When to add the blinkers

[PintoPalLover]

I was wondering to know more about and at what point in training ya'll start your horse wearing blinkers ?

Thank you !!

P.P.L.

 

[dalvers63]

A lot will depend on your horse. I've seen those that start with blinkers right away (that's what we did with my Shetland gelding) and I've seen others recommend starting with an open bridle so the horse gets used to things going on around them from the beginning. I prefer to always start without them and then add later. Some horses just aren't comfortable that way and having them from the beginning is better.

 

[PintoPalLover]

Thanks for replying dalvers63 !! I guess I'll just aim for sometime around when she gets better at ground driving , for now, see when it 'feels right' to add them. It makes sense to get them used to doing some stuff without blinkers first to me, for the most part.

 

[paintponylvr]

I found that I used open bridles for most of ours right from the beginning and then introduced blinders when I got the harness(s) that had blinders. BUT remember I didn't actually have proper harness for many years and even when I did, I often found myself using my hand made open bridles for any new work more often then the ones that had blinders/came with the harness.

Remember that when you do introduce the blinders, they often have to be "re-schooled" to everything as they get used to wearing them. I didn't think about that one time and that created some pretty intense issues when i hooked her up to the cart!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Mmm. My reply sent from my Tablet did not post. I hate when I have to think of everything all over!

IME, horses respond differently. Some enjoy going without blinders and are perfectly fine. Others need them to help them focus.

Most trainers start off with blinders. Even if you feel your horse is happier without them, he should at least be introduced to them. If you enter a show, it will be required equipment.

I have never found that any of my horses object to them.

 

[PintoPalLover]

Thanks for replying paintponylvr & Marsha ! I have another question, do you usually use side reins when you start your horse driving ?

 

[paintponylvr]

I think it really varies. I usually used "balancing reins" over side reins and in a couple of instances hooked the driving lines up as draw reins when working on something specific and wanting a little extra for asking the horse to give originally.

I do have some pics of Bit and Koalah wearing balancing side reins while first intro'd to equipment. You can see they haven't really been tightened here to ask for any give, but if they do stick their noses out or toss their heads they learned not to. If I was to use it as a "true" training aid, I would add rings to the girth down between the elbow and the buckles for a lower angle on the balancing rein. I'm using a mini sized training surcingle with larger girths.







Just like when riding with draw reins, I quickly moved away from them as the horse can get to where they encourage or even force a horse to overbend w/o driving up under themselves properly from behind. When riding, I usually rode w/ regular reins along with the draw reins, so I didn't "over draw",

. While driving, I haven't done that.

For one of our ponies, when our daughters were little and the pony could pull right out of their hands and turn the opposite direction (while riding), I made a TINY German Martingale. All I can say is it worked for what I needed it for at the time. I wish I had pictures of it, but it never occurred to me to take pics of some of the equipment I made and that was when I was using a 35mm film camera. A couple of years ago, I took it apart and re-used the rings from it (the olive drab military nylon had turned hard and funky)in some of the collars that I've made.

 

[PintoPalLover]

Thanks paintponylvr !! I love seeing all your pictures ,the info to go along with them is great too

, the detail is so nice.

 

[Squeaks]

A lot of great advice has already been given, but I'll chip in too

Coal is driven almost 100% of the time without blinkers, but according to his previous owner if he has blinkers on he will throw himself into the cart. Apparently he was an amish pulling pony that was overburdened so he was throwing himself into the harness. So the previous owner re-schooled him without the blinkers. He's the coolest in temperament driver I've ever had and so it wasn't a big deal to keep the blinkers off. Especially when I had no intention of showing.

With the other horses/mini's it tends to vary on the horse. All but one mini was driving in full gear (blinkers and all) within a week of being introduced to driving/broke to drive. Whereas one mini took several weeks before she "calmed" down in the cart with the blinkers on. She was a very overstimulated horse with an abused history that the raise of your voice could send her into a frenzy. So it was helpful to delay the blinkers until she was comfortable and aforementioned, she had to mildly retrained once they were introduced. She still has her moments of panic, but is much easier to bring back down to earth and calm her down.

Willow, my cob, is ground driven in blinkers and full gear. Since her incident she hasn't been hooked to the cart, but my plans are to drive her without them until everything is underwhelming to her. Frankly, if she had had the blinkers on during the incident, it probably would have been incredibly worse not being able to see what was going on.

I think the horses are pretty good about letting us know when they are ready for step ups and if a step down is required

I have been absolutely impressed with how mini's handling being broke to drive and how quickly they take to it. The bit seems to be the biggest obstacle for most of them.

 

[PintoPalLover]

Thank you Squeaks !! That is great info !