# hackamore vs bit



## KANSAS_TWISTER (Feb 23, 2007)

it was sugested that abby being a little green still should be using a bit instead of a hackamore, i have tried her with a snaffle but she was a completly diffrent pony, head was a swinging and she was bouncing side to side....but it was said that if she ever bolted while i was ridding i would not have any control over her...what would you do?


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## Rachluvshorses4eva (Apr 11, 2007)

Hmmmm.
Do you know what she's like with a Tom thumb bit?
But I would still go along with a hackamore.
I also think you should do whats best for the horses comfort as well as your own.


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## crackrider (Jan 23, 2007)

I think it depends on the horse. From the way she reacted to the bit i think you should stick with a hackamore if she goes well with it. I've ridden heaps of horses in hackamores exactly like the one in the pic. The only thing you have to watch with a hackamore is not pulling back on it too hard for too long. You can cut off a horses air and that is BAD!!! (obviously!!!! :wink: ) With hackamores you have to pull back briefly and release. If the horse doesn't stop you just do it again until you get the result you want. It's just a matter of always pulling and releasing straight away.
As for bolting while you had a hackamore on her. . . . you would have the same amount if not more control over her. A hackamore puts pressure over a horses nose which is a very sensetive part of their body. They respond to the pressure once they learn that it will not cut off their air if they stop immediatly. If she does bolt and continuous pulling and relaesing does not slow her then you would either have to try and turn her in a tight circle or if you feel you or your horse are in extreme danger then you could pull steadily back until she responds. You must be careful doing this for obvious reasons but once she feels her air being even slightly restricted and not released she will know she must stop to reduce the pressure on her nose. It should just be instinctual.
The best way to avoid having to do that is to train her to stop for verbal commands as well as the slightest pressure on her nose. That way you have more options to stop her rather than resorting to force.


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## Desert Rat (Nov 26, 2006)

K T. Years ago when I was into the breaking of colts pretty heavy. I was working as many as a dozen at a time. I used nothing but a bozal type hakamore. The mechanical type are a control aid only. They are not a training device and an animal must have a fairly good rein on them before going to a mechcanical type hackamore. I never put a bit in a horses mouth till they were 5 years old when I was useing the bozal type and then I used it in conjunction with a snaffle bit for a year. After i got into breaking and training mules real heavy I changed to useing nothing but a snaffle to start them with due to the way a mule carries their gead the bozal did not work to well.


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## tumai (Mar 15, 2007)

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha ha whoever told you that......perhaps hasn't been on a horse that actually bolted in a bit and sometimes its the bit that causes the bolt! If your horse has only been ridden in a hackamore then that is what she is broken too....and if you want to use a bit then you will have to mouth her properly, I bet she was thinking OMG what has she put in my mouth. No doubt you have a stop in place with the hackamore....so stick with it and trust yourself!
I think crackriders comment is very correct.


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## Raini (Jan 15, 2007)

The difference between a snaffle and a hackamore is a hackamore is leverage. It uses pressure on the horses pole and nose to get him to tuck. Snaffles are flexion meaning they are for flexibility and comfort. Horses need time to get used to bits which is probably why she was a bit goosy. I personally prefer snaffles on green horses because during a horses green years I like to get them used to nice smooth contact, turning, flexion. Not one or the other distributes more control. No bit or hackamore can stop a horse that feels inclined to bolt. Training will cure that. not devices.


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