TIPS ON TRAINING HORSES by Ron Gale just e-mail a question to mview@telusplanet.com and it will be answered to you personally, or here in this colmn.
(Q)
Ron;
I was in the stands at one of your clinics quite some time ago and never got a chance to ask you to explain in more detail. It was about a halter, that I use all the time and has been recommended by some of the very top trainers. You stated that this type halter is actually a nerve line. I can't see how you can come to this conclusion when the very top trainers using natural horsemanship are recommending this very same equipment and I know they would never use a nerve line of any kind.
Irene
(A)
This is a question I get quite often and yes this halter, recommended by some (Natural Horse) trainers is a type of nerve line and, at least some of these trainers know very well, whether they would admit it or not, just what they are using in their demonstrations. This type halter is shown in the picture below. When the halter is set directly behind the ears of the horse the knots on either side at the top of the throat latch are right on the nerves that run down the side of the face. Also the two knots on either side of the nose piece are also directly on the facial nerves. The hard nylon rope (the smaller diameter the more severe) that goes to the lead comes under the jaw and if the shank is jerked to the side (even slightly) this is very severe on the tender nerves under the jaw and if it is jerked or pulled on straight ahead it effects the nerves behind the ears. This is exactly how all nerve lines are worked and the more roughly the handler is the more severe the nerve line becomes. The very worst, of course, is tying a horse that may pull back with this type halter. I'm not saying this halter (like the bitless bridle) is all wrong. However the advertising is the part that is all wrong if they were advertised and promoted for what they really are then people could decide when, how and if they wanted to use them.