Horses allow us to ride them, they allow us to put a piece of metal in their mouths and use a length of rein to control them. They forgive for our mistakes, and try to please us and do what we ask. We need to respect their tolerance by being calm and soft with our hands. A rider must respect the control they are gaining with the equipment we choose. Control does not come just from the head and head gear. Correct body positions, consistent cues and leg aids all work together to make the horse and rider become a team. Even the kindest of bits can be harsh on the horses mouth with the wrong hands, imagine how a harsher bit feels in the with hard hands.

Some ways to find out how hard you are being on your horse, or if a bit is too much for your horse, is to watch a video of you riding. If your horse is throwing his head a lot, opening his mouth trying to evade the bit, or you see your hands going all over the place, you may need some correction. A lot of horse problems can come from incorrect gear selection. Just because you barrel race doesn