I have been giving side pulls a thought lately and am wondering which do you like the best. The leather with the double rope nose band, or single rope such as Chicks sell or the poly rope flattened like Long rider sells. I am riding one horse in an english hackamore right now and thought about changing and another in a snaffle bit. Also have a young horse which I haven’t ridden much and am thinking about her also. Any imput would be appreciated
When I was looking, it seemed like the ones with the rope nosebands would be harsh on my mare’s nose- she’s a super thinned skinned Paso Fino. I searched and finally found one on eBay with a leather noseband.
The guy who did the 30 days training with my mare also used the ones with the leather noseband, don’t know where he found his.
I put some cheap halter fleece over the noseband when Sugar is being ridden a lot as she is getting some white hairs. She does tend to stick her head out but is getting better with miles (I got her as a barely broke 8yo).
Are you trying to go bitless? Or are you wanting one of the combination bridles?
I really like my jumping hackamore. It blends in well enough that very few people notice my horse isn’t wearing a bit until they take a closer look. http://www.horseloverz.com/TORY-LEATHER-Jumping-Hackamore-pr-190910.html I use it to do hunter paces/chases/anywhere I want to look traditional, but don’t necessarily need a bit.
I can’t use the rope nose sidepulls on my horse, they rub his nose too badly. My FIL uses one of the combination rope nose ones on his barrel horse and it doesn’t seem to rub him.
I also have this: http://store.runningbear.com/catalog/display.php?cartid=4ee398520b750&zid=1&lid=1&cat=37&scat=284 in bright blue for endurance. I like it because it has the option to clip a bit on if I want it, but can quickly take it off and switch to bitless quickly if I want to. If you want something like that, but more traditional looking it comes in brown beta that looks like leather unless you’re pretty close to it.
I ride one mare in a hackamore and the other 2 in bits. Hackamore mare is pretty light and thought that she might go well in a side pull. Mare # 2 hates it when I put her bridle on. If I take the bit off first, then she is fine when the bridle is put on, but doesn’t want it with the bit on so I’m thinking she is uncomfortable in a bit, so I have been looking for something to make her happy. She is a super trail horse and I want to keep her that way. Mare # 3 is very green, so thought she might do well in a side pull also. At least try it on her to see. Just not sure if I want to go leather or poly-propylene that Long rider’s sells
What are your goals? You should select your tack and gear based upon the goals you wish to accomplish.
Sidepulls are one common option for starting a horse under saddle. So are snaffles, bosals, hackemores, and a variety of other devices. Each has positive and negative atributes. Each comes from an equine training tradition (some traditions being older and more respected than others).
The sidepull is also an option, along with other devices, for horses with mouth pathology or injury.
We’ve got a coming three year old that will go under saddle in the spring with the biggest wolf teeth I’ve ever seen. The vet will be out soon to take them out, but in the mean time we’re long lining him in the sidepull. It’s working out just fine. Once he’s ready we’ll start him in a snaffle.
The bit was developed before the time of Xenophon because it gives a high level of good communication with the horse. In the wrong hands it can cause injury, but so can almost any piece of tack or equipment.
Consider your goals, then make your choice.
G.
When I was leasing my mare four years ago, I was riding her in a western headstall around the ranch and an add-on bridle for the trails. Both had a full cheek snaffle bit. She was pretty great riding no matter what, but then the lease fell through (her owner was kind of a jerk, and even though I offered to take her over and pay all expenses for her if he’d give her to me since he lived out of town, he made a stink about “value” and blah blah – so no more lease)
Anyway, got her back last year and when it came time to start riding and working with her, I got her a sidepull from Long Riders. In pink.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/dreamswept/Jet/248d5903.jpg
She’s super going with a bit or a sidepull, since I do have an english bridle for her with the full cheek snaffle, but prefer to ride her 99% of the time in the sidepull even out on the ranch trails. I ride my Haflinger with a Myler comfort snaffle and a short shank hackamore, but really like the sidepull for the mare because she’s much more responsive than he is.
Part of the reason why I work her so much in a sidepull is because I might occasionally allow friends to ride her, and I don’t want anyone on her mouth, but me.
That is one of the side pulls that I was looking at. My goals are simple. I want a safe, happy trail horse. Horse #1 has a low pallet,which is why she is in a hackamore. Horse #2 is turning into a really nice trail horse. I can pony another horse with her, cut branches from a tree and have them fall on her and she stands perfectly still, but she is very fussy when putting on her bridle, so I have this feeling that she is uncomfortable wearing a bit. I have had her mouth checked and everything is good. She is quite sensitive so I thought a side pull might make her happy.
Bottom line here is, use whatever you and your horse are comfortable with. If your horse goes best in a sidepull and you aren’t doing something (say competitive dressage) that requires a bit, go for it.
I’ve taken some flak for riding my Arab bitless, but he behaves himself and I can ride with a bit, I just choose not to in a lot of situations. He likes going bitless, especially on trails because he can eat
I definately will stay bitless with my 1/2 arab mare. Just wanted to try a side pull instead of an english hackamore. Can’t decide between leather or poly rope type.
I’d consider a Little S hackamore- it can sit looser on the face than a properly fitted sidepull, and she likely would be quite happy in it. replace the curb chain with a wide leather one, you’re all set.
The sidepull I have is braided leather over a flexible cable that holds the shape of the nose. It sits nice, fairly gentle but has some bite when needed. My Arab is much happier with it then a bit. Have used it for years on many horses. I think I purchased it at Libertyville Saddleshop about 15 years ago. I would say the “natural horsemanship” style sidepulls are comparable.
Rope from www.sunsethalters.com. Customized, fit to my horse, top quality rope, lasts forever and wonderful.
My favorites are:
Lindell
Diana Thompson
Moss Rock Endurance
All three are classic sidepulls with NO, boa-contrictor-type pressure like Dr. Cooks or Nurtural (hate those)
They are ergonomically designed with a throatlatch strap further forward on the face to truly stabilize the headstall so that when you pull on one side, you aren’t twisting the whole thing.
I hate seeing bosals and riding-type-halters where the opposite cheekpiece is literally almost IN the horses’ eye, when pulling the other way.
The above three sidepulls are extremely ergonomic, very STABLE on the head, and aren’t too harsh either.
I trail ride in the Moss Rock Endurance Side Pull because I can’t afford the Diana Thompson or Lindell.
Just looked at the side pulls that you mentioned. Your right the Lindell and Diana Thompson are beautiful, but like you cannot afford them. Is the biothane the same as what the wintec bridle is made of? I’m asking because a friend got a wintec bridle and when it came, it was kind of crunched up from being in the box and she never could get it straightened out. It just stayed bent. When she put it on the horse’s head, it stayed bent. It never hung nicely. Anyway, the moss rock one looks quite interesting and I think I will research that one some more. I want to thank everyone for their response.
Sonata - Yes, I just LOVE the Diana Thompson and Lindell! Those are the simply the BEST sidepulls from a design and quality and comfort perspective.
The Moss Rock Endurance has the same design, but it is with Bio/Betathane. The material is NOTHING like what you describe the Wintec bridle to be made of. Mine does not retain any sort of shape. It is more like a synthetic leather with almost a rubbery type of retention (so you can’t bend it into a shape and it stays that way)
Here’s a photo of mine. My only complaint is that I’d prefer the material on the noseband to be a stiffer leather or even the rawhide if it is COVERED by neoprene, like the Lindell has the option for.
That said, my mare is very easy and she goes fine in this on the trails. Here’s a VERY unflattering photo of it on her, while she was eating her dinner:
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk150/elaineshickman/Tack%20and%20Equipment/FancySidepullMRE.jpg
Oh, and I forgot there is one more manufacturer/brand that has the same design as the Lindell and D.T. It is the Equihof Bitless Bridle…isn’t it LOVELY!!!
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk150/elaineshickman/Tack%20and%20Equipment/Equihofbitlessbridle.jpg
She’s adorable… 
Hey, a girl’s gotta eat…lol
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk150/elaineshickman/Tack%20and%20Equipment/FancySidepullMRE.jpg
I tried the Dr. Cook bitless and my mare just laughed at me… 
Although, that is when I first bought her and we were still feeling each other out.
Right now, I’m trying an English Hackamore with success. Other than that, I love the Mylar Combination Bit.
I’ve seen side pulls before, but does yours have any curb action? (In the picture I posted) It kind of looks like it would.
Then again, I was at the barn all day and my eyes could be playing tricks. 
H2 - thanks! That’s probably the most unflattering photo of Fancy, EVER. Just to show Fancy in a more flattering light, this is what her head/face NORMALLY look like:
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk150/elaineshickman/Fancy%20Family/Elaine1_crop.jpg
and
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk150/elaineshickman/Fancy%20Family/PICT0049.jpg
As for your question - no - the one I have doesn’t have ANY curb or any leverage or “tightening” type of design. The two brass rings you see on the side are where the reins attach.
Here is a better photo of the MRE Sidepull that I have:
http://www.mossrockendurance.com/images/ChrisSidepull.jpg
There is a seperate ring just for the reins to attach
I really do not care for any of the cross-under bitless bridles that constrict on the horses’ face like a boa-constrictor (Dr. Cooks and Nurtural) and I really don’t care for the “opposite direction cue” that it creates as you pull on the left rein, the rein is attached on the right side of the face…
[QUOTE=Huntertwo;6023896]
She’s adorable… Hey, a girl’s gotta eat…lol
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk150/elaineshickman/Tack%20and%20Equipment/FancySidepullMRE.jpg
I tried the Dr. Cook bitless and my mare just laughed at me… Although, that is when I first bought her and we were still feeling each other out.
Right now, I’m trying an English Hackamore with success. Other than that, I love the Mylar Combination Bit.
I’ve seen side pulls before, but does yours have any curb action? (In the picture I posted) It kind of looks like it would.
Then again, I was at the barn all day and my eyes could be playing tricks. [/QUOTE]
Thanks for the explanation… And yes, she still is cute.
My favorite bitless option is the Indian bosal from Crazy Ropes. It crosses under the jaw for a little more “bite” than a plain sidepull, if you need it. Very easy to use; I’ve trained and ridden thousands of miles in mine. I use the halter/bosal combo. (In fact, those are mostly my horses in the pics on the site; I have no affiliation with the company except that the owner donated an Indian bosal for a blog contest a couple years ago.)
buyer beware of crazyropes right now
I was hoping to get the one BarbeyGirl had linked to, from Crazy Ropes, and ordered it in November 17, and sadly have not heard from them AT ALL. I now have a paypal dispute open, so buyer beware! They look like a really nice product, and an inexpensive foray into trying bitless for me.
