What does the Dept. of Interior via the Bureau of Land Management stand to gain by removing wild horses from their supposedly-protected rangelands while they allow cattle to remain for minimal grazing fees?
Horse Journal‘s Contributing Veterinary Editor Dr. Deb Eldredge is reminded of a certain musical this time of year. Remember some of the words? Hair, Hair, Glorious Hair!
OK, it’s not the movie or the play but horse hair everywhere! A few warm days and suddenly at least one of my equines has decided it is truly time to shed.
Crispy the red dun Quarter Horse sheds out to a slick but thick shiny coat. Right now, waves of reddish hair cascade off her as I run the shedding blade over her back, rump and sides. She looks a bit dull from the dead hair sort of sticking up all over right now. And of course, the loose hair sticks to me just fine!
The other horses have nary a loose hair yet, and the donkeys traditionally shed in July.
While I can save dog hair to put around plants to help repel rabbits (note, I said help, not totally keep them away!), I have no clever use for my horse hair. The birds will pick up both horse hair and dog hair for nests but that is about it. The clever uses of horse hair such as for fishing lures, etc refer to mane and tail hair, not body hair.
But while there is no great use for horse hair, it is important to remove old, dead hair off your horse. Your horse will do a decent job herself, rolling and rubbing. Still, a quick curry followed by the shedding blade can help that hair come off much more quickly.
Dead hair left on can help add to “rain rot” woes if you get some cold rains in the spring. Grooming won’t totally stop rain rot but it helps.
If your horse’s hair simply isn’t shedding, you need to look at some health concerns like pituitary problems and adrenal problems, like Cushing’s disease. In fact, a long, often curly coat that won’t shed may be the first sign of Cushing’s in many horses.
Remember, not all horses will shed at the exact same time, so don’t panic if one horse is straggling behind in the hair slough area. Still, a long, curly coat that remains into the summer is usually a tip off for Cushing’s. I guess that means I should be grateful for the horse hair flying around my barn!
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More posts mentioning shedding…
Have you thought about abandoning the bit? Horse trainer and bitless specialist Missy Wryn is the perfect person to guide you through the transition:
For many horse riders riding bitless is a scary idea. The common concerns are “I won’t have any control without a bit”, “I would never ride my horse without a bit, it’s too dangerous”, and “I’m scared that my horse will take off without a bit”.
Transitioning your horse from riding with a bit to bitless is relatively easy when you learn a few safety techniques that put you in control. No matter whether you ride English or Western, just a simple rope halter is all you need to get started.
Culture and language are basic to any communication between peoples so if I want to ride my horse bitless I need to effectively communicate in a way my horse understands. The basic culture of horses is that of a prey animal whose instinctual survival depends on living in a herd.
Since every horse is genetically wired to require a herd leader at all times whether in a herd of horses or in a herd of two, me and my horse, I need to start out by communicating that I’m the herd leader. If I don’t behave like a herd leader my horse will either push me around disrespectfully – maybe dangerously, or walk away disinterested.
Turning her backside to me translates to “I’m out of here – you’re not worth my time”. So how do I become my horse’s herd leader? Understanding and properly invoking horse instinct.
I’m going to invoke my horse’s natural instinct to recognize me as her herd leader by moving her feet. Instinctually whoever is controlling a horse’s feet is the herd leader, that’s the herd culture. Using my body language and the instant release of pressure is how I’m going to demonstrate I am her herd leader.
Keep in mind whenever you are with your horse that horses learn from the release of pressure not the pressure itself. I start out by teaching my horse to back-up with just a jiggle of the lead rope. It may take a few times moving my horse’s feet but being consistent will invoke her instinct that I am the herd leader.
No matter if you are on the ground or under saddle, controlling your horse’s feet makes you the herd leader.
Communication with horses is done through body language, touch and sound. Be mindful of what your body is saying: your horse is watching closely. Be aware what your eyes are saying too. When you look at your horse eye-to-eye don’t be surprised if your horse steps back a bit as you approach.
Eye contact is a message of “move”, so drop your gaze and soften your body’s countenance when you approach your horse. When you want your horse to back up look straight into her eyes, present your full chest and ask your horse to back up by jiggling the lead rope slightly and increase the jiggling as you walk towards your horse.
The moment your horse takes a step back immediately stop jiggling the rope, drop your gaze and soften your body’s countenance turning your shoulder to your horse and praise verbally “good girl” and stroke her neck.
Stroking her neck releases a chemical response that relaxes her, which accelerates learning. These are just a few tips to give you a general idea of how communication using your body, touch and voice works with horses.
Now let’s apply some simple techniques to ride bitless while keeping in mind the basic culture and language of your horse. You’ve taken the time to invoke your horse’s instinct to recognize you as the herd leader by controlling her feet, i.e. backing up.
Now you want to teach your horse to flex her head from side to side on the ground first and then we’ll translate that under saddle. This is the first step to creating your horse’s emergency handbrake in a crisis. I recommend making nose to girth the safe and loving place we go when we are in trouble.
Place your hand over your horse’s nose and gently ask for her head bringing her nose to her girth. Your horse only has to give slightly and then you release her nose for “giving” to your pressure. The release of pressure is how the horse learns they are doing the right thing not the pressure itself – make your release instantaneous.
Missy Wryn’s Bitless bridle
Once you’ve got your horse giving nicely to the safe and loving place you will now flex your horse’s head using the lead rope. Grip the lead rope overhand about 12” from the knot under the chin and gently but consistently pull your horses head to the side resting your hand on the saddle area until your horse “gives”.
You want to pull her head around about two thirds of the way leaving her to give the last third by dipping her nose to the girth area or creating slack in the lead rope – instantly release the rope from your hand at the moment your horse “gives”. Stroke her neck and verbally appreciate.
Do this on both sides until your horse is coming off the slightest pressure when you lift the lead rope to draw her nose to her girth. Remember, take your time. If your horse is nervous and moves in circles stay with her calmly until she stops moving her feet.
Praise her when she’s doing what you want and never reprimand for getting the wrong answer, simply help her to understand what you are asking by breaking it down into smaller steps if she needs that.
Next you want to teach your horse how to disengage her hindquarters which is getting her to cross her rear inside foot in front of her rear outside foot.
This disables a buck, bolt or rear and when combined with nose to girth is equivalent to pulling your horse’s emergency handbrake. While standing next to your horse flex her nose with the lead rope and with your other hand place your thumb on her side where your heel would be if you were in the saddle, and apply pressure asking her to move her back feet.
As soon as she moves, even the slightest direction away from your thumb pressure rub the spot, but keep holding her nose in place until her feet stop moving. Keep holding her nose even after her feet stop moving until she “gives”. As soon as she gives her nose instantly release the lead rope and stroke her neck praising her verbally.
Be gentle, calm and praise her for every moment she is doing what you are asking her to do.
Once you’ve got your horse flexing with ease and disengaging her hindquarters on the ground you are ready to translate the emergency handbrake under saddle. You can convert your lead rope to reins or attach your reins to the side pull loops if you are using an All-In-One Training Halter Bitless Bridle.
Mount your horse and gently flex her nose by reaching down the rein and drawing her nose to your boot. I like to put my hand on my thigh as a stable reference point – there is energy that seems to lend strength to my grip which is especially important in a crisis so I encourage you to make a habit of putting your closed hand with the rein on your thigh.
When your horse gives her nose to her girth instantly release the rein by opening your hand. Stroke her neck and verbally praise her. Next as you draw her nose towards her girth place your heel against her side asking her to disengage her hindquarters.
As soon as she moves her feet release your heel, but don’t let go of her nose until her feet stop moving and she “gives”. Work both sides of your horse until she is flexing and disengaging smoothly.
Next you want to move into a walk and apply your emergency handbrake making sure your horse responds with ease listening to you. Work both sides from a walk and then move into a trot and canter applying the emergency handbrake in all three gaits. Once you can shut your horse down in all three gaits calmly and rationally you are now riding safer bitless!
All the same cues apply as if your horse had a bit in their mouth since most of your riding is done with your seat and legs; you now have added control of an emergency handbrake in a crisis. You want your horse to respond automatically as if a switch went off in her head as you reach down the rein to pull her nose and your heel simultaneously applies pressure.
It becomes a habit for both you and your horse going to the safe and loving place when in trouble.
Bitless riding is just as safe if not safer when you are your horses herd leader and both of you respond to the emergency handbrake simultaneously calmly and rationally. Have fun and keep me posted of your adventures.
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See more Peaches’ posts on bitless
Peaches believes in kind horse training which is attuned to the horse’s innate instincts, and thus sensitive to how the horse is reacting to its handler or trainer. This is the foundation of natural horsemanship.
These two videos demonstrate with a foal what I consider to be really good and really poor examples of interaction with a horse. You be the judge.
Yielding to pressure– how subtly you can communicate with a foal (or a horse of any age.) The pressure here is almost completely mental, because getting the right response doesn’t require force, it only requires understanding. Note the handler’s quiet, calm movements and gentleness of approach. Horses are oh so willing to learn from and be directed by their herd “leaders.”
THIS handler is much more forceful than she needs to be, and causes stress and distrust in the foal. Yes, even fear! IMO the handler was asking way too much too soon, and should have started with baby steps like in the video above. Simple yielding to pressure, in a non-threatening way, is ALL that is required for the horse to learn. FORCE is not necessary, ESPECIALLY on a clean slate like a baby horse who doesn’t know ANYTHING yet.
I really can’t understand why anyone thinks it’s necessary to manhandle a baby horse like this. Gotta wonder how this “trainer” would go about “teaching” a grown horse something, which she can’t possibly push around this way?
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For more on gentleness of approach (pictures and video), see Joe Camp’s Soul of a Horse blog. He adopted a pregnant wild mustang mare, and 3 days later she foaled. See particularly Mar. 27 What an extraordinary weekend for pix of Joe gently encouraging the days-old filly to relax into his lap, where she eventually falls asleep!
Hackamores have been around a long time… there are different styles and designs, also a bridle device called a “bosal” has probably been around even longer, which is also “bitless.” The term bitless bridle is fairly recent.
Hackamores work on the principle of nose pressure– they can be English style or western design, with short (metal) shanks or very long shanks. The shanks are a primary component of a hackamore and give leverage against the nosepiece. A bosal as I understand it employs sideways pressure against the horse’s face and is designed only for western (neck) reining because both reins fasten into the nosepiece at the same place, fairly low beneath the horse’s chin. I think it takes a little skill to handle a bosal properly.
I think of a bitless bridle as having a noseband and headband, more like an english bridle, and possibly even extra straps. I have seen some with a sort of figure eight strap connecting into the reins; the figure eight wrap applies some extra pressure to the horse’s poll (right behind his ears.) I know a lady who uses a bitless bridle on her driving horse.
Technically they are all “bitless.” I think the term “bitless bridle” was invented by someone who came up with the idea for something without the shanks of a hackamore.
Funny you mention it, I was just thinking the other day to try Glendale with a hackamore this year. I just never thought of it before, but IMO the horse needs to learn how to be ridden bitted first, it’s probably safer until you know the horse really well. Bits are traditional, just like horseshoes, but I feel that many horses could be ridden “bitless” and would be far better off for it. I know a lady who uses a bitless bridle on her carriage driving horse. Too many people have heavy hands and punish the horse’s mouth with bits; a few folks feel bits are downright cruel, I think it’s the way the rider uses the bit that can be cruel.
FYI, Joanne Gelinas Snow for years has used a “Sidepull” on her lesson horses with beginner children on them. That is another type of “bitless” bridle. She does that to save the horse’s mouth from inexperienced hands. Plus she knows her manageable lesson horses aren’t likely to do anything drastic or uncontrollable. All trainers/instructors should be so wise, AND so kind to the horses!
PS. if you search on youTube you can probably find a video or two about bosals, and likely about hackamores & bitless bridles too.
Inspired by question from HorseGal, in her never-ending quest (below) to become a more knowledgeable Horse Gal.
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Connie,
The word “Hackamore” is just a type of bitless bridle, correct? In other words, the word “Hackamore”… that is a bitless bridle, but named after, perhaps, someone’s adaptation of a bitless bridle? Filly’s though, I think is not a Hackamore? It’s called by another name, but is still a bitless bridle? I know my boy Gilford can be ridden with a bitless bridle… is his a Hackamore? But what about his little brother? Do you ever ride him with a bitless bridle? Or does he not have enough miles under his saddle to be ridden that way?
