I was wondering if any one would care to share their preference for headgear when presenting two year olds SHIH. I've got a nice colt to prep for the Jackpot next year and it's never too early to obsess over minor details .


Assuming I'm not mistaken and actually have a choice, of course .


A relatively recent and useless photo of him:

Hi there :-)

Yes you DO have a choice, personally I would go with a halter on a 2 y/o... back in 2005 I was preparring my colt to show at SHN in the jackpot and was advised to use a bridle, I regret the decision to do so, the morning of his class he lost a tooth cap in his feed bucket and was very fussy in the bridle ( he DID go TT ( 3rd) but since he was fussy, his manners score cut him out of making RES. CH ! ), I think that at 2 they are still such babies that having them in a bit is not neccessary... let them be kiddos until 3 :-) of course this is just my humble opinion :-)

I like your colt, he looks like my kinda guy ! What's his name ? breeding?

Heather

I agree. Using a bridle is my prefrence as well. I have trained my gelding and am in the middle of training my MFT filly with it who is two as well. I can right them just bareback and halter. All natural is the way I like to go. As long as you teach him to give to pressure, I think you should be fine.

I'll be the dissenter here.....I personally don't like the look of a halter, and I have found that many are fussier in a halter, which moves around alot more on their head and can be annoying to some. (Everyone who takes their foals for inspection takes the halters off for just that reason....they feel that the halter on the face of a big-moving baby can distract them and make them fussy, or make them back off a bit)

I think a bridle presents a much more polished appearance.

What Heather had happen was just a really unfortunate thing....talk about bad timing!!

I school my youngsters with a bit, but with a halter over it, so they learn to do everything without any pressure on their mouth. They are just carrying the bit for a few months, then we do a little ground work with the bit, until they are ready to go in the bit alone. I am also a bit ###### about teeth, so I do have a bit seat done on them if neccessary, and their mouths looked at every few months to see if any caps need to be popped. And that dental exam should happen right before a major competition, as well -- so you don't have the experience that Heather had!

We're ammys, but will share my experiences. We had 2 two year olds showing this year. One stud, one filly. The filly went in a halter, the stud in a bridle. I had a much easier time and better showing with the stud. He knows how to work on the bit and is going well with it. We have had his teeth done twice now, once as a long yearling and again this year. I felt with the colt, that he listened and worked better with the bit.

yeah, terrible timing !!! Oh well live and learn !

Dudley is by FV Ab Salute out of Aur Chalour: pedigree. I don't think he and Spirit Thyme are very closely related but I hope my little guy will do as well as yours .


Good tip about getting dentist out immediately before the show. I'm totally new to showing young horses and wouldn't have thought of that.

Dudley does like to mouth things. I don't know if the bit will be a good pacifier or the judge will just think he's annoying for playing with it. I like the look of bridles but I definitely don't want to lose a placing because Dudley fusses with it. I'll just have to try both, I guess.

I was just going to suggest that, try your colt out both ways and see which he is most comfortable in :-) Good luck, hope to see you in KY !

... and I bet your kiddo will do great ! :-)

Heather

I suggest as Heather said, try both ways and see how your colt is most comfortable and presents the best. I showed my 2yr old at SHN this year in a halter. If you show in a halter, make sure it is tidy and fits well.

Next year I plan to show my Jackpot filly in a bridle and will start letting her wear a bit this fall. I saw several 3yr olds who looked like they were wearing a bit for the first time...way too distactive!!! So besure they are quiet with a bit.

I agree. A bridle looks much more polished than a halter. I used to show my 2 yr old stud in a bridle, the only downfall was that he drooled a lot in it =] I would try both and see which one suits him better.