I am hoping to take my young horse to a long lining & driving horse suitability clinic on April 11th. There will be an instructor there to evaluate the horses for driving & give us homework to then work on at home. It’s been such a horrible winter that I haven’t been able to work my 3 yo gelding at all. We’re suppose to have our horses at least long lining before we take them. My friend has given me harness with blinkers on and I’d like to use that in the clinic rather than the saddle & bridle I had been using. My question is how to introduce him to the blinkers on the headstall. Or would it just be better to stick with what he’s already comfortable doing? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Lisa
I’ve never yet had a horse show the lightest hesitation with blinkers. Just the opposite they tend to keep them calm.
Has the horse been bridles before though?
Blinkers & blinders.
Here is an interesting bit of info I got off an old Coachman in the UK.
A blinder is not really another name for a blinker it is as English slang word for a blind driving horse. As it was told to me, after the first world war many of the horses that came home were indeed blinded from the gases used in battle.
Many of these blind horses were sold off as trade horses to work the streets pulling loads of goods & people. Well quite a few upsets where had by some of these blind horses, even one team of “blinders” troted right off the banks of the river Thames into the waters below.
Well needless to say the puplic became very cautious of riding on a carriage that was pulled by these blind horses that came to be known as “blinders”, So when a carriage would come up to a pick up point (bus stop) people would first go up the the front of the horses and look inside the blinkers to see if the horses were blind or not! If it was a blinder, many people would wait for the next carriage to come along. This made many of the cab owners really close the blinkers up tight so it was as hard as possible to let people see there horses eyes!
So as it was told to me a blinker & a winker are one in the same, but a blinder is to do with the horse & not a part of the harness.
Robert
You can practice the horse with and without blinkers, before you go to the Clinic. I would probably leave the blinkers off for the Clinic, he will be excited enough with the new setting, lots of strange horses. Removing his vision too, may be just the straw that breaks him.
For me, that Clinic is a good opportunity for him to work thru the new things with full vision, since he is young. He could wear the harness if he is used to the crupper and breeching being snugly fastened down. I would run the lines LOW, down thru the shaft loops. Terrets on saddle are too high to allow lines to control his body.
Of course you have practiced with horse wearing harness at home, lines down on his sides, use of whip, A LOT before the Clinic arrives. A lot, means a couple dozen harnessing and works on the lines, at the very least. Horse is attentive, responsive, obedient at home, before making the trip. After you arrive at the Clinic, lead horse around to see things IN HAND, before his lesson and harnessing. Let him look around, sniff things, GET OVER IT, before asking him to work for you. Most 3yr olds are often silly, so plan for plenty of time to settle after arrival, then a rest in his stall or trailer with food and quiet, chance to pee, allow him to settle down. Then get him out again to warm up fully harnessed, so he is listening as you get ready for your lesson.
Not sure if you know any race folks to borrow from, but a race hood with half cup blinkers, could be put on quickly, if instructor thinks horse needs blinkers. No chance of problems because you don’t need to remove bridle for changing to blinkers, in the arena. I would practice putting the hood on and off a couple times before the clinic, if you think you might want to use it. Horse knows how it works, will behave for you better.
Again, I would leave his open bridle on to get the most vision in this new experience. You just do NOT want to be doing very many new things all at the same time. Young horse has a short patience, no previous experiences to draw on, to know things will be fine if you just keep going. So I SURE do not want more new additions or changes in harness, equipment feel, tightening or adjustments in the fit, to add to his “adventure”. Very easy to OVERLOAD his little mind, so he blows up, gets scared or resistant.
You as the handler, will need to call a halt if instructor wants to do a lot of things horse is not used to doing. Or if they want to try lots of changes in equipment. Even a big name instructor, is not going to know the horse like you do, so YOU have to protect horse from being overloaded mentally.
Clinic should be a good experience for both you and horse, give you some things to work on at home.
