The
last couple of weeks have been a roller coaster. There were cross-country
schoolings, bit changes and an injury. So where to start? I feel inclined to
start this post with a candid tirade discussion on biting horses. We
have all been there- it is 98 degrees and you fly out of the start box; your
horse is hunting the jumps and carrying a canter that is probably faster than
you need. You sit up 5 strides out from fence one and try to half-halt
and….crickets. Your horse ignores your leg and then ignores your hand and THEN
proceeds to jump fence one out of a balance that sends your stomach rolling.
Like many riders who rode dressage and hunters I have been taught that the
snaffle is the only way. When I tried Finn out to buy I rode him in a boucher
and he went beautifully. However, at that undeveloped stage in his training I
made the decision to use a full cheek snaffle instead. For the first couple
months of Finn’s training this was perfect! Finn went fairly well in this bit
until he started to gain some muscle. I am the first person to tell people how
calm my horse is and how well behaved he can be, however; a very fit 4 year old
OTTB is a forward going horse. Finn loves to jump-sometimes just a little too
much!
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| example A |
In some
of my lessons we started to notice that Finn likes to put his head down and
avoid the bit. When he does this, it normally results in him rushing the jumps
and becoming very hard to adjust. We worked on gymnastics, half-halting with
the leg and using turns to change the balance of my canter. Although all of
those exercises definitely helped me, I decided that it was time to consider a
different bit. Insert angry people complaining about
riders using strong bits on horses. Insert berating comments about my riding
ability. Insert people who believe my horse should be taken. Insert opinions that don’t really
matter! I have come to
realize that doing anything with horses normally results in hours of
questioning your decisions and feeling bad, even though it shouldn’t. If you
type in any bit on Google™ you will find a Chronicle of the Horse Forum damning
all those who use and enjoy that bit. Of course, being me, when my trainer and
I decided to try out The Wonder Bit on Finn, I sat down to do some research. As
you can imagine I was faced with a hard reality: many people know how to use
the internet and post advice, however; not many people have advice and inputs
worth sharing. Also, terms like stronger and softer are very subjective. The
discomfort caused by a snaffle can surely match the discomfort of a gag bit
depending on who is holding onto the reins.
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| Wonder Bit |
When I
finally decided to try the bit I was happily surprised. Suddenly Finn’s
balanced improved and he was more adjustable. Of course a stronger bit can’t replace
good riding. I plan to keep using the new bit for jumping and spend more time developing
better body position and reaction time in the saddle. Overall, biting horses
comes down to safety, jaw/tooth anatomy, age and training (of rider and horse).
I think it is very important to get your horses teeth done every 6 months and
talk to the dentist about his opinion. I also think that it is unrealistic to
expect 1 bit to always work for your horse over time, or Furthermore, for you
to expect 1 bit to work for all three phases. Finn is currently ridden on the
flat in a KK Ultra Loose Ring Snaffle and ridden over fences in a Wonderbit.
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| Wonder Bit in Action |
Furthermore,
I had the opportunity to cross-country school Finn in the new bit. I can
honestly say it felt a million times better. The distances and my riding both
seemed much improved. Once I realized that I could set Finn up for a fence with
much less bridle, I became far more comfortable letting him canter along
without me constantly adjusting. My added confidence combined with his better
behavior made the schooling great.
This Monday
Finn went out in the field with his friends like usual. On Mondays I am lucky
enough to ride a friend’s horse so I normally give Finn a day off. The friend’s
barn is close to BOW so I decided to stop in and give him his daily treats and
neck scratch. I was shocked to find Finn with a bloody nose and swollen face. I
quickly called the vet to make an appointment for the next day. When the vet
got there the next day, she took the time to evaluate the scrapes and swelling
to find that he was OK. While the vet was finishing up, my trainer noticed that
Finn had a small scab. Upon removing the scab we found that Finn had a pretty
serious puncture wound. Finn has been rehabilitating well with the help of a
drain and lots of antibiotics, however; the vets are not sure how long it will
be until he is able to compete again. I am keeping my Flora Lea entry for the
end of September in hopes that things will work out!
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| Finn's Leg |
Our
horses work so hard for us every day. 10 months ago, if someone told me that
Finn and I would have completed 5 events and performed 7 dressage tests I
probably would have laughed. Horses give us wings and for that we must give
them the time to heal and the time to grow. I hope that this week off has
provided Finn and I with a great bonding experience. Every day with horses is
an adventure; the good, the bad, the scary and the gross- they make us better
people.
