Gullet straps

[buck22]

do they really work?

Way way way in the beginning when I was first ground driving my horse (hitched but me walking along side) I tied my horse to unhitch, went back to start undoing things, looked up and he’d scraped his bridle off :eek: Fortunately I use a neck rope to tie, but still, not cool. He did this two more times. I googled and/or came here (probably both) and wound up with the suggestion of a gullet strap.

I have faithfully used it all this time.

Two seasons ago, we went from cart to 4wheeler and now I hitch and unhitch out of hand.

Earlier this year I was driving him and the bugs were bad. We’d had a long drive, he was sweaty and wearing a fly bonnet. He was shaking is head and suddenly popped the bridle off - despite the gullet strap. From that day on I dispensed with fly bonnets and tightened the throat latch. I have on occasion braided a leather cord from the winker stay buckle to his mane - but I wont lie, I only do it if I’m “going someplace” - I’m lucky to drive when I can these days and I have to be quick about it.

Since tightening the throatlatch, I started noticing he was resisting to come onto the bit sometimes. I discovered the big buckle of the gullet strap was poking him in the throat. So I turned the strap around and now the big buckle is at the cavesson, under the chin.

It fits well, and he’s comfortable with it, but I am finding it to be such a pain. It wasn’t pleasant to deal with before as it always slid off the throat latch, but now its even less fun because it always slides off the back half of the cavesson, which is padded and has a big buckle and I have to stuff it on the small loop each time. Its just one more thing I have to mess around with.

The reason this comes up however is that I’ve been taking lessons lately and noticed no gullet straps anywhere. I’ve started paying attention to driving videos, photos, etc., and noticed nobody uses gullet straps. Surely I’m not the only person on the planet to have their horse scrape off or shake off a bridle… but I feel like the only person using a gullet strap.

Are gullet straps really effective at keeping the bridle from coming off? Does anyone else here use them?

Thank you!!!

[Drive_NJ]

Yes we use the gullet strap
our trainer likes using them - so we do

I bought the official buckle on gullet strap and did not like it

we just had a small strap made with a loop at each end
it loops onto the throatlatch and to the noseband

it is waaay less bulky than the “official” one but it works for us

and yes without tightening the throatlatch over much - it does keep the bridle in place better than nothing
Keeps the ring of crown and throatlatch tighter than easily slops off

[MunchingonHay]

There is a really fine line of tightening the throat latch too tight and losing the horse’s ability to be on the bit and having it too loose and having the bridle pop off when they shake their head.

If the head shaking is caused by flies I do my best to soak their ears and neck with fly spray; which I am sure you do too.

I have used gullet straps when I groomed for the big dogs in CDEs, but instead of using those huge gullet straps that some harness makers sell, I like to use an hame strap. They are thin, can double back on themselves and are more “hidden” then the larger ones.

[buck22]

Ahhhhhhhhhh! You know, I was googling around after posting this and noticed a lot of VSE drivers use dog collars for their gullet straps. I thought this was because of lack of available tack for small equines, but now I’m seeing how a small thin light gullet strap really would be a blessing!

The gullet strap I use currently is from Driving Essentials, and while very very nice and nicely made, its huge and thick and heavy and a pain in the neck each time I bridle.

Great info thank you!

Yes I do use a lot of bug spray but a lot of our bugs are undeterred by spray - strawberry, deer flies and green heads - so now when the bugs are bad I just put a fly mask over his bridle, that seems to work the best.

Thank you soooo much! Add to my list of winter projects, create the ideal gullet strap.

Thank you!!!

[goodhors]

We have gone in a different direction with this bridle thing. I have one horse who is ALWAYS itching and rubbing on stuff, can remove his halter in a heartbeat when tied. ALSO got the neckrope off one ear, hanging from the other when I caught him at it. A friend suggested using a cow collar for tying, has seen a lot of them in use at Trail Rides.

I liked the cow collar idea, you CAN tighten it down with the buckle, but did NOT like that it would be circling his neck if he got the halter off. Sure didn’t want his head coming up with the rope between his ears, might JUST pull collar right off! Naked horse at an activity is NOT ever desired.

So I put some small straps to make a 8 shaped pair of loops, in the upper rings of his halter, ran the cow collar thru those loops and around his neck for tying. Tie rope runs down from collar D-ring thru halter chin ring for length to tie with. This has worked VERY well at keeping him dressed, though he might have the ear strap of halter over his eyes, the halter and collar DO NOT come off or even close to off. Collar is snug, but sure not tight on his neck to stay in place during rubbing. He just gets bored standing tied, so rubbing is entertaining him.

We went with a similar idea on our work bridles for driving, since the guys get so sweaty and itchy, in work. We now roach the manes, nothing to braid into, and even their BIG ears won’t hold a bridle if rubbed hard enough. I had a couple nylon collars made, have a loop of leather strap from the bridle for the collar to go thru, then buckle up the collars.
Works pretty well for us, no matter how sweaty and slippery they get, bridles are NOT coming off. No, not a traditional look, but safety is more important in the heat of Marathon or out doing road mileage with sweaty heads.

Ours DO wear fly nets over the ears, except on Marathons. Our bugs are vicious, horses are worried about them without the ear covers on. I don’t think ear covers in the crocheted cotton, make the bridles any looser. We don’t change bridle settings, when we use the ear covers, same sizing all the time.

I do think horses have a bit of vision restriction in face nets, am not willing to use them when driving, though lots of folks do with no problems. I know the couple times our horses were outside with face covers on, in the dark, they were WILD. They “circled the wagons”, with everyone backed together and ready to fight as I approached!! Couldn’t see me, tell who or what I was, so it was dangerous!! Had to do some FAST talking, to get close enough safely, to start pulling off the face covers. This even with older, brave horses, just couldn’t see with the face covers. We made SURE we got home before dark, if anyone was outside with a face cover on after that. So that makes me a bit wary to use the face covers in a Driving situation.

Eve Dexter from Canada drives a Pair of VSEs, and also uses a collar set up on her Driving bridles. They are very small equines, lots of hair. I thought it was a great idea when I saw it. She has modified the bridles permanently, so the collars are on and don’t look removable like mine. Looks neat and workmanlike when she is driving.

I always suggest using a Western, leather curb strap, for a gullet strap. Inexpensive, good length for a horse and can easily be trimmed for a pony, more holes punched to tighten it. You can shoe polish or dye it black, almost invisible in use.

[Chewbacca]

I got a small dog collar from the $1 store, and it worked quite well. Haha. Clearly this was for non-showing purposes, but I was using it on my little grullo mare when she was a wheeler in my tandem.

It made for an interesting few minutes when she rubbed her bridle off on my leader’s croup! lol! Thankfully, she’s just the type to stop on grass, none the less, trying to untangle lines, turn my leader back around and bridle the wheeler back up while still keeping my leader lines through her roger rings was interesting.

Dog collar worked, and it never happened again!

[RMJacobs]

Can someone post a link to a picture of how you do the dog collar?

Salt rubbed his bridle partly off a couple of weeks ago. Luckily he has a great response to a verbal “whoa!” He stopped, I got out of the cart and fixed his bridle, we went on.

But it might be different another time…so I’d like to see what you guys are describing.

Rebecca

[susanne]

I’ve heard too many stories of gullet straps NOT working to trust them. Yes, I suppose they are better than nothing, but not much.

I believe the real answer would be a throatlatch strap that attaches to the center of the crown and goes directly around the throat, not running through the browband or concho. This would prevent the crown from slipping over the ears without being to tight around the throat.

[goodhors]

Well, courtesy of Metamora Photos, here is a picture of Eve’s VSEs with their set-back throatlatch/collar set up. No chance of bridles coming off, using this arrangement. I have seen her using these bridles for several years, animals appear comfortable, certainly are competitive, and has to be one less thing to worry about while using them. I expect she got the bridles custom made to her design. Changes the pull to back further on the throat area, instead of the oblique line most throatlatches have, coming down from the crown pieces.

http://www.metamoraphoto.com/gallery/displayimage-196-9734.html#top_display_media

Here is a photo of our horses, wearing collars behind the bridles. Collars were a bit too tight, had the wrong length made. We have since gotten longer collars made, which sit back further and don’t have to be snugged up so tight. But that was all we had that day, so we used them. On the off-side horse, you can see how it lays behind the bridle where I wanted them, but on the buckle side the collar was too close to bridle. Still, NO CHANCE of bridles coming off, and it didn’t cut into their wind when on the bit. Just not quite long enough, by one hole. The boys really get sweaty heads, and you just can’t crank the bridle straps, throatlatches, tight enough without making horses uncomfortable. So now we use the collars as second throatlatches. Changes the pull of the anchor point, to where bridle can’t come all the way off. Might slip forward a bit around the ears like with my tie up halter, but not going to fall entirely off before I can stop and fix the problem. Bridle is just “incorrectly fitted” for a moment, horse might be uncomfortable with bit hanging wrong, ears crushed, willing to stop and wait for the fix by me. Your Whoa training time is much appreciated at this moment!!

http://s1355.photobucket.com/user/goodhors1/media/Yankee%20Breeching/DSCN1905_zps7f029943.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

Gullet straps are real helpful, but not always the only answer with slippery heads, tiny ears, BIG manes and forelocks. Safety first.

[buck22]

Goodhors you are always good for fascinating information!! Thank you. I LOVE the idea of a collar! You’re right it does look tidy.

I meant to comment on your other thread, your horses look absolutely fantasic, what lovely animals. I LOVE roached manes and have been itching to roach my guy’s. What is the purpose of the tuft of mane left long by the wither? For protection with a collar?

[romewhip]

I love the extended throatlatch, like an Australian Barcoo bridle. I don’t have a head shaker, but I could see him getting his bridle off and the regular gullet strap just doesn’t do him any good.

When I had a fjord I left the tuft at the withers after roaching her mane. I used the tuft when mounting for riding, and I liked the look of it too.

[goodhors]

Withers hair is left on for withers protection, they are very thin skinned at the top of the withers. With rolling after being sweaty, we just figured leaving mane there would add some extra layering before they got down to skin on rough ground. And mane hair is a bit of cushion, air space, for shoulder strap or collar of the harness, at the top of the neck.

Hank of hair on withers does make a good place to grab for holding on, riding bareback. My days of swinging up bareback on 17H horses using some mane, have long gone! I use a mounting block now and saddle horn for getting on, lets me be smoother.

[China_Doll]

I am wondering if those that are having an issue with bridles staying on maybe do not have them adjusted properly in other areas than the throat latch. I also never allow my horse to scratch on anything when being handled in any way shape or form.

[goodhors]

[QUOTE=China Doll;7197107]
I am wondering if those that are having an issue with bridles staying on maybe do not have them adjusted properly in other areas than the throat latch. I also never allow my horse to scratch on anything when being handled in any way shape or form.[/QUOTE]

This is a great ideal to have, but sometimes they just will rub, especially in Multiples like we drive. I have also SEEN a bridle just “flap” loose when a horse shakes their head. Force of a shake makes everything move away from skull, so it “just came off” despite correct bridle adjustments. I have done the “tighten as hard as possible” and it doesn’t work on that horse of ours who likes to rub. Some horses resent all buckles being in the last hole tight, won’t work for you like they can. It is painful, and we have the suggested bridle settings, harness adjustments, because those are comfortable, while being good averages. You don’t wear a belt in the tightest hole, you fit it towards the center hole. Your shoe laces snug up the shoe sides, not pulled tight to make the edges meet with the laces. Not comfortable settings for wearing those items.

And I have to say that a sweaty head is like it has been GREASED. Everything moves with sweat lubrication, you can’t choke working horse with a greatly tightened throatlatch. Ours have the sweat running off all parts of their body while getting them properly conditioned. So a head rub on his buddy, happens no matter HOW you try to prevent it. I am sure it itches like crazy, so a rub is not worth killing him over, when EVERYTHING else horse does for us is PERFECT in the work. Sweat running on me, is dreadfully, irresistably itchy, so I can’t get mad about sweaty horse trying to get ONE LITTLE rub done.

Horses who work hard are not robots, have natural reactions to how they feel if things like drippy sweat or sweat under bridle or harness bother them. Our horses sweat a lot, shows us they are gaining fitness, cleaning their pores, being horses.

I just need come up with other ideas so bridle can’t come off by accident.

[RMJacobs]

Thanks for the pics, Goodhors!

Salt is good about not rubbing–he knows he’s not supposed to do it when he’s working, but on days that the flies are really bad, it’s hard as you say not to let him sneak in a quick scratch. He has good size ears and not much forelock, so most of the time we don’t have a problem.

Flies will be gone soon to our Colorado winter (first snow expected tomorrow at our elevation), so I’ll figure something out for next summer. Ugh. Snow. I would like to skip it this year, and have it be about 65 degrees all winter. Not happening, I know, but I can wish…

Rebecca

[susanne]

Goodhorse, that is what I had seen referred to as Australian trail bridles – likely what romewhip was referring to.

I read recently that Marjean at Camptown Harness has no-rub-off bridles like this; I believe they are patterned after one designed by Barb Lee. I don’t know if it was a limited supply or what, but it would be worth looking into.

[goodhors]

Since I first posted, I learned that Eve Dexter’s bridles with the set-back throat latches were a Barb Lee design, made up by Camptown harness. So you are right on all counts, Susanne!!

Marjean recently offered some left-overs of this design for discounted sale, but they went quick. Not sure if she has any now, though you could give her a call. Or order new ones from her. Sorry, I can’t remember the exact correct name, to find them on her site. They were NOT cheap, even marked down. Search for Camptown Harness.

[susanne]

Camptown has more available, but they are considerably more expensive than the closeouts.

Here’s my question, though…goodhorse, you may have some thoughts on this.

The Barb Lee design has a ring that attaches to an extension of the browband. If it were a single strap attaching only at the crown going directly around the throatlatch, it seems as if it would have less wiggle room than with the joint at the ring.

Perhaps this is just one of those physics dilemmas that keep me awake at night…