Blinders vs. open bridle

[shelterwood]

Hello all!

I have been so busy with work I have not been on the forum in a while. Finally last evening I had a good chunk of time and got both my mares to milestones in their training. My three year old had her first very successful drive off our property, down the road a bit, and across our neighbors property (with their permission of course!). We were actually able to trot for a ways and she did beautifully, holding a nice frame and trotting a nice straight line. She was clearly enjoying a change from the circles, figure-eights, and drills we have been laboring over! The little metal training sulky that I thought was unbalanced on the grass in my pasture is actually lovely and smooth on the road, no bouncing of the shafts, so I think that it wasn't so much balance but bumpy uneven ground and a cart with no suspension. I do see that the lack of a singletree makes for restriction in the shoulders though. But, for now, I have to stick with this sulky as I am planning on budgeting for a hyperbike for next season. This fall I am going to buy a Comfy Fit harness instead. Ah, if only I were independently wealthy.

My two year old had her first successful hitch as well last night, not being so much as bothered by the shafts or the weight of the cart. She has been pulling a tire around, and has had training "shafts" made of PVC, but she did great!

So my question is, I am still using an open bridle on my three year old. The bridle that came with my harness, from a friend, was too small in places and too large in others, so I used a simple leather pony bridle to start her in. She likes this bridle, and is attentive, and does like to look back at me almost for reassurance at times. Can anyone talk to me about the pros and cons of open bridles, especially considering that I am a trail driver only with no showing aspirations, but my trails are about a mile down my road, not a busy road at all, but just the same.....It's not that I am against blinders, just curious of the importance of them and if I should have her in them by now.

 

[R Whiteman]

I am certain someone will give you a long dissertation on the pros and cons of both the open and blinkered bridles. . I will leave that to those that feel the need to expound of the subject. It appears that what you are doing is currently working so I would get some driving time in and have some fun. Let your horse enjoy the world around it too. When you get a chance to get a bridle that fits correctly with blinkers then go back and introduce your horse to the blinkers. You then can choose the one that works best for your horse.

Ron

 

[candycar]

In my opinion only, I'm no driving expert.

I do the same type driving as you, trails and just for fun. I don't and never have put a bindered bridal on my mare. I feel that the horse should enjoy the scenery and drive as much as me. If your horse listens to you, drives fine, and you don't plan to show, then why put them on? From what I understand- blinders are used so the horse can't see your whip and anticipate your cues. They also keep their attention straight ahead and make them focus on your commands without the distractions around them. You'll love your HyperBike! I got one as soon as I could and don't even use the EE anymore. Good Luck

 

[ironbessflint]

My thoughts are that I want all my horses to be able to go in an open bridle, and I start them that way. But after they're I drive exclusively in a closed bridle. My reason is that I don't want the horse to see the whip coming and GUESS. A tap on the hip for forward, a little lash touch on the barrel for more bend...my aid could mean a lot of things, and I want them to wait for the aid. This amplifies with a pair, when it could be for one horse and the OTHER horse starts thinking it's for them. But all of my horses do go in an open bridle enough to have seen the cart that's chasing them.

 

[Jill]

I'm not a trainer, but have owned quite a few driving horses and participated in some of their training (and trained one myself). Mine have all been started in an open bridle and driving for sometime before they begin to wear blinders. By the time they are put in blinders, they are very confortable about what's behind them and I think it really helps to make them less spooky... which is important to me. I'm not looking to get my daily excitement from driving one of my horses

 

[RhineStone]

Using a blinder or open bridle for training completely depends on each individual horse. I have had ones that went better in open at first and then to a blinder bridle, and ones that I dasn't put to without a blinder bridle. Besides what has been mentioned about the horse seeing the whip cue, the other reason for the blinders is that for some horses, that vehicle is chasing the horse and when something chases it, it runs. But for some horses (especially a lot in the mini breed), they like to be able to "process" what is behind them.

The other good thing about training a horse for both an open or blindered bridle is in case you sell it. If the new owner can't use their blindered bridle they already have, that may be a "turnoff".

Myrna

 

[shorthorsemom]

Hi, My driving boy goes in an open bridle. His former owner said he was attacked by dogs in his past resulting in a runaway situation and she found that putting him in an open bridle worked for him after that. He is very comfortable seeing all around him and even when deer jump up and scare the daylights out of me, he is calm. I do trail driving on our farm and feel very comfortable using an open bridle. My new driving harness came with blinkers, I had some plain non blinered cheek pieces made for the bridle so I could go open but have the option of using blinkers should I ever want to in the future. The harness maker added a tear drop thingy so there isn't just a buckle hanging empty where the blinker wires attach at the top. Works for me. I have another boy in training. Whenever I put him in the blinkered bridle he does the Ray Charles routine of moving his head all around side to side and he seems to lose confidence when the blinkers are on.. I like the idea of starting open and then introducing blinkers later so thanks for that posting. I am going to try that with my boy.

Cheers everybody

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I had an Arab mare who would only ride in a bitless bridle- I worked hard to get her into a bit and did so eventually.

I never used a bit on her, but she would accept it.

I think the same can be said of blinkers- I never intend to use them, ever, but I would not consider a horse "finished" until he accepts them, and, as has been pointed out, not getting them used to them might be to the horses disadvantage if it had to be sold.

I always used a training whip when riding, fairly long but not the longest, and I never had a problem with the unblinkered riding horse anticipating an aid, so since the driving whip is also just an aid, I do not see this would be a problem, in fact I would think it should work in your favour.

I had no end of a time getting Misty used to seeing the whip as he is a naturally nervy sort of animal- DC is, I would have said, potentially nervier but has no problem with seeing the whip- maybe DC is just bolder? I don't know if there is a hard and fast answer, I think you should use the tack that both you and your horse are happiest with...

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I start mine in an open bridle. My older horse goes back and forth and does fine either way. My 4 year old is doing better with blinders. It seems to help him focus better with all the distractions around him. But I drive him both ways.

I've wondered if horses with eyes set farther on the sides of their heads, rather than more forward-looking, might prefer open bridles.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

No need to expound- I think you guys covered all the bases! I train my horses to go both ways for safety and used blinkers with Kody for many years because I was doing breed shows where they were required. Turbo (my three year old colt) has been started open and will be introduced to blinkers over the winter before he also debuts at breed shows. He had a little initial anxiety over seeing a tall cart right behind him but got over it quickly and had the same sort of anxiety over not being able to see what was making noises with blinkers on, so either way you've got to work through whatever issues come up. Kody much prefers the simpler headstall of an open bridle so that's how we drive 98% of the time now that he's mostly retired from showing.

I always used a training whip when riding, fairly long but not the longest, and I never had a problem with the unblinkered riding horse anticipating an aid, so since the driving whip is also just an aid, I do not see this would be a problem, in fact I would think it should work in your favour.

I've always heard that reason as well and maybe it's just my two horses, but neither Kody nor Turbo seems to react to the sight of the whip even when driving open as a pair. I was on the lookout for a problem but they simply didn't care! Maybe it's because I rarely use it to get them to go forward, more to bend and soften. By the time I use it for incentive to move forward they've already been warned by my voice that they need to move and are far more concerned with my ire than the whip!

Horses do have a blind spot directly behind them as well, so they may not actually see it coming for their withers anyway, just their sides.

I don't know if there is a hard and fast answer, I think you should use the tack that both you and your horse are happiest with...

Ultimately, this is the shortest, best answer out there.

Leia