Island Life Magazine Ltd June/July 2012 | Page 112

EQUESTRIAN

Equine trainer
Robert Booth BHSI

Rodgebrook Horses
Tel: [phone]
rodgebrookhorses.co.uk

Training aid or gadget?
In a perfect world we would all train

action when the horse is working properly.

horse to work through their body with a soft

horses naturally with balance and good

However, fitted too tightly they can restrict the

back and are good for building muscle over

horsemanship, but sometimes a little bit of

rein action such as an open or sideways rein

the back. Correct use of side reins is good for

help in the tack department can be useful.

aid so often needed on a green or naughty

helping improve the contact and acceptance

horse.

of the bit.

People’s perception of what is a training aid
or a gadget will vary. To some any noseband

Whether you look at these as training aids

other than a normal cavesson may qualify; to

its head and also encourage it to go to

or gadgets their correct use should be to

others martingales or bits other than a snaffle.

the contact on the rein in a more rounded

teach the horse to go in a balanced and soft

However, to some these are considered

shape. They should not be so tight that they

way. Some need more experience use than

normal tack, and gadgets may start at draw

come into action when the horse is working

others and need to be introduced to the horse

reins, bungies, and various other systems for

correctly and should not be used to hold the

carefully. Over use may do more harm than

lungeing such as the Chambon, and more

horse in shape. Over or misuse of them can

good and they should not be used to force the

recent systems as the Pessoa and Whitaker

have a bad effect in breaking contact through

horse into a shape. Any tack is only as good

training reins.

the horse’s back and neck making it over

as the person using it.

Most trainers will not dismiss all of these as
wrong and many prefer a particular type that

bent.
The Bungie is a long, elasticated cord that

suits their system. The important thing is to

goes from the girth through the bit over the

understand the action of what you are using

top of the horse’s head so as it raises his

and to apply it to the individual horse, and as

head light pressure is put on the poll and

with most things it is not necessarily right or

is immediately released when the head is

wrong but a question of degree and skilful

lowered. It is good for stretching the horse in

use.

a long outline and encouraging a soft back

Martingales are designed to prevent the
horse’s head from coming above the angle
of control. When fitted properly they have no

112

Draw reins again prevent the horse raising

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and can be used ridden or lungeing.
Lungeing aids such as the Pessoa, Whitaker
aids and the chambon all encourage the