To the right is Flora becoming accustomed to having lines around her back legs, and over her back. This is great for getting them used to understanding the pressure when you ask them to turn on the lines etc.

If you can break things down into lots of little steps it makes it so much easier.

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It made it so much easier to get her long lining out confidently, accepting a saddle and her first rider.

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This was the first time Rascal had been out on his own whilst long lining so we started by making it easier and taking one part of it back a step and had someone walk alongside him. The last thing I want is for his heart rate to come up and for him to associate any part of this with anything stressful. Therefore, by having someone walking alongside him for the first part of this session, he only had to deal with one new thing. By the end of the session we had gently peeled Jordan away from him so he was on his own in front - it was almost like an accident and therefore there was no fuss.   

The "before" video unfortunately ended up as a video of the floor - but imagine Rascal leaping the stream like it was a river of lava! 

We started out by getting him comfortable walking over a light, black rubber mat, getting him to walk over it, stand on it, back over it, stand still on it - all way away from the stream. 

Next, we edged the mat closer to the stream - he saw his mat as a little safe place and it worked really well. Eventually we got really close to the stream, so close that despite being close enough to hear the stream, whilst on the mat, he remained calm. We progressed to the mat covering the stream and crossing the stream via the mat, backing over it and standing on it. Lastly, I edged the mat further away to uncover the stream a little at a time until he stood in the water - almost by accident! He just got better and better - super pleased with him, good boy! 

Here are some still shots from a talk I did for Reaseheath College careers week (via video due to Covid!) 

Flora was a great model and we used a bridle that was not hers so that I could talk about what was good and bad about the fit. 

The 'take-away- moments were:

1. Assess common areas of high pressure for sensitivity 

2. Work form top to bottom 

3. LOOK and FEEL inside the mouth to assess conformation 

4. Ensure browband does not pull headpiece into the ears 

5. Tight noseband = tight headpiece!

6. Forced closure of jaw = tension through hyoid and TMJ 

7. TMJ discomfort causes biomechanical issues 

8. 'Bit fit' can be done in stable but 'bit recommendation' cannot be done without seeing the horse ridden. 

Bridles are more easily fitted in a stable environment but bits need to suit the mouth conformation and feel comfortable once there is rein pressure.