Okay, Okay, the Epiphany, Maybe

How do I put this? Hearing FernValley allow as how she's never used any type of longeing gadgetry/equipment, made my memory flash back In My Horse Time (IMHT). Way, way back, IMHT, horses still had heads up in the air.

They really have changed remarkably, haven't they? Well, if you're old like me, it's noticeable. It's why I've always sounded so surprised. I am, I ReallY am. Quarter Horses did NOT have level or lower as "normal". They just didn't. So, okay. The rock dweller (me) has arisen.

A lower natural head helps remove the need for the gadgets. I ThinK. And the only real "need" for the gadgets, is to initially help the horse know where he is to go, AND prepare him for the weight he's about to bear. Gadgets also lessen the probability of bucking. They don't eliminate it. I know.

But with a higher natural head carriage, a horse is also less able to buck. Never impossible. I know. Horses can do anything they want with their bodies, in the blink of a butterfly. With as little warning, too. The perfectly balanced within themselves capability is there until you weight them the first time. Lowering their head and stretching their necks down and forward shows them, prepares them physically, for your weight. Then you spend months building up his strength, so he can learn to carry you comfortably.

The initial ground work, leading, tying, grooming manners, loading, clipping are all beautifully covered elsewhere in the blogosphere. I only need add that an expectation of proper manners is your right as the human animal. The horse animal should always assume that the human is the leader. Period. I have my own personal space with horses, as I do with people. I'd let horses get closer, though:).

ANYway, one millionth thing I learned from GoLightly was, let the natural travel of the horse be your guide to everything you do with him/her. The mistake people make with side-reins, imo, is starting off far too tight, far too soon. And using them forever and ever and ever..

They should NEVER EVER need to be "tight". Ever. Unless a re-train is going on, and even then, "tight" would be the length needed for the horse to stand naturally, in his most comfortable, natural position, with an inch added.. By varying the length from left to right, eg. shorter left side-rein than right, you "show" them initial left lateral, or body flexion.
When starting a young horse, loose side-reins, are there just to guide, and to let the horse become accustomed to a bit in his mouth. And they only get pulled out if the horse starts to wander too much on the longe. They show the horse the channel I've blathered about.

When I first climbed onto Tad's back, I had a helper at the end of the longe. I'd already gone through steps A through Z. Tad was ready as he was ever going to be. Helper (a guy,of course) ignored my request to let Tad's head alone. Helper tightened, pulled. Tad went straight up into the air, and came down bucking. I was able to quell the explosion simply by keeping his head up. Tad wore loose side-reins a few times after that, to help him forget the fear he'd felt through the first weight on his back.

I always used loose side-reins, as in five or six inches LoNger than the horse's natural stance, for greenies on the longe. Depended on the horse's individual problem, where the SR's attached to the girth/"bitting-rig", or some variation thereof. ON THE LONGE. Tad stopped wearing them on the longe, real quick. He didn't need them for long. He had a lovely front end and a naturally balanced way of going..
Crappy feet, but oh well. Thoroughbreds and their feets. (sigh) Oh, and they are ganglier, longer, aren't they?
It shows them the way to the ground, that helps them stretch and relax their back muscles, and prepare them for your first requests for attention.

"Bitting-Rig" = a longeing surcingle with all kinds of places to hook side-reins, and a longeing cavesson, just a big old halter really, so that you can longe the horse without using his bit. Step L, I believe;)

Fern? I think it helps to have a lower natural head. Gadgets to lower it further seem counter intuitive.

People Ride in Side-Reins. That's scary as hell. IMHT.....

Oh, and right. Standing martingales are a no-no in jumpers. In Canada. We figured that out, at least. We aren't uncivilized:):):):)
Horses Need to be able to use their heads and necks, in that lovely channel, that flow that is horse movement. With SideReins on the longe, we help them to stretch and flex and RELAX, thereby working their whole body, from nose to tail.
When I'm looking at your horses, Fern?
The way you work with them? The way you YourSelf Are?

SideReins are probably not something you'd need to pullout too often. Like ever. Solid, well-balanced, sane (well, mostly). Take out a high-headed scatterbrained harse? Different story, maybe.
:)

jmo.
Don't shoot me.