bridle one way, the edge of the plate digs into the horse's tongue some. The other way, it lays flatter on the tongue. The latter way is milder.
It is my experience that as long as a bit is wide enough, not too thick or thin and, if the horse's palate is low, a french link rather than a snaffle, that most other things don't make much difference.
Usually, acceptance of the bit has to do with the rider's use of hands. (Incorrect saddle fit can pinch and cause hollowing of the back, too.)
Physical things to check would also include saddle placement - often people put them too far forward and they pinch the horse's shoulders and inhibit movement.
So, indirectly, I've suggested 1) bit fit check, 2) teeth check, 3) saddle fit, and 4) saddle placement as possible issues.
Now, a lot depends on your horse's age, training, your riding level, desires, is he spooking, getting adequate turnout, what is he fed (which may make him hot), etc.
All that aside, I think there is a clue in what you've written - when he fights your hand by inverting, he rounds when you give to him. That is a good sign.
I would try 1) lunging him for a few minutes before mounting, and slowly acclimating him to long side reins. The work on the lunge should be steady, quiet, encourage him reaching down and coming through behind. The idea is not to wear him out, but just to see where his mind his and allow him to warm up without having a rider disturb his balance. Then 2) I would ride him with very long reins at a walk, around the outside of your arena if possible. Work on relaxation and steady, quiet, forward, walk. Praise him by stroking his neck with your inside hand. Then, 3) after about 5-10 minutes, his back will feel loose and you can ask for a trot (with very long reins) on a 20 m. circle. If he scoots off at a trot, gently bring him back, perhaps with just one rein and walk the circle again. Ask for trot. When he is trotting quietly, you can begin to 4) gather the reins for a light steady contact. Don't worry about head set, frame, etc. Just look for continued relaxation, and a steady, equal contact on the reins. This is the beginning work for bit acceptance.
Also check your hands. Here is a check list to go through all the time. Thumbs up, pressing the reins against your index fingers so they won't slide long. Your ring fingers close and open to give him a rein aid - if he is good, leave your ring fingers curled, but relaxed. Your arms drop straight down to your hips, your elbows bend about 90 degrees and your hands are even in height, contact, etc. The reins should not slip. Your hands should be quiet and steady - you should not need them to maintain your balance at trot or canter. IF you choose a rein length, it may be a little heavy at first - work the horse from seat and legs, changing directions often, smaller to larger circles, etc. to create some lateral bend and supple him.
This sounds like a lot of work because it is. It takes a lot of time for a horse to move well under a rider. So, when he does invert, just gently correct, inside leg to outside hand, make a turn a circle, whatever to focus him and continue if not much as happened.
Over time your horse will learn if he gives to the bit (flexes front to back or longitudinally), he gets his own reward of lightness in hand. Then continue to push him forward (too light is bad - behind the bit) praise. Verbal praise is nice, coupled with a stroke of the inside hand - it is a reward to give some with the inside rein.
He will learn if you are consistent and patient.
Most of us learned about bits the hard way - we bought a bunch and none of them were magic. There is not substitute for time in the saddle and consistent, effective riding.
Cheers! |
Ida
| | Posted on Thursday, May 20, 1999 - 6:00 pm: | |
Thanks Chris. I learned a lot.
I might try him with a slightly thinner snaffle; just a bit more leverage but I doubt it will make a huge difference. What if he totally 'runs through' the bit? like he'll go faster and faster and faster from a walk till everything is a blur, what do I do? Do you think he would think he is winning if I quit stopping him and let him run till he decids he wants to stop (that's basically the only thing I can do right now.) Oh my 'tough guy' trainer said I should pick up more contact to make my half halts more effective, seems to be different from what you are teaching me here. Do you think more contact is ruining him? At the same time he's a bit naughty I must say; so I am really worried that if he has his way too much that's not good.
I got screamed at all the time for 'letting' my horse runs away!
Sorry I have so many more questions! |
Chris M
| | Posted on Thursday, May 20, 1999 - 6:47 pm: | |
Ida,
Now you are telling me more.
It may be that when you go from walk on long reins to trot, he will want to speed up. Just bring him back - one rein may be stronger and you may have to turn him on a circle. Try not to worry, or get tensed up, or lean forward - that will add to his worry. Turn him until he slows back to walk. Then has for a trot again. This may take some repetitions, but after some attempts he may trot a quarter of the circle without rushing. Praise and walk again.
Then you can try this on a circle with the long reins. Walk ten steps, trot ten steps, walk ten steps ... then move it down to 7 and then 5 ... you will have the beginnings of half halts developing. The circle will help keep him focused - the whole arena often looks like the wide open spaces.
Does your teacher ever teach two students at one time? A more experienced horse can act as the leader and your job is to stay 3 horse lengths behind, no more no less. The horse in front acts as a psychological barrier plus a good example.
As far as running through the bit - that is no. I'd try to show him a way to get back to a relaxed state. The trick is to anticipate it before he gets going and stop him. You need the seat, steady hands and beginnings of halts and half halts. Use any circle to slow him down, don't lean forward, just keep turning around the circle.
Try this idea one for size. Given his druthers, your horse would rather be quietly grazing ... horses are creatures of inertia and seldom run for no reason - they run because they are tense, fearful, spooky, over fed, cooped up, you name it. The trick is to find a way to allow your horse not to be afraid of ____ and work together. Guess what, to a horse, people look like predators - both eyes forward, claws that grasp (hands), meat-eaters breath and they jump on the horse's back like a lion! We are pretty scarey to a green fellow.
Consider why your horse is running off and try change the why. One thing to really consider is what he is eating ...
If you remember that the first goal of your riding is rhythm - 4 beak walk, 2 beat trot, 3 beat canter, tempo (consistent repetition of the rhythm each stride) both of which allow for relaxation, this will help. Count to yourself - 1,2,1,2,1,2 at the trot - you'll notice when he starts to speed and can correct it before he gets going!
Over time you add suppleness (longitudinal and lateral), acceptance of bit (flexion), impulsion (horse moves rear with energy, stepping under), straightness through the body (shoulder placement as the shoulders are narrower than the hips) and finally, much later collection. This is the training pyramid dressage folks work on. You can ride right up to the tip one day and spend the next two months working only on rhythm and tempo for relaxation. Not that the bottom of the pyramid is the rhythm and tempo (relaxation) - that is what takes MUCH of the time.
What style of riding do you do? If you are interested in dressage, the USDF has a forum. Many professionals as well as amatuers post there, too. Sometimes there is some crabbiness, but the advice tends to be good. http://www.usdf.org/
For perspective, I'm an aged amatuer with 30+ years with horses. I've made all the mistakes and then some. I like the method of dressage and the though processes of the likes of Mark Rashid (NH style). I read a ton and re-read it. Sometimes, it makes sense to me because that is exactly where I am stuck.
Think about your horse, then try to think like him. Don't just say he is naughty - usually there is a reason that you can work through. Horses don't read the books, but they don't sit up nights thinking of ways to get us. They are reactive creatures, they when working correctly and comfortable are happy, focused and even like their jobs. They like to be comfortable, don't usually mind fair work and develop a good work ethic over time.
I'm not advocating being a creampuff as horses do not like creampuffs, they do like leadership, fairness and consistency. So, you do need to make your points when they are ignored, but also give the horse a moment to understand and respond to your request.
Let us know how it goes. Little bits of progress, with an occasional regression is all any student of the horse can hope for.
Cheers. |
Teresa A
| | Posted on Friday, May 21, 1999 - 7:52 am: | |
Hi Ida,
I really have no advice to add to Chris' excellent suggestions, but I am going to recommend a book:
"Cross-Train your horse" by Jane Savoie. It's breaks down early dressage training step by step and has beutiful pictures to illustrate points. Her techniques will be helpful no matter what equine discipline you subscribe to. I think you'll find it helpful.
Good luck
Teresa |
idaL.
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 1999 - 11:25 am: | |
Hi, Chris, Teresa,
I got ran away really bad on Wednesday but Saturday we had a lesson he was great. There could be a few reasons to this: before the lesson, I rode him continuousely at a steady tempo like Chris suggested, non-stop, at a trot, in a quiet area of the arena for half an hour. Lots of figure 8's, surpentines, circles... he calmed down a lot and started to listen much better. So I am going to do that every time I ride now... and now that I discover his potential in endurance, we might do some endurance racing :-).
Another thing that is different is I have my old trainer back. She was away for a while and I was taking lesson from this macho tough guy trainer. She is training from an Olympic Dressage rider. (Before I didn't have much of the running away problem because it's winter and we worked indoors; now we worked in this huge area outside) She taught me a totally different approach with the bit. She told me I cannot do my half halt stronger and stronger like my previous trainer told me to... that will teach my horse to be dead in the mouth. Instead I should always do small half halts; if he does not listen, do a really strong one so he'll be tuned to listen to the slightest pressure from the bit. And half halts should be applied when you are certain that you are presenting the situation where your horse can respond correctly. So for the whole lesson, we were just doing tiny small jumps and using half of the arena so my horse didn't get hyper after the big jumps or when he sees the open field on the other side and decide to go for a run. This seems to work out pretty well.
So I'll keep on trying...
Ida |
Teresa A
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 1999 - 3:35 pm: | |
Hi Ida,
There's nothing like work to calm a horse. I will use the trot and lots of changes (figure 8's, serpentines, etc.) when my horse is feeling frisky. The point is you know what is working with your horse and so can be prepared and ready. I used to ride a horse that would bolt the moment my thoughts wandered (obviously he was phsycic). Also if you use a similar warm up every time your horse will learn to pace himself and save up for the work later./
In regards to half halts they should be gentle, same as the leg. I believe that it's better to train your horse to be light off the leg and hand rather then always needing 100%. Keep this current trainer
good luck
Tersa |
|
