Got a bucking strap, now question

[Yip]

I bought it from the same place as my harness. Don’t know if it was made by the same fellow.

It has a split sewn in with a spacer in the middle. The spacer is too wide and it forces the bucking strrap to sit right over the buckles - and makes a bump in each side of the crupper strap.so the buckles stand up instead of lie on her rump. I can live with it but it’s very annoying and makes the crupper fit differently. Cookie seems ok, but it is waaay down the back of her croup.

Is it supposed to be waaaay back/down on the crupper buckles?

Would there be a problem in how it works if I took it out of the crupper straps and instead, ran it through the hip strap rein rings and let it pass over her hips?

Or would that allow a horse to get some momentum going in a kick/buck? Cookie has never needed it, but I’m trying to be as safe as possible.

What do you think? Or any other ideas?

Yip

[winfieldfarm]

I might be wrong but I thought the buck strap should lay much more forward over the croup.

Have you done a search for the item to see if other retailers have a pick of it in use as part of their advertising.

[Yip]

I have looked and found only pics of the item itself.

It makes more sense to me to have it higher on her hips too. Then there would be no space for impuksion of a buck to begin.

Maybe I need to just find harnessed horses and look till I find some with bucking straps in use.

[hitchinmygetalong]

Although the horse I drive in my lessons has the bucking strap laced through near the crupper attachment, according to Jeff Morse in his excellent webinar on harness, it more properly should be laced through the backstrap where the breeching straps are located, as he feels it is less obtrusive and possibly more comfortable for the horse.

In other words, either location is acceptable, but he prefers the hip.

[Drive_NJ]

We have young horses and our trainer felt a bucking strap was a good idea
Her harness-maker does the kind like yours - fits on the crupper straps

First make sure that you heve the strap in the correct direction - IF it has one - ours did - the shorter end of the V made by the loops goes away from the tail - this helps it to lay much flatter

Im not really sold on the position above the crupper and will be trying the position at the hip when we get back outdoors after the winter

The whole purpose of the bucking strap is to interrupt upward movement so the horse cant get into a bucking or kicking spree
EITHER location of the strap (top of hip or slightly further back by crupper) is going to do that
The crupper location works kinda like the way Yankee Breeching for teams/pairs works

the real objective is to just have it as an UNUSED safety device
you really do not want to be driving a horse who uses bucking/kicknig as a resistance or an excuse

[Yip]

Hmmm, if ours has two different edges, I didn’t notice but sure will look. That would make all the difference.

Thanks for the responses. I’ll move it up over her hips if I need too.

I just have no exp. with them and wanted to be sure it would have the same effect in either place.

Cookie has never tried anything, but as I’m asking more of her, the possibility might increase. I just figured it only cost $30 to be safe. Hope we never use it.

Yip

[horsegeeks]

I found two sites that talk about the bucking/kicking strap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynFtTYqMJ4E&feature=related

and

http://portraitswithhorses.com/blog/?p=1251

The blog has a couple of pictures of the kicking strap attaching to the crupper. The video describes putting a kicking strap on that attaches to the backband.

Hope this helps!

[Yip]

Thanks, horsegeeks! That was the mother lode!

They bring up a very good point - an insect bite/sting can make any horse buck or kick.

I haven’t driven Cookie in the summer yet, but she is very sensative to bites and stings, and this could easily happen to us. Horseflies cause her to go crazy. Closer to summer, I’ll be asking you all how you protect your horses from the biting flies.

[winfieldfarm]

great link! Will file this in my info folder.

I understand that the bucking strap is so that, if the horse wants to kick up his heels, he has to lift up against the whole weight of the carriage. I have not had the pleasure of working a horse who has decided to engage his bucking strap in a chat. But I imagine that even as a safety measure, a horse can still be stupid if he reeeaaaallllly wants.

[Daisydonk]

Interesting, unfortunately the second link would not work for me.

[DebbieB]

There is lots of movement at the crupper area so there is likely to be more irritation for the horse than if the strap was over the hips.

Can you send it back and have them make the spacer wide enough for it to fit on the strap over the hips? Or just cut the spacer out yourself?

[Yip]

OK, I used the bucking strap today by running it through the rein rings over the rump. They are on a short sliding strap attached to the top of the hip straps. It worked fine but I could see some movement forward.

I think I might cut the threads on the spacer and remove it, then I can run the backstrap through that larger hole. I need to check it out first to be sure the hole won’t be too big and allow it to slide up the backband more forward than her hips.

I know it worked better today than before, down on the crupper buckles.

I did try it turned the other way and the spacer and stitching is the same either way, so no wider or narrower side. It was a good thought though.

Thanks, everyone!

Yip

[lisae]

I’ve always thought that in an extreme event, the bucking strap on the crupper might just cause that spot in the leather to let go. I’ve moved mine up onto the hip more as well. It’s neutral when not in use so doesn’t seem to bother the horse.

[horsegeeks]

Personally, I agree with Lisae. However, most of the bucking/kicking straps I see advertised are designed like YIP’s.

Could you tell me where you find a good quality bucking/kicking strap? I’ve found them designed with the single slot for the back band … but I’m not familiar with the company’s selling them.

FYI In poking around I found a video of the bucking/kicking strap in a non-extreme event. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgo-AhOBaLY

[lisae]

I just got a chance to watch the video - does anyone else think the breeching is sitting a little low? (OT… ) first vid, not the shetlands…

[hitchinmygetalong]

Naughty mini!

horsegeek, your link led me a good one that shows a kicking strap:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynFtTYqMJ4E&feature=related

[horsegeeks]

I went to check on the link and it didn’t work. I’d love to see it, could you re-post?

This topic has been fascinating and the comments really interesting.

THANKS to everyone!

[vtdobes]

If you look at my profile pic you can see my kicking strap. I use it up where the breeching lies. I did have to modify it as it had the two spots to attach at the crupper but I snipped the thread so I could move it up farther.

[Yip]

vtdobes, what a lovely picture! You guys look great.

I have done essentially the same thing. I like it higher up on the hips.

I am so thankful I bought it too. We needed it on Thurs. night when driving up a narrow lane and suddenly, two horses ran up to the fence then along the entire fenceline by us. Cookie was threatened and bucked to the side at them. The bucking strap kept everything on the ground and between the shafts as it should be.

[goodhors]

Hate to be picky here Yip, but the proper name is “Kicking Strap”. I am saying this because if you talk to other horse or Rodeo folks, they might get the wrong idea of what you have added to your turnout! “Why would she want a Bucking Strap on her cart horse??” Yet not wanting to sound ignorant, they won’t ask for clarification, just will leave the conversation quite confused. Other single horse Drivers probably will make the connection in spite of the incorrect name.

“Bucking Strap” is the second name for “Flank Strap” used on Rodeo bucking horses and bucking bulls. Provides a more even kick when used. Bucking/Flank Strap is part of the horse/bull training, teaching animal that it is bucking time when strap pulled tight. Bucking time stops when strap is released by the Pickup men in the Arena, when animal is hazed back into the chutes after a ride.

I have only seen the new straps sold under “Kicking Strap” name from harness makers. And while he may buck while kicking (without a kicking strap on), trouble always seems to start with horse kicking out as the first step, getting bumped or impacting cart on that leg. That is your win-lose moment, of situation going bad. I haven’t heard of well-trained horse just exploding into bucking, without a kickout first. Could be flies or some weird thing he kicks at. Wearing the kicking strap in work, horse can’t get rear end up high enough to let the kick problem escalate. Horse doesn’t win, as Yip mentioned.

As we have read on other posts, terminology can be so confusing, even if we all are speaking some form of “English” or “Driving”.