Riding in a halter for a green person is a great way to save the horse mouth for all your mistakes. Some people use the horse mouths to balance themselves while riding. Some people don't realize how harsh they are to their horse.

Riding with a halter in a safe place or even on a lunge line with an assistant is a great way to teach someone how to ride and save the horses mouth at the same time. It is not fair for a green person to be pulling on any horse's sensitive mouth if they cannot ride with good communication. Riding with a halter is a great way to get a good independent seat and is much more forgiving than the bit.

My halter is no different that the bit. I still have the same control. A rope halter can be very harsh when pulled on. I believe it is one of the same. I feel that your horse could be as dangerous with even a snaffle bit in their mouth if you use too much pressure. Pulling hard on a horse's mouth can flip them over and cut their mouths. I have seen many people get into trouble that are green by pulling to hard on the horses mouth or using it to balance themselves.

The point that I am trying to make is it's the mouth that is one of the most sensitive places on a horse. Nothing is worse than a toothache or even when I bite my lip or cheek. AHHHH! You can't eat or talk and the headaches. I don't want to cause my horse any harm especially hurting such a sensitive area.

A Clinician told me once that if a horse accidentally steps on the reins even with a snaffle bit on that it will bruise their mouth so bad that they will NEVER be a good bit horse. That one step will injure their mouth so bad they will not be able to perform to their potential. That has stuck with me since that day. It makes so much sense. To think all of the times in the past that my horse has done that. I am very careful about the bit and only use it for advanced movement never for control of a horse.

Times are changing in the horse world. We need to help all those horses out. We discovered Clicker Training a positive way to train that works. We have taken the force out of training and brought it to something beautiful.

I am not saying you have to go out there cold turkey, or that your not a good person if you don't ride in a halter that's not true at all. Some of us are very good riders and have good reason to ride with a bit.

It was also new to me when I first started and it did take time to get used to but it was worth it to me and it really did not take that long. Riding with a halter is a beautiful thing.

Just something to think about.

Leslie, OK

Better Way Farms