Dear Jessica, I just saw a demonstration of this gadget and I couldn't believe it, it's kind of a one-person twitch except it puts this wire cable under the horse's lip over his teeth. The horses all stood really quietly, but they didn't look comfortable, more like they were scared to move. Have you seen this and can you explain why it's supposed to be so kind and gentle? The guy doing the demo kept saying that the horses were standing because it used special pressure points to make them calm and happy, but I didn't see any happy horses! What's the deal with this anyway, and what would someone ever need to use it for? I asked my trainer who saw the same demo, and he said it's not gentle, it's very painful, and the horses stand because they're afraid it will hurt if they move. Our farrier Joe was there too and he said "Man, that's got to be like getting your b**ls caught in barbed wire, I wouldn't move either!" What do you think about this?
Thanks -- my trainer and farrier want to read your answer too!
Karen (and Ross and Joe)
Hi Karen -- I have to agree with you and your trainer and your farrier, although as a female I really can't agree or disagree with Joe's comment, so I'll just have to bow to his expertise in that area. ;-)
I've seen this also, and it's basically a souped-up modern version of a very old gadget, previously known as a "war bridle". Many, many years ago, someone figured out that a horse's gums are very sensitive, and that a thin piece of rawhide or rope or chain or wire, if passed through the horse's mouth between the upper lip and the gums, would produce mouth pain that would effectively immobilize a horse. Someone else figured out that a combination of poll pressure (where the rope comes over the top of the head) and the rope or chain over the gums would result in a horse that stood very still with its head DOWN instead of raised high.
I think that something like this, whether you use the old version or the new, and whether you call it a "war bridle" or something else, may very well be useful under particular circumstances. It's not for training, but for restraint, and there are occasions when restraint is absolutely necessary, and the success of treatment may depend on the horse staying very, very still whilst the treatment is taking place.
After all, we've had a one-person twitch for many years -- it attaches to the horse's halter and allows a single individual to immobilize AND treat a horse. The new version of the war bridle is similar, in that this is the only use I can imagine that would make any sense!
Let's say your horse goes one-on-one with something sharp, and cuts itself deeply, with the injury involving large veins or possibly an artery. If you were the only person nearby, you'd need to have some way of immobilizing the horse quickly so that you could keep it from bleeding to death, and you'd be grateful for ANYTHING that would keep the horse still while you used both of your hands to deal with the bleeding and call the vet.
As for the gentleness and kindness of it all -- these are currently-popular "buzzwords" and are being applied at random to everything from chain bits to questionable training methods. Don't assume that anything is gentle or kind just because someone has chosen to advertise it that way -- it's always better to watch carefully, as you did, and draw your own conclusions.
Jessica
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