Bridle off while in harness!

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. This horse removed his bridle while still attached to the carriage. Accidents happen, and anyone can make a mistake, but with the right training you can prevent it becoming a major disaster.
Horse Drawn Promotions - Breaking horses to harness. http://www.horsedrawnpromotions.com/

Category:

Pets & Animals

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• Drawn
• Promotions
• Barry
• Hook
• carriage
• driving
• breaking
• schooling
• tuition
• training
• drive
• horse
• pony
• bridle
• off
• accident
• mistake
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• safe
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• prevent
• preventing
• disaster
• panic
• bolt
• kick
• harness
• problem
• cart

[evilxeyedxangel]

what kind of boots/wraps do you have on his rear legs???

[barryhook2]

@evilxeyedxangel He has bandages underneath fetlock boots, with a bit of sticky tape over the top to prevent them coming undone if he catches the fastenings while he's being driven. Sometimes we do not use bandages underneath the boots but this pony had sensitive skin so to prevent the boots rubbing where they cross around his legs we used bandages too (Gamgee pads tend to slip more easily).

[horsefeatherstx]

So my horse/horses can't remove their bridle, I have a gullet strap that hooks underneath their jaw from throat latch to noseband. They cannot remove the bridle and I don't have to crank down the throat latch. There was a horse in a parade that ended up killing a passenger (the driver's wife) because the horse managed to remove the bridle and then panicked. Glad your pony didn't panic. Love your videos.

[barryhook2]

@horsefeatherstx Thanks for your comment. We do have these straps - some have a loop on one end and a ring on the other, others have a ring on either end - we also keep headcollars on under the bridle and pass the bridle throatlash through the headcollar throatlash. We also like putting in a bridle path, especially with the hairier breeds, so that the bridle doesn't just slide off when all the hair underneath gets compressed.

[ErinAwsum]

This happened to me once with a standardbred stallion coming back into the barn, shook his head and the bridle slid off (was wearing an ear hood which made it easier for this to happen) - scary moment! Luckily we were able to get a halter on him and unhitch him before he realized he was free!

As far as the open vs. blind bridle debate, I think it really depends on the horse. Some like it better or are calmer when they can see everything while others are better with the blinkers on.

[melanierose69]

Thanks for the response - wasn't expecting that so soon! Proper training - above and beyond what most of the ponies I have seen - is what is needed to be stressed. Especially when the pony/horse in question has not been worked in an open bridle for some time. Your comment about the horses used in the past is valid to a point - theye worked for a living, in very different situations we put our horses in now.

[barryhook2]

Not that many years ago you would see horses all over towns and cities being left unattended whilst still in the carriage (milkmen, scrap men etc), standing by the side of the road, in the traffic, often while people were loading things onto the vehicle. We are not advocating that people do this though, merely showing what it is possible to achieve with a properly trained horse.

[barryhook2]

@melanierose69 Thanks for your comment. We do say on this video that people should not do this at home, but accidents do happen. Hence why we are showing that even though you should never leave a horse unattended when in a carriage, sometimes it happens. This horse was in our yard (which is enclosed by fence and gates). Our point is to show that with proper training, if this did happen, the horse is not afraid, hence the risk of an accident happening is actually greatly diminished.

[melanierose69]

Well trained horse, but can I ask why you left the horse unattended when it was hiched to the vehice? I have been taught to NEVER leave a horse unattended in that situation. Even if it is to just open a door /gate - whatever. The door is either opened first, or the horse is unhitched from the vehicle. What with insurance being what it is nowdays, we can't afford negligent accidents, and it is a bad thing to show people so they think they can do it, too.

[canuckmel]

I'm of the opinion of starting open, with your video proving why it is important. The worst wrecks have been from horses rubbing off bridles and seeing for the first time what's around them.