> She also told me that the bit she uses is similar to an English > snaffle except it has long metal pieces on the sides--I'm guessing > that those are shanks? She said she hardly has to use the reins and > her horse responds to the lightest touch--when she rode her horse > English with contact her horse was very heavy in the hands and she > found it very tiring.
Picture? > I'm curious--is her horse lighter and more responsive because of the > shanked bit? Depends. It depends on how the horse was trained; maybe whether he goes by "control" or "communication". Does he respond to the rider's body more than the bit? With contact, to me, in my opinion, will get you a horse that is heavier in the hand, than one who takes responsibility for his own body, and is able to use his body the way he needs to and not at the rider's whim. Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
