What do you do "wrong" on purpose?

[endlessclimb]

You know when you’re looking at someone’s tack, and their bit is upside down - you think “dang, that person doesn’t know what they’re doing”.

But, I guess, maybe they do!

For me:

1. I intentionally put my side reins on “backwards” because I don’t want the metal clip clanging around on the bit. So I clip the elastic part to the surcingle, and do the nylon/smooth side to the bit. It doesn’t make any difference in the functionality of them, so…

Those nylon clip-back type side reins like this: https://www.bigdweb.com/product/code/28-37.do?gclid=Cj0KCQjwy6T1BRDXARIsAIqCTXpLiD_LXasjQX4Rvdj5p1vHlUvPM2nAwj-f2FyEdwOH71GSCVggvkwaAtGGEALw_wcB

2. When I lunge, I hold the whip low and behind me (not in a driving position). I use my body to ask for a transition first, then voice, then I can bring the whip into view with the flick of the wrist. I think keeping it in a driving position desensitizes a horse too much to it.

So, what do you do “wrong” on purpose?

[Toblersmom]

Regularly lead, put on tack, etc from the off side. Not all the time but I try to keep things “even”.

[Obsidian_Fire]

Get on from the “wrong” side. Lead from the wrong side, put tack on. Allow my mare to ‘self soothe’ by touching my hand (it’s how she checks in when anxious).
Lead 2 horses at a time (been known to do 4, but I knew them well).

I am sure I do plenty that’s “wrong”, but define “wrong”! :lol:

[NC001]

@Toblersmom

Regularly lead, put on tack, etc from the off side. Not all the time but I try to keep things “even”.

We went to try a horse and my daughter got on on the ‘wrong’ side and an older lady commented on it like she just broke some absolute rule. I was thinking - if this horse can’t handle some one mounting from both sides we aren’t interested. I see no reason to only train a horse to one side. The woman sure shut up once she saw my daughter ride.

[Beck]

There’s “wrong” and there is “wrong”. The mounting side isn’t “wrong” it’s just against convention. Same for posting diagonals. There are things you can do “wrong” that do matter. Hopefully nobody does those deliberately!

[Fellbutbackup]

Pick all their feet from one side.

Make my own horsey products.

Mount/lead/tack up/go on long handwalks from off side.

Not really wrong but counter-bend constantly

Use a rope halter in an English barn

Wear yoga leggings instead of breeches

Experiment with different lunging aids, sometimes out together or self made

Wear an equivisor

Wear bike gloves for riding gloves

Use bright yellow polos

”Forget” to comb out shavings from my horse’s mane and tail

[HereComesZach]

@Fellbutbackup

Not really wrong but counter-bend constantly

I’m just curious about this one, what are you working on that you are counter bending all the time? (not being snarky, this just stuck out to me and I’m genuinely curious :))

[tabula_rashah]

I do lots of things that are non-traditional- horse gets to eat with a bit (while trail riding), mount/ lead from both sides, ride in sneakers 99% of the time (with caged stirrups), put ice water on a hot horse, trot/gait through rocky territory that a lot wouldn’t walk through, trail ride by myself, lunge in a halter, and probably about a million other things. I go by- if it works for you and your horse and isn’t hurting anyone or particularly unsafe, go for it. I HATE tradition as a reason for doing or not doing something. Tradition if for celebrating holidays etc and has no place in training horses

[endlessclimb]

@Beck

There’s “wrong” and there is “wrong”. The mounting side isn’t “wrong” it’s just against convention. Same for posting diagonals. There are things you can do “wrong” that do matter. Hopefully nobody does those deliberately!

Oh totally agree! I’m just talking about stuff that if one of you came up to me and saw my side reins on backwards without knowing anything else, you might think I’m a ding dong. But it’s on purpose! Those types of things. Non-safety related!

[endlessclimb]

I’ll use a chambon AND really loose side reins at the same time. I want the head down, but I don’t want the nose 100% free if I’m working on finding contact. But without the chambon, the horse can just cavort around with their head in the air.

^another “wrong” thing.

I’ve also ridden in a chambon. I can’t figure out why people would say it’s unsafe under saddle while a neck stretcher is, so I just got on. I looped the strap on a breastplate so it couldn’t get too low and off we went.

[Renn_aissance]

I school horses to be used to being mounted from both sides. To me that’s manners.

I cross tie with the throat latch of the halter unclipped. My horse’s vision is declining in one eye and if he catches something out of that eye he will go backwards to turn his head and understand what he’s seeing. I don’t want him getting hung up in the ties if he does this- I would rather he be able to back out of his halter. (For this reason most of the time I ground tie him instead, but at a barn with impressionable beginners I don’t want to set the example of leaving a ground tied horse unattended.)

[endlessclimb]

In cross ties is it “wrong” to clip to the upper rings instead of the lower rings? Or is it wrong to clip to the lower ones?

Assuming both are behaved:

Short horses are clipped to uppers. Tall horses to lowers. I want both to be able to relax with their heads down.

[Angela_Freda]

@endlessclimb

In cross ties is it “wrong” to clip to the upper rings instead of the lower rings? Or is it wrong to clip to the lower ones?

Assuming both are behaved:

Short horses are clipped to uppers. Tall horses to lowers. I want both to be able to relax with their heads down.

I personally don’t like using the ring at the top of the halter near they eye because it’s, well, near the eye.

[Foxglove]

Ride after feeding (both riding horses get about one handful of grain to get them in the barn, but my teenage help scolded me and told me I’d give them colic. Don’t shoe my hunt horses --neither one needs shoes (according to my farrier of 30 years) --ride “Western” when I’m hunting --loose reins, one handed --not over fences, but pretty much the rest of the time. And, drives my kids nuts --use my Western tack but wear English attire when riding at home. But isn’t that mom’s job to embarrass the kids ? (All over 30 FYI).

[2DogsFarm]

My “Wrongs” are all fine for me, horses at home in my own barn.
In a boarding situation they would be unsafe.
That said:

*Allow mini to follow me in the service door when I feed.
He entertains himself noshing on the baled hay stacked on pallets across from the stalls.
2 others go into their stalls from paddock & wait patiently for their hay, then grain.
When I’m ready to feed grain, I open mini’s stall door to the aisle & tell him “Go to your house!”
He complies.

*Turn all 3 into my indoor when stalls are extra messy or weather is bad.
I can then pick stalls in peace while they runbuckfartroll in there. When stalls are clean, I leave sliding doors from aisle open, open the gate to the indoor & everyone comes in & goes to “their” stall.
Usually at a sedate walk, but on occasion trotting :uhoh:

*Groom Hackney Pony while he stands loose n the aisle.
For some reason - after 10yrs with me (he turned 20 in March) :rolleyes: - he is antsy about having his off side groomed while he is in his stall.
Once in the aisle he’s fine standing untied for both sides to be groomed.
Go, figure.

*This Wrong is really my Boss Horse (TWH) being Boss.
He allows mini to share his hay. They routinely eat hay in the same stall, even though mini has his own flake, in his own stall.
Stall doors at the back, leading to paddock are always open.
Mini eats his own grain then wanders into Walker’s stall.
At first I carefully monitored so I could intervene if it looked like horse was going to get nasty. Never happened.
Even when horse has not quite finished his grain from the pan on the floor, and mini comes in & does a “You gonna finish that?” nosepoke approach, the worst I’ve seen is flattened ears & side-eye.
He is a Benevolent Dictator.

[nu5ha]

What do I do “wrong “ - life… joke joke

I actually do a lot of “wrong” things and if it wasn’t for the barn I’m at or have my horses at home I wouldn’t do a lot of the stuff, just because I have done some things before in previous barn and have been given warnings (mounting from the “wrong” side, leading from “wrong” side, leading 2 horses, riding without appropriate mechanism to control horse at the time was riding in a head collar to name a few)
I let most of my horses roam around the out door area of the stable, I let my horses roam around the desert while I ride they usually stay with me sometimes they get bored and want their hay they walk back home.
I don’t always tie my horses up to tack up, wash them, clip them, sometimes I just park them in the washing area and they just stand while I do what I need to do.
I ride in trainers a lot of the time, Also without a helmet (unless I’m jumping)
I pony my horses off a 4 wheel bike or a golf cart, couple of times from a car (I don’t do this with all my horses just 2 who are totally fine with it and we walk not anything else)
Wow I really am a very irresponsible horse mother.

[Scribbler]

I don’t do anything I consider wrong

I do trail ride in a dressage saddle and Western mechanical hackamore. I will let my horse wander loose to graze in patches of grass while I sit on a log. I had extra D rings installed on the back of my dressage saddle so I can tie a jacket or saddle bags on with latigos. I tack up my horse loose in her stall.

I don’t break the explicit rules of any barn I’m at, so if it’s no turnout in the indoor I won’t do that. But obviously in barns where it’s allowed I do that.

A lot is dependent on the individual horse and the environment. There are lazy sunny days where you can lead a horse with a rope around her neck, and crisp winter days where that same horse is unmanageable in a rope halter.

Btw I think all horses should lead handle and mount from both sides. If you do ground work or in hand that happens naturally. However I have found my body won’t let me mount from the wrong side. It short circuits. I can’t figure out where everything goes. I could do this as a teen
Now it’s like one of those rub your belly pat your head no can do tricks.

[endlessclimb]

@Scribbler

I don’t do anything I consider wrong

I do trail ride in a dressage saddle and Western mechanical hackamore. I will let my horse wander loose to graze in patches of grass while I sit on a log. I had extra D rings installed on the back of my dressage saddle so I can tie a jacket or saddle bags on with latigos. I tack up my horse loose in her stall.

I don’t break the explicit rules of any barn I’m at, so if it’s no turnout in the indoor I won’t do that. But obviously in barns where it’s allowed I do that.

A lot is dependent on the individual horse and the environment. There are lazy sunny days where you can lead a horse with a rope around her neck, and crisp winter days where that same horse is unmanageable in a rope halter.

Btw I think all horses should lead handle and mount from both sides. If you do ground work or in hand that happens naturally. However I have found my body won’t let me mount from the wrong side. It short circuits. I can’t figure out where everything goes. I could do this as a teen
Now it’s like one of those rub your belly pat your head no can do tricks.

Oh my, I totally get your last bit. I can do it, but it takes conscious effort and for some reason it physically hurts. Bizarre.

My new gal already mounts from both sides, and stands like a rock for it. I want to teach her how to scoot her booty over to line up to stuff, because I’ve always admired that as a really useful tool but never got around to teaching the old man because he’s short enough to get on from the ground. I think with cookies as the motivator, she will do anything!

[Jarpur]

Always train my horses to accept tacking up, mounting/dismounting, etc., from both sides. Lead multiple horses at one time (have led four or more), and have ponied multiple horses (up to four) at one time.

Usually lunge in a halter with a chain threaded through (taught how by my long-time “R” judge instructor, which is good enough for me), don’t bother to halter/tie the horses to de-worm, pick feet, shed them out, etc. Sometimes lead a horse by placing my hand under the chin, without bothering with a halter/lead rope.

Tighten girths while mounted, including short girths/long billets (the latter are not my favorite, but I’ve done it, when necessary).

Use bridles without throatlatches and/or browbands when I can (all of my horses have preferred as little on their heads as possible). One horse’s favorite bit is a mullen mouth pelham worn without a chain, with reins only on the snaffle rings - think he likes the weight of it - so that’s what he gets.

Never cross-tie.

Needless to say, these things apply to my personal horses, selected and/or bred, and trained, by me.

[Mouse_amp_Bay]

@Toblersmom

Regularly lead, put on tack, etc from the off side. Not all the time but I try to keep things “even”.

Oh, always! Me too. I grew up training dogs and am used to giving instructions on the left. My poor horses have all figured out that they need to lead on the right or left as required.