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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Here is another torture device for "training"

Did a quick Google search for "horse training bridle" the first thing it coughed up was this lovely invention. Well, not a new invention, just a new and improved version of an old fashioned war bridle.




They want $65 fot this! If you really must torture your horse in this manner, you can make one for FREE out of some rope. See...






It claims that it can fix "Horses that are mean or bad to mount - does your horse move away or try to fight you when you go to mount? Yeah, I had one, but I fixed that through patience and TRAINING. Horses that rear - does you horse rear on you when handling him or riding him? Getting thrown is extremely dangerous! No, really? I can teach a horse not to do this without a "training bridle" that causes pain, thus encouraging the horse to try to evade it, possibly compounding the issue. Bad to Shoe - can't pick up his feet or can't clean his hooves? Your farrier will love you for this alone! Um, my horses are taught from foalhood to cooperate, perhaps you should try WORKING WITH THEM some. Bad to Groom - your horse won't stand for you when grooming, washing or cleaning him? Ever heard of cross ties? And a good sharp swat and a NO! every time he squirms will NEVER work (sarcasm).
Bad to Bridle or Harness - won't take the bridle or won't allow you to put on or adjust his harness? Gosh, and using this thing on him will make him want to be bridled?
Bad to Lead - your horse won't let you lead him or keeps invading your space?
Um, again, hello, how will this thing on his head will make him want to go with you?


It has a guarantee too, "Jesse Beery says you can"control any horse in 3 minutes"with the Pulley Bridle. We have the testimonials to prove it!" Gee, you think? Here is the webpage, go have a look at it.




One farrier has this to say... "Tried it out on Miniature Horses that 8 weeks before had to throw them on the ground to trim, after 4 pulls on the bridle I was able to pick up all 4 feet no problem. 1 week later did a mammoth jack never been done before, tried to work with him a while, ran out of time, put bridle on couple of pulls stood there willing to be handled. "




Gosh, let's not TRAIN YOUR HORSE or anything. Let's just skip right to training devices that have been proven to subdue your horse through pain instead. The site claims that it does the horse no harm and is not painful, which anyone who actually KNOWS anything about horses will tell you is utter bullshit. It is a WAR BRIDLE, with a fancy name.

30 comments:

  1. Oh God, that website is un-freaking-believable. I'm not sure whom is more stupid, the people that sell it and proclaim it works or the people that search up gadgets to "train" with. I mean really, it is a chicken or the egg scenario. What annoys me the most, is that this is being manufactured and sold because of DEMAND.

    In my opinion the only time a fashioned war bridle is appropriate is when one is trying to save the life of a horse and it is needed for necessary veterinary attention where the horse is fighting the tube or needle.

    Otherwise, I see a horse most likely getting worse with this sort of thing. Even if one "habit" gets better, I'd hazard to guess another would come out somewhere else. The fact that so many horse owners cannot tell the difference between fear and agression is part of this problem.

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  2. Oh, and it is amazing how people can be fooled into believing that something does not hurt a horse when common sense shows that it has that capacity.

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  3. "1 week later did a mammoth jack never been done before, tried to work with him a while, ran out of time, put bridle on couple of pulls stood there willing to be handled. "

    Wow, maybe they can post that farrier's phone number so that I can NEVER call him!

    Here is the alarming scenario that comes to my mind when I read that "testimonial": your barn owner/manager/groom is tired of/incapable of/doesn't want to be holding your naughty youngster/frightened rescue/incorrigible bad boy that no one else is supposed to handle anyway and drags one of these out of the tack room while you're not around. No one is safe from stupidity. It's true in the real world, it's true in the horse world.

    ihearttbs.blogspot.com

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  4. WTF I think this takes the cake for worst torture device with friggn testimonial!! Who the hell has to throw a goddamned mini to the ground to trim his feet!?!?!

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  5. I'll admit I did fashion the warbridle shown in the second picture as an emergency - a neighbours horse was out and getting near a busy road and all we had in the car was a dog leash. There was no way he was going to come with just the rope around his neck but he did follow along in a makeshift war bridle - imagine that.
    That is the dumbest website I have seen in some time. If you have to ride a horse in one of these things you really should not be riding at all.

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  6. Can I wrap it around the balls of the guy who invented it? Give it a few 'tugs' and ask him if it hurts? I promise not to be gentle!!! *blink, blink * innocently enough*


    I have fashioned a quick rope halter when trying to catch loose horses and been sucessful in getting everyone back where they belong.

    This contraption though? Not a use for it in the world. Not even to hang a roll of toilet paper from a tree branch while camping.

    As we all agree- if you need this to get on or ride your horse, you shouldn't be riding.

    If you need this to handle a horse to do their feet instead of working with them and teaching them to behave- you should choose another career.

    >>Bad to Groom - your horse won't stand for you when grooming, washing or cleaning him?<<

    WTF? are you doing TO them?


    I can understand the mini and the farrier- ours has learned to try to lay down then jump up and forward- rearing as he goes. He has not been quicked, nor trimmed to short or has any lamenesses to blame it on- he's just being a shit. It's only with the front feet.

    The farrier is, however, Absolutely Not allowed to throw him to the ground to work on him. So instead of reverting to something like this, we hold him and work with the farrier to get through it. It sucks, but we can all deal. Mini's aren't always, sunshine and lollipops. They can be devious, evil little monsters if not handled properly.

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  7. Did anyone else notice the blog?

    Scrolling through the posts- each one has

    -No comments-

    There's probably a reason for that...

    Even the drawing of the horse wearing this contraption looks defeated. I wonder why?

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  8. Um, wow. Stupid people abound. Hey, I've whipped up a rope as a war bridle in a hurry to deal with my QH mare. Major league loading problem such as I've never seen. She was "mine now" and HAD to get in the truck NOW. She has since been TRAINED to be a good girl with just a halter and a lead rope and now goes in ANY kind of 2 horse trailer/tractor trailer/van, etc. Didn't need to beat the crap out of her or flick any ropes at her either...

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  9. Google ate half of my post.

    THis is waaaay worse. http://www.nobucktrainer.com/index.html

    It doesn't seem to bad at first glance. Other than the "learn to ride, moron" aspect. Check out the "Parts Closeup" page. The AIR CRAFT CABLE that prevents the horse from lowering the head is not just on a pulley, it ENCIRCLES BOTH EARS. yeah, that's right, air craft cable around what is argueably the most sensitive structure on the animal, complete with a pulley for extra leverage.

    These bone heads not only think it's great for beginners/children and 'old people', they will gladly defend it to the bone. They've been called out and defended it on COTH BB. they just did not get it at all and treated us like whiney dumb "wimen".

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  10. OOOH, I have seen that thing. What a piece of work that is. I just do not understand what is so wrong with using just a sidepull (NOT one like yesterday's) or a simple loose ring snaffle for training. I guess it is just our society's need for immediate results and instant gratification.

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  11. Prof Beery... I think someone handed me a vintage 1950s booklet of his once!

    GAH. Back when I was young & lazy & dumb, I'd cut a loop of twine & stuff it in my pocket, go catch my mare and fashion a makeshift bridle around her head, climb on from the fence and amble on in to the barn.

    But.... nothing went in her MOUTH.

    Training equipment involving cable and/or pulleys is RIGHT OUT.

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  12. When reading that "testimonial" from that farrier, I thought about my own. You know, when my farrier runs across an unruly horse, he tells the owner train your horse and then I'll shoe it. It's not his job to train the horse--it's the owner's. My in-laws tried to get him to trim their yearling colt that was born with them that had had NO HANDLING EVER and whose feet were turning into elf slippers. They got mad when our farrier gave them shit about it. They were complaining to us and my husband and I said the horse is your responsibility--YOU train it. He's a farrier, not a trainer!

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  13. I agree Kat. We work with our babies and I will trim their feet the first time or two to be sure that when it's time to trim, they will stand and behave like they should. We also hold them until tying is a non issue. No need for sensory overload, and the farrier getting hurt.

    We want them to come back. If our horse hurts them we lose a farrier- he loses business while he heals.

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  14. my mare wouldn't take the bit once she locked her teeth so we went to the round pen and worked a bit made her move out and she got a break when she let me put the bridle on her. I didn't get to trail ride that day because of the lesson but she never refused the bit again, and I didn't even have to use a pully to do it! If I ever put something like that one her she would stomp me and then just laugh as she pulled it off and pounded it into the dirt. Those are awful the horse may seem to be controlled with that on but what do you think will happen when it comes off? Do you really think that horse will let you near it again without a damn chase.

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  15. Ah yes, the farrier is absolutely not responsible for horse training. My farrier tells me that he won't trim if the horse really won't allow it. But he can say that, he has enough clients.

    Some farriers plain out need the business and others fashion themselves horse trainers.

    Unfortunately and fortunately (depending on how you look at it) I think it is the nature of the horse to allow humans to do the things they do. There are plenty of trainers that use all force and submission and they are successful. If it did not work for them they wouldn't do it. It doesn't create a willing, trustworthy and content partner but one trainer told me once, "I am not making pets, I make machines."

    The problems there (besides the lack of empathy) comes back to creating a good member of society.

    There is a saying that the old horse teaches the young rider and the old rider teaches the young horse. Well, if the old horse has had a lifetime of mistreatment, they won't have much good to teach the young rider! And vice versa. Some people live in that cycle, never enjoying their horses and their horses never enjoy them.

    jellopeasandcarrots.blogspot.com

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  16. Good Driver- I know of three farriers who profess themselves to be trainers also.

    I haven't seen any of the three do BOTH, well.

    The one is a good farrier and has worked wonders on hooves. His training abilities? In one word- SUCK!

    The other one isn't a good farrier or trainer. My friend had him trim her horses and had to go back to bevel the edge of the hoof on every horse after he left. Otherwise they all chipped up in a day or so. 15 horses, you think he could have done ONE right? He also got his leg broke and the rest of his body beaten up pretty good when he got on a young horse, that even he admitted- wasn't ready to be gotten on.

    The third, I have seen the results of his shoeing. Back when I knew no better he shod the fronts on my gelding when I got into a bind and needed his feet done NOW. My regular farrier returned to do the other horse and had a conniption fit. Pulled the shoes, balanced the hooves and put new shoes on. He left the old ones to show the why and how of the wear patterns on the shoes.

    In all these years he has not improved. He shoes for our neighbor who swears he is a GOD! in all things horse. He squares the toe on the front hooves of her horse. I have no clue why? His training skills aren't much better.


    Do one job and do it well.

    A man's got to know his limitations. That goes for us women too!

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  17. CnJ - I can't tell if you were agreeing with me or not?

    Either way, I agree with you. Although I do know one farrier that does both very well. She is at a level most trainers can only dream about...been the starter of some of the most successful cow horses today - she is a goto for colt starting for the big names. AND doubles as one heck of a farrier...actually the best farrier I've ever had. However, she is in her late 50's and been at horses since she could walk so she has had the time to become very good at both.

    I do think a person can become good at many things but it most certainly does not happen overnight!

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  18. war bridle == shortcut as I think we all know. I really can't fault a farrier for using one to get an animal's feet trimmed reet queek, but it shouldn't be an everyday piece of equipment for a single horse. just the name alone says to me "makeshift device to get the job done."

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  19. that was around in the 70's I remember it being advertised in the Horse magazines of my youth. Dr Berry's war bridle and he offered training manuals too

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    1. I inherited the beery training bit when my grandmother died. It came in handy at the right time. I had a paint quarter pony who had a hard mouth from previous owners, he would take the bit and haul ass and there was no way to stop him so I always had to bail off. After just the first use of the Beery bit on severe, he stopped on a dime. I love that bit and still use it today but on easy for my Arab who has a soft mouth, but that is the only bit she likes, so I keep it on her bridle. She is 25 years young now. I ended up getting rid of the pony after a while and just kept the old gelding I had at the time.

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  20. I guess we have not evolved as much as I had thought if these are still on the market. You will see them on ebay sometimes too. I often wondered who buys these things? (that is a retorical quesiton)

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  21. "There is a saying that the old horse teaches the young rider and the old rider teaches the young horse. Well, if the old horse has had a lifetime of mistreatment, they won't have much good to teach the young rider! And vice versa. Some people live in that cycle, never enjoying their horses and their horses never enjoy them."

    Good on you, Good Drivers. I totally agree. And I also think that with "trainers" who force the horses to "submit" to them so they can dominate the horse are not training the horse at all. They're merely breaking its will or scaring it so bad that it won't misbehave. If it moves on to someone who is not nearly as forceful, then it can rebel, in whatever way it sees fit. I guess that's why I never use the term "break" when I work with a horse. I do not want to break the horse's spirit--I want to train him.

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  22. I'll have to disagree with most of these comments here. Do any of you actually understand the proper use of the Pulley Bridle or even read instructions for it?

    The whole idea around it is a very quick pull - release - just like most training - pressure/release, pressure/release.

    It is not harmful.

    It is not used for riding - only short training lessons.

    It IS very effective when used properly.

    I guess I am more concerned with the "piling on" of the comments here (along with the language - which tells me something else) than I am with some of the actual concern for the pulley bridle.

    Ever since I first learned of it many years ago I didn't think it should be called a bridle - sincle you don't ride with it.

    We're all allowed to express our views but I don't think it is fair to this website owner to post comments about something you obviously know little about.

    Train-em-Up

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    1. I totally agree with you. The pulley bridle is a humane tool used to correct with pressure and release.

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  23. FOR BEGINNERS AND VETERAN TRAINERS ALIKE

    http://www.downunderhorsemanship.com

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  24. DO NOT USE BEERYS METHODS UNLESS YOU ARE A WELL SEASONED TRAINER AND KNOW THE LIMITATIONS OF THE ANIMAL YOU ARE TRAINING.

    AND NEVER USE ANY OF THE "FIXTURES" EXCEPT FOR THE SURCINGLE,CRUPPER,LINES,AND HOBBLES.

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  25. Gag. Don't use Beery's unless you are an idiot and want to hurt yourself and your horses. An old man recently gave me a copy of Beery's books and told me this was 'real' horse training. I can't believe people still think this stuff is reasonable. And don't get me started on down under 'horsemanship'.

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  26. Don't knock it until you tried it. BERRYS methods are proven and sound. It is pressure points that make the horse respond not pain. And many of the methods are for dangerous spoiled horse. Ones who seemed unfixable before Berry came along. The pulley bridle is more for correction of bad behavior, then a easy training device. No more painful then a rope halter being yanked on.

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