Equipment to start longlining

[simplygenuine]

Hi I am getting ready to start my 3 year old ASB mare to longlining. Our eventual goal is saddleseat english pleasure but I want to get her broke to driving first. I have a trainer that will break her to cart, but they want me to get her started ground driving. She has worn a surcingle and crupper but never a full bitting rig. I'm wondering what would be the best one to start her in and can I begin longlining her in it?

I saw this one on schneiders tack: http://www.sstack.com/english_training_ground-driving-equipment/raleigh-all-leather-bitting-harness/

I am open to any suggestions! I just need one that goes from bitting rig to longlining.
Thank you!

[SmartAlex]

You will get a lot of different replies, because everyone has their preferences. My long lining equipment is pieced together from a lot of makers, but I love it. I sold it to my sister when I got out of horses, and when I got back in, I went right back for the same stuff. One thing to beware of with Schneiders tack, Billy Royal brnad in particular, is that they are geared towards the Arabian market, and not all their stuff will fit an ASB. I've ended up sending quite a bit of it back and sticking with National Bridle and World Champion Equipment.

Surcingle:
http://www.nationalbridle.com/product-p/1-1042.htm

Crupper: (Love this design)
http://www.sstack.com/English_Training_Ground-Driving-Equipment/Billy-Royal-Leather-Crupper/

Lines: (Pulleys removed)
http://www.nationalbridle.com/product-p/1-1232.htm

I've had a variety of side check bridles, and I've never found one I love, so you can take other advice on that. Normally I just use a regular snaffle bridle with no check.

My side reins are National Bridle with no elastic, and I don't see those anymore. This design looks useful:
http://www.sstack.com/Draw---Side-Reins-/Raleigh-Double-Adjustable-Side-Reins/

[Supreme69]

Pretty much the same as stated above. All of my equipment is pieced together from different makers. Some of it I got through catalogs and some at tack auctions. I have 2 surcingles. One I got from WC back in 1996( it has a small dumbjock on it) and another one I bought from a friend. I have 2 sets of longlines. One with pulleys and one without. I use a plain snaffle bridle, a sidecheck bridle and an overcheck bridle. They are all open bridles so I have a blinker hood too. I have the side reins with the elastic and without, but just use them for stall bridling and to lunge in sometimes. I also use an old polo wrap for a breast collar and a martingale. I don't use the martingale all the time though.

Jana
Cres-Or-Lar Stable

[SmartAlex]

I don't often use a martingale for lining either, but if you're looking for a martingale, this is the BEST design:
http://www.sstack.com/Martingales/Raleigh-Adjustable-Training-Martingale/

I also have only open bridles and a blinker hood. One thing you may want, if your surcingle is big enough, is a nice fleece tail set back pad to keep it from sliding around as much.

[RKR]

[QUOTE=simplygenuine;92285]Hi I am getting ready to start my 3 year old ASB mare to longlining. Our eventual goal is saddleseat english pleasure but I want to get her broke to driving first. I have a trainer that will break her to cart, but they want me to get her started ground driving. She has worn a surcingle and crupper but never a full bitting rig. I'm wondering what would be the best one to start her in and can I begin longlining her in it?

I saw this one on schneiders tack: http://www.sstack.com/english_training_ground-driving-equipment/raleigh-all-leather-bitting-harness/

I am open to any suggestions! I just need one that goes from bitting rig to longlining.
Thank you![/QUOTEU Useing a bitting rig before teaching lateral flexion is a recipe for disaster. All you'll do is teach a horse to pull and lean on the reins and you'll be working against yourself. Start with one rein, the horse has enough trouble figureing out two reins, and teach him to give to the side, left side and right side. Once he's soft and supple, put someone at his head to lead him and start walking behind him and teach him whoa from a walk. Once he gets the idea you're on the way. RKR Actually to teach him to guide you don't need anything but lines and a bridle, or if his teeth aren't floated just use a halter.

[SaddlebredMom]

I don't often use a martingale for lining either, but if you're looking for a martingale, this is the BEST design:
http://www.sstack.com/Martingales/Raleigh-Adjustable-Training-Martingale/


This is the martingale we use and it is great, especially the double adjustable fork. It does fit our 17 hand big guy ASB, but as SmartAlex posted earlier, a lot of Schneider's tack doesn't as it is geared for the arabian. They have great customer service though, including an online chat feature, and are always willing to go measure whatever item I am shopping for to make sure it's large enough.

[SaddlebredMom]

Last edited by RKR : Today at 07:28 PM. Reason: alzheimers

LOL! :laugh:

[RKR]

[QUOTE=SaddlebredMom;92306]LOL! :laugh:[/QUOTE Longlineing means different things to different folks...My thought is to many it means going around in circles and patterns with long lines(reins). After awhile we resort to some sort of leverage set up, namely draw lines, to get that head set. From there many of us find ourselves driving the horse into the bridle, often times with a little more bit . From that point we are constantly guessing just what bit to use to get that same feel with straight lines. Just for the heck of it, look at it from a different angle...instead of long lining, look at it as teaching to guide....and for simplicity sake do it in an enclosed space, the stall is ideal. With the horse relaxed, just get it yielding just a tad , after that strive for a bigger give, until he's nice and soft, from both sides. From here go to two reins, and from the ground start asking for just a little vertical give and be quick with the reward. Build on it just like the lateral flexion. Get the horse used to your hands over its withers , along with leaning on him until you can actually lay across his back from both sides. If you do this you have a good chance of not even needing any sort of bitting rig , your horse will never know what it is to pull because it knows the release is its reward. You'll be on his back in no time, or behind him with a cart, with a nice supple horse. This beats the other way all to heck in my opinion, and once you get to that point you are indeed ready for lining where the conditioning process begins. Teach the very basics first, and get it down solid....Then the rest is easy. RKR

[simplygenuine]

Thank you! I was hoping to buy it all in one, but i figured that was just wishful thinking! Do you think i could just get an open bridle with removable side checks and just use them when needed? And what would be a good bit to start with? Which are better side reins with elastic or just leather?

[RKR]

Thank you! I was hoping to buy it all in one, but i figured that was just wishful thinking! Do you think i could just get an open bridle with removable side checks and just use them when needed? And what would be a good bit to start with? Which are better side reins with elastic or just leather?

Open bridles lead to much more relaxation since the horse can see you. Full cheek smooth snaffles are useful to start one. Your hands are still the best side reins in your tool chest...side reins are a distant second since they can't think....challenge yourself to do it all without them, and I'll bet you'll get what you want, besides, they aren't needed until much later, if at all. RKR

[simplygenuine]

The bit for a bitting rig has to be a straight bar correct? I was just wondering does it have to be a half cheek or can it be loose ring or something else? I am having a really hard time finding a half cheek mullen bit.
Thank you!

[SmartAlex]

No, It depends on your goals. A bitting rig bit can be whatever you want, whatever the horse likes or whatever he is having to learn to deal with. I usually use just a fat, single jointed, loose ring snaffle, or a rubber mullen mouth pelham on the snaffle ring. But I had a horse who needed to learn to keep his tongue in his mouth, and for that I used a waterford, which happened to have a full cheek.

[NBChoice]

^^I use a fat, jointed loose ring snaffle too. Seems to work great for my horse!

[Youngatheart]

RKR- Concerning useing the one rein. Now let me get this straight, is this one rein used with the sursingle and in the stall or round pen? Also, if this is the case is it beneficial to refreshen the mouth of a older horse?

[RKR]

RKR- Concerning useing the one rein. Now let me get this straight, is this one rein used with the sursingle and in the stall or round pen? Also, if this is the case is it beneficial to refreshen the mouth of a older horse?

I always used it at the very beginning in the stall, where the horse was relaxed. All you do is tie the horse's head around so it's just a little (4" or so) pressure. Basically all you're trying for is a small give by the horse, right and left. Do it by hand at first, many times, till the horse gets the idea of yielding with very little pressure. That's the start of a supple horse and lateral flexion. Before going to the full blown bitting rig , get that part down perfectly, and then start working on the vertical flexion (head set). Do it by hand also until your horse understands and you'll avoid any accidents that bitting rigs cause. Usually they happen because too much pressure is applied before the horse understands . With Mueller we usually just tied the head around to the tail, but you better know how before doing it. surcingle will be just fine, and I'd suggest starting with the top ring rather than low. As for refreshing a mouth, if you get the lateral flexion accomplished the vertical flexion comes almost automatically....horses seek relief from pressure, and it's the immediate release that is the key. RKR