Tack: If I had to sum up this tack ensemble in one sentence it would be "throw it all out, and get something that fits". The bridle is the worst piece I think- the browband is practically covering the horses' eyes, the full-cheek bit is just way to big for that horse and it appears that the reins and running martingale have become tangled with the throat latch (could be the angle of the pic on that one though). The saddle looks too big for that horse (its a pony, let's be honest with ourselves) and I suspect there is weight being put down into the loins. As my vet charmingly put it "Would you want someone sitting on your kidneys?" as we discussed how some saddlebred riders place their saddles. The same thing applies here- that saddle is way too big for that pony's short back, and as a result the riders weight is going onto his sensitive loins. As for the reins, I think split reins are great for stock work etc. but I would not put them in the hands of a beginner- as this person clearly is- especially with a FM bit. I heard of a horse stepping on a rein in a similar situation, and the shank of its full-cheek snaffle piercing it's cheek. Ouch!
Posture: I think for most of us, the only time our legs will look like this is during an "emergency stop" when we ignore proper form and focus on staying in the saddle (anyone who's ever had a bolter will know all about that haha). Hands are way out front and I see chicken wings. If I were watching this girl ride I would tell her "bring your elbows back to their neutral position and lower your hands". I think I once had a similar hand+arm position, but that was while my young OTTB had a freak out over seeing a motorbike for the first time.
Horse: He/she seems to be well fed, but what is with that skin condition? At first I thought it was dried sweat, but I've been shown several other pictures of the same horse and it seems to be in every single one. It isn't rain rot, so I wonder?
Off Topic, Why I Worry about Fulmer Bits (aka Full-Cheek Snaffle):
I understand that some people like to use full-cheek and tom-thumb snaffles: they are good for young horses or those that need a little help understanding direction and they also stop the bit getting pulled through the mouth (although if you ride with good hands, I don't see that happening anyway). The issue I have, is that people fail to use the necessary accessories. If you are going to put one your horse then you need to use keepers too. Some people think they are pointless because "what's going to happen anyway?" but believe me, I have seen a long-shanked full cheek bit on a small horse (like the one above) and due to the length of the shank, and the fact it wasn't secured, it went up the horses nostril. No joke, it went up and tore the horses nostril. It was one of the most horrible, scary things I have seen happen at the hands of an otherwise kind rider. The other thing is that most full-cheek snaffles have that nasty "nut cracker" effect, so if you want to go for a full-cheek snaffle, try and find one with a french link and get some keepers- just to be on the safe side. Here's how a properly fitted full-cheek snaffle should look.
Simple and effective. In my personal opinion, I think full-cheek snaffle bits encourage leaning, which not many people actually want their horse to do. If your only concern is the bit being pulled through the mouth, or about loose-rings pinching, then you can always try an eggbut snaffle or a loose-ring with a
If you're still unsure about bridles and bits, read this:
http://www.sustainabledressage.net/tack/bridle.php
That's all for today's post, remember, if you see some shocking riding or bad tack, send me an email and explain the situation, and I'll feature you on the blog. Happy trails everyone!
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