Thanks for breaking this down. The biggest takeaway for me was that it's not always pain you're running into, but over communication. Having light hands isn't just about being humane but it's about being a good teacher. And realizing that our horses feel every little movement and we need to be responsible for what we are saying to them. Thank you so much for your tips.
"It's not the bit in the horses mouth; it's the hand manipulating the bit." F. L. deRuffieu And, it's the mind manipulating the hand. Thanks, Dewayne! 👍🏻
Thank you! I too have had horses that were bothered so much by the feel of a bit in their mouth that they could never listen to me, regardless of how light or gentle or quiet I was. So I always put them in a basal as well.
I really appreciate my thoughts brought into words. I only have experience with one old mule as my own and he was a golden animal of patience and will. He taught me how to ride. I've always been friend of animals but Fred taught me how to "speak" to them. I really appreciate you and your teachings. You inspire me to find a way to get back on a horse, or at least get in their company.
Thank you very informative and educational once again. I've always used snaffle bits, I rode lots of horses this bit was pretty common. Back in.my day old time cowboys called them mule bits or broken bits. You're a common sense horseman👍! God bless thanks again!!
I have not ridden a horse since I was 15 so that's 50 years ago. I started English and went Western, and both my instructors stressed quiet hands from the first ride. I now realize how lucky I was to have these experiences as a child.
Im just getting into horses and have been trying to learn as much as possible about bits. This video is by far the best I've found so far. Thanks Dewayne!
After 58 years in the saddle I hardly use the bit/reins. Every new horse I have gotten I’ve had to reteach to que from my butt and balance and legs. Some days I use my bosals and some days I use a bit. Depends on the job that day. That’s how I keep myself light and the horses light. Kinda nice cause if I have to get on with just a halter if there’s a need there’s no lack of communication, it’s the same, if my eyes look, my pelvis turns, the horse goes.😊 I love riding.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I do enjoy showing off occasionally by working my horse just with my seat and legs. Non horse people are just amazed. Real horseman know that it just training and communication.
Thank you so much for bringing to light the communication of the hands and the bit! I've been telling my clients the same things that you brought out in your video. My preferred snaffle bit is a D ring snaffle with sweet iron and copper inlays! Over communication, as you pointed out, is a leading cause of poor behavior in the horse. My explanation is slightly different than yours. I remind people that the horse can feel a fly, therefore, anything that the rider does is magnified hundreds of times. Soft smooth movements better communicate to the horse rather than fast harsh movements. The horse will stay calmer if the rider is relaxed in the cues. I hope people take the information that you provide and use it to be better horseman.
Here's my 2 cents. The FIRST skill needed by a rider is to gain their balance in the saddle, so that they are not using their hands on the reins to keep their balance. You will never have a calm horse if you are using your hands on the reins to help keep your balance in the saddle. I agree that the horse can feel every movement in the bridle. They can also feel every movement in the saddle. If you do have the skill of being balanced in the saddle, you can use shifts in your seat to signal the horse to do something. A very simple example. A horse is trying to keep you in the same place, relative to its body. If you lean your weight forward, a horse will pick up speed, to catch up to your movement. If you lean back, they slow down, so as not to get your weight, too far behind. I always use this kind of cue, before picking up on the reins. Much of the time I can get my horses to stop, without ever picking up on their reins. I doubt that in an hour's ride, that I ever put more than a couple of ounces of pressure on the bit. Most of the time, I use the bit to frame their body. That is I "collect" them some by using a few ounces of bit pressure. I let then extend their body, by putting some slack in the reins.
I'm happily surprised at your recommendation. I usually ride in a D-ring snaffle, it's my absolute favorite bit (and people think it's not proper because it's not a curb) but I find horses are more relaxed in a snaffle and respond just fine
Dewayne is 100% accurate. And it needs to be constantly said to the most novice rider to the most seasoned. As an English rider (mostly) with many years of riding on and working with a lot of different horses (different breeds, different ages, different disciplines) who would at best be considered "mid-Intermediate" when I was in better shape, I was blessed in 2019 to start riding my friend's early 20-something Arabian mare. First, let me say that there's a huge difference between riding your average mare and your average gelding in term's of personality. But on top of that, Arabians, friends have said, are a "thinking person's horse." And they are 100% right. I've ridden and worked with about 200-some horses in my life to varying degrees and usually I can tell a lot about a horse in just 10 seconds to a minute of working with them. Arabians, of the few I've worked with, have always kept me on my toes. As for my friend's extremely sweet Arabian mare, which is the only horse that I have ever truly bonded with in my 40-plus years of being around horses, she is most definitely a lady full of her own opinions, and absolutely requires gentle aids, a quiet seat, quiet legs, and absolutely quiet hands. My friend's Arabian mare loves me and will do what I ask most of the time how I ask it, but I know that to get the best out of her that I have to ride her the way she likes to be ridden. And I've learned over the years that this is how it has to be with all horses because we are a team and teammates work together. How this all relates to Dewayne's post is simple. I have restarted taking English riding lessons again relearning all the basics of horseback riding with the extreme emphasis of learning to have the quietest aids possible, especially the quietest hands and legs possible. When it comes to horses, as with many things in life, "LESS IS MORE." I always joke with people about horseback riding that I'm "sitting on 1000 to 1500 pounds of 'I don't have to listen to you.'" So, now, I've made it my life's goal in my 50's to learn to be the softest and gentlest rider I can be because I know my friend's Arabian mare and all the horses I ride will appreciate hearing "less noise" from someone tapping their mouth or their sides with too heavy and frequent an aid. Just about all the horses I know are ridden with a simple snaffle. As for my friend's Arabian, she'll ride in a simple snaffle, but she sure loves having no bit in her mouth and riding with a simple English hackamore. She much more prefers and is a lot happier to have the pressure on her nose than in her mouth.
Very similar to training dogs! They know exactly what's going on ! But do they want to listen to you? Do they trust you? In any animal they have to trust you and like you to respect you! Yahoo
I used Greg Darnell bits exclusively. I'd run into him at a horse fututity and trade in a rusted bit that no horse liked and he would give me a brand new one of a different design. "See if this works better for you" I learned a lot about bits from him and a horses preference for tongue, bar or palate pressure.
A man placed an add in the newspaper back in 1866 ( for $1.00 I'll teach you how to stop your horse from slobbering! And people sent him $1.00 and the man sent a reply to everyone! It read teach your horse how to spit ! LoL
“Use the reins to explain”. In order of operation: seat > legs > hands. That’s the way I’ve been taught and my horse sends me flowers every week I follow through …🕺
Hey Dewayne, been following ya for a few years now. I agree with at least 99.6% of your content. Now that you're in WY, we might bump into each other. I come down to Sheridan once in awhile.
Ok so just my own thoughts and I come with a grateful heart for you and Mamma ❤ I am so concerned about hurting the inside of my young Horse’s Mouth. His jaw and teeth and all that sensitive area . So for most of Bear’s life , he will be bit less and neck reined . ( just the neck rein ). That’s me and my understanding so far . Your explaining the importance of the Hands is wonderful. I was always told that I have gentle, quiet hands . Anyway, my Trainer wants Bear to learn how to use a Bit in case someone else ever has Him . Bear will be able to be ok with it. Saying all this , I am going to ask Her about the Bit you recommended. Can I have a link to how to purchase it ? He turns 3 tomorrow. 🥳p.s. I feel we can do both ways and have a happy Horse . Just my thoughts 💭 Much Love , Laura 💜 Bear
We used to live in a society where criminals were punished now crime especially organized is like a economy that is in dynamic equilibrium with the law
I understand people can make mistakes but when it gets to the way these people behave why should we protect them from the punishment they would have to contend with in a state of nature
