Little Hooves
Well-Known Member
My husband and I use a modified Cook's bitless driving bridle to drive our stallion. We had to modify it because we really didn't like how stiff the plastic blinders were, so we pulled them off and used the old driving bridle's blinders. We also didn't like how the noseband was extremely tight - I attached an extra length onto the strap to allow him to have more jaw movement. With those two changes, it was perfect!
Our stallion had poor response to the bit - when he had "enough" of it, he would just stop. There was no clucking or whipping that would make him go (are we sure this boy isn't a mule?). After some research, instead of trying a bit that applied more pressure, we went the direction of bitless. We have just as much control and our stallion is happier and will now drive until he is tired... instead of stopping, he just decides to lay down harnessed to the cart, and all. Crazy stallion - too smart for his own good!
I wish there were a way to show in driving without a bit, but that may take time for rules to change.
Then I'll impress everyone with my stallion's mad skills of laying down with cart attached. (To be honest, I think he's just trying to not release his bladder and he's collapsing from the pain of holding in his pee! Once the harness is off, we're always shocked by how much water that little guy can hold!)
Our stallion had poor response to the bit - when he had "enough" of it, he would just stop. There was no clucking or whipping that would make him go (are we sure this boy isn't a mule?). After some research, instead of trying a bit that applied more pressure, we went the direction of bitless. We have just as much control and our stallion is happier and will now drive until he is tired... instead of stopping, he just decides to lay down harnessed to the cart, and all. Crazy stallion - too smart for his own good!
I wish there were a way to show in driving without a bit, but that may take time for rules to change.
