Handy Horse Control for the Not-So-Professional Horseback Riders - By: Allan Michael Taylor

One of the basic things that a horseback rider should have is the bridle. This is the handiest control for curbing your horse. Although at first glance, this equipment may seem to be the simplest of all, consisting of untanned cattle skin hides or strong ropes with loops tied around the horse' chin, choosing the right one for your horse is also important. Bridles are attached around the horse head down to its nose to the chin to be able to touch its sensitive spots by mild pressure and control the horse' path or movement. Even for its simple appearance, choosing the right one can spare your from future frustrations in training your horse and also save money from hiring professional horse trainer. If the horse will be having its first bridle, be sure to do the following important tips:

- Be sure to train the horse by applying gentle contact on the sensitive spots on the face. This is to make the horse get used to this kind of action whenever you want them to perform the specific type of action when applying desired stimulus on that sensitive spot.

- If strong pressure is applied to one of the horse's sensitive spots, you ruin the horse's trained response action on the said sensitive spot.

- Make sure that the bridle fits perfectly on your horse. It should be able to touch the spot between the nasal bone end and the start of cartilaginous bone. You might consult a professional horse trainer to obtain second opinion on the kind of bridle you should have for your horse.

- There is a difference between a bitless bridle and the hackamore, although technically the bosal is a type of hackamore. The bitless bridle applies gentle pressure on the top of the head while the hackamore applies it on the nose, face and chin.

There are several types of style for the bitless bridles, of which the widely used is the bosal bridle that is used by gentle and domesticated horses. Other styles are as follows:

- The cross-under designs, which is called "scawbrig" in United Kingdom and "meroth" in Germany that attaches the reins on a strap wrapped around the nose, under the jaw.

- The hybrid style, or commonly known as the mechanical hackamore in which the reins are connected to a shank which are also attached to noseband or curb bit. This shank is the part that applies the pressure to the poll, jaw and nose.

- Riding halter, which is made up of rope that applies pressure on the nose

- The war bridle, which uses tight rope around the poll, nose and jaw. It is commonly used for controlling an uncontrollable animal and is not used for horseback riding. Others view it as a tool for animal brutality.

- The bosal hackamore, which is used for high performance training or for competitive events of junior horses. However, it is not used for more mature horses fitted for track racing and obstacle jumping.

About the Author

Nick Morgan has been involved with horses for most of his life. Visit the online shop where you can purchase a large selection of Horse Equipment. All horse and rider products are shipped to your door by national courier. Excellent service from one of the UK's leading Equestrian Supplies shop.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Allan-Michael-Taylor/45501

Additional Articles From - Home | Games | Sports games