So I’m wanting to take some restriction away from my ponys face/mouth. He accepts the bit fine but does hesitate to open his mouth initially but I think this is related to being unmotivated for work. I’m thinking of a flower hackamore, from what I’ve gathered you can change it about and can have a sidepull like setting which I think would be best for him.
I’m just wondering what peoples thoughts are on this, I haven’t much experience going bitless and I have no one at my yard who has either. I have very light hands and he doesn’t tend to get strong and is very responsive unless in an open space but that’s more excitement, no malice or bad intentions, it just obviously isn’t the safest if he takes off and doesn’t respond to my slow/halt cues.
Try out the bitless arrangement in an arena until you are sure of it.
Learn a one rein stop for emergencies.
If the hackamore is adjustable use a leverage setting for riding outside and a sidepull setting for arena work where you want the direct rein.
I trail ride in a Western mechanical hackamore on one horse, a bosal on another. Loose rein. Both bits can be harsh if misused but not if used lightly.
I ride all of mine in a hackamore ranging from the flower hackamore to the little s hackamore to the mechanical German hackamore and the normal English one, they all have big fur over their noses.
the flower hackamore is the one I use the least not sure why but its not my fav by any means. I much prefer the little s hackamore. But the thing about hackamores is its not a bit you can not pull a horse around (not that you should) and they can be very very harsh in the wrong hangs ( like any bit) and must be fitted correctly, I constantly see people who think of bites is the way forward I have such a connection to my pony and yet the hackamore is sitting on the delicate bone on the nose one nasty yank and its broken.
my advice ( im not a trainer) is ride in an area first.
To mention all my horses go in bits also and I do use bits from time to time.
I’ve used the Flower hackamore and its cousins – the LG and the Orbitless – for years. For the right horses it’s a great solution and I prefer it far more than the cross-under designs. These hackamores give you a slight amount of leverage but keep direct rein communication.
As others have said, start in an enclosed space to see how your horse takes to it. I used to foxhunt one of mine in an LG. Not sure I’d trust the horse I hunt now!
I’ve used a flower hackamore a few times on a setting with a little bit of leverage. My Arab mare is very energetic but she’s very light in the face. Maresy rides fine in a side pull around the barn, but I’m honestly not sure how well the side pull would work in the event of a major spook on the trail (she has brakes, but she also has a wicked quick spook).
I had no issues practicing a one rein stop with the flower hackamore. I intentionally picked it since from what I understood about the mechanics of it, it’s easier to use a direct rein since my mare doesn’t neck rein. There’s a lot more lateral finesse than there is with a standard mechanical hackamore.
I also tried a Dr. Cook-style cross-under bridle on the same mare, and she and I were both frustrated with it due to the lack of immediate release. No such issues with the flower hackamore. For bit equivalent? She rides in a smooth eggbutt snaffle w/t/c and on trail rides and does well. But she likes to graze and I like to let her eat on the trail sometimes and that’s a little easier to do bitless.
