>>>> wrt sidepulls and no bit -- stjarni was taught an "emergency one-rein stop", according to his trainer. i've never had to use it. but since his head is as big as my whole torso and his neck probably weighs more than i do, *if* he was spooking and i was trying to do an emergency stop, i suspect i'd really want the extra leverage of the bit (even if his is only a french-link snaffle).
Many of the natural-type trainers won't let you use a bit until you've mastered riding in a halter with a single rein...and that includes doing all steering, turning and plenty of "bending to a stop" first, and riding at three gaits (w/t/c). >>> the middle of a bad spook is not the time to wish you'd used different tack... It's also not the time to practice bending a horse to stop, or a one-rein stop. If these things aren't second nature to you, you probably won't think to use them in a crisis. Karen Thomas, NC
