At 11:47:27 on 25.08.09, plodalong wrote:
who would believe we are now confident enough to do this.I learnt so much from Russell higgins The most important thing is being and feeling very safe,I know my boy will stop by bendins as soon as i ask he will slow when i ask and only change gate and direction when i ask.i know hes a horse and a prey animal and will if given chance run first and think later but we can now do emergency stops and dismounts should the occasion arise when we need to.I have learned my responsibilities as a rider and Bo has learned his .we are having a ball.we are now being looked at through different eyes by other liveries on the yard.we are getting better every day.I cant wait to spend time with him and he is now trotting down the field to meet me.there is a long way to go but every journey starts with the first step.

At 16:13:40 on 25.08.09, Flicka wrote:
Wow, sounds like it's a really exciting journey you're on. You sound so happy and confident. My mare Millie was terrible to hack out and would refuse to go forward, rear and spin, and or run off!! I just couldn't get her alongside or past another horse-no way. Anyway, I took her out in a rope hackamore one day and gradually she just came alongside and went in front for a bit of her own accord! People thought I was mad to do it but she really progressed from then on.

At 17:41:10 on 26.08.09, plodalong wrote:
well done Flicka,both you and i know that its all about love language and leadership in equal doses,its not about bigger bits.In the picture on our first time out in the hackamore i forgot to say that Bo was playing nanny to a little arab mare who has only just been started and this was her first time ever on the road.we met a large wagon and Bo just stood next to her and she felt his confidence and didnt flinch,IM so very lucky to have picked my partner not my poison.

At 21:06:16 on 05.11.09, horse tails wrote:
well, done :) :) i to went bitless this year onmy new jouney with my tradional broke horse. We like you started out in a rope hackamore for our hacking and might i add schoolin. We then this year went to the Leahurst yearly show in Cheshire in my new Dr Cooks bitless, and competed in jumipng class's. We were the only ones there in a btless and drew a lot of attention :) keep it up. :)

At 21:33:16 on 05.11.09, horse tails wrote:
another in our rope hackamore http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7ic6wRtQvE

At 14:27:44 on 08.11.09, vesophie wrote:
hsophie is very well behaved in her rope halter on the ground but dern't ride her in it! as i'm confused on how i ask her to turn? as you connect the rope underneath? also could i try her with the rope tied to the side cheek knots on the nose for turning? any info would be great x as i'm having big problems with bits not working-mum has brought me a scrawbrigg anyone know of good and bad things with them?(i want a dr cook but expensive and i aint got money for the ebay look a like!)

At 15:48:00 on 09.11.09, Flicka wrote:
The great thing about not having reins is that you stop relying on your hands to turn the horse and think more about your weight aids etc. When I took my mare out in a Parelli rope halter I knew if she was getting too onward bound I could pull her round with the long rope and disengage the hindquarters. After that I got myself a synthetic Dr Cook bridle and can't remember it being too expensive. I also have a Micklem multi bridle by Rambo which can be converted to a bitless bridle and you can lunge off it as well- I got mine on e-bay for sixty quid with rubber reins thrown in! I've added a link below so you can take a look at one.
http://www.williammicklem.com/multibridle.html

At 19:19:12 on 09.11.09, emily1308 wrote:
I just wanted to join in and say well done!! lol...riding in a halter is the new 'cool'!! wont be long before you are riding without!! emily

At 20:04:54 on 09.11.09, plodalong wrote:
well said Flicka, thats just what the hackamore has taught me, to use my weight,to know what to do with my legs. it gave me lots of confidence once i learned how to get lateral flexion and ask bo to bend through prepatory commands until it became a muscle memory and done the moment i asked for it. while bo was bent i also practised an emergency dismount until we both got good and we were ready to venture onto the road. what some people didnt seam to understand was that i didnt just buy a hackamore,put it on Bo and ride along the road with it.i got a lot of stick and even shouted at in an abusive manner,other liveries thought i should have a bit and bridle to be safer, i couldnt practise bending bo and disengaging his hind quarters with a bit in his mouth. Ican now because we both know what we are doing.

At 20:13:16 on 09.11.09, plodalong wrote:
hi Vesophie,remember that the nose of a horse is very sensitive, the hackamore requires that you ride and direct with your legs and weight and focus. If you want a sidepull type of halter to ride in try a dually halter, i have one and longline bo in it, i have also ridden in it with good results.these are a monty roberts invention and can be used for all sorts of things, if you get one please get the dvd that demonstrates its proper use , like other things a dually can cause pain and distress if not used in the appropriate way.