Spooky, Sharp, Keen or Green? A Click & Connect Neck Strap can help you and your horse.

February 15, 2023

Spooky, Sharp, Keen or Green, a neck strap can help you build your partnership with your horse.

Here's some examples!

Spooky - Dragon Ahead! - Out on a solo hack, Felix spotted something behind the hedge up ahead. No doubt a fire-breathing dragon's head. His head came high, his tail up; he snorted and pranced. His ears flicked back towards his rider. This was her cue. She grabbed her Click & Connect Neck Strap, went into forward seat, and off the pair flew. Because the rider was balanced and secure and his head and neck was free, the situation went from him to them. Together they could go past the dragon. Felix's tense back would've meant it was very hard to stay in rhythm but by being in forward seat, and secure, and, because the connectors to the neck strap helped keep him straight, the rider stayed with each leg each side of the plate (saddle!). She could then use the neck strap, and then the rein to slow him down and bring him back to walk at last. She could pat and praise him and together they could relax and continue on their ride.

Sharp - Can't touch him! Oscar was sensitive, even his skin would ripple at the tiniest bit of dust on his coat and flies... no thank you! He'd freeze in tension until it was removed. To ride, he was bright and willing but his sensitivity meant that if you touched him with the leg - even accidentally - you'd get a reaction. Accidentally touch him with your right leg and you could be in left half-pass without intending it. What worked for him, was to have as much of a constant contact as possible - we used to imagine hugging him all the time. And that's where the Click & Connect Neck Strap worked! The connectors taken to the girth buckle of his close-contact saddles meant the connectors lay across the shoulders, giving him a sense of security. Over time, that meant our legs could loosen and give the aids we wanted to, when we wanted to, and he felt connected to the rider, every step of the way.

Keen - Don't stop me now! Lynsy was out hunting and whether through fear or fun, she was on a mission. Walk, trot or canter, she had more than enough purpose to her stride. Thankfully, we'd connected the Click & Connect Neck Strap to the pommel D rings. This meant, the rider had options. When at walk or trot, she could just take hold of the connector and balance herself without Lynsy leaning down into the hand. She could even pull the connector up to half-halt, whereas if she used the rein, Lynsy would either lean against it or throw her head up and use her neck against her. In forward seat when jumping and galloping, the rider then grabbed the neck strap at the crest and could again balance herself - without Lynsy running through the bridle. No longer using the bit against the rider, Lynsy settled and both horse and rider finished the day with far less aches and pains!

Green - The wobbly journey. Maxi was at the start of his ridden journey and like most horses and ponies, as he learnt to balance the weight of the rider on his back, he'd fall a bit left, a bit right, a bit left a bit right. He didn't have the core strength to carry the rider for more than a few minutes and while going up hill he could use his shoulders and pull himself up, going downhill was even harder. Now the art of producing a horse is like being a personal trainer, to push the horse just enough to work the core muscles. And much of these common issues iron out over time as the horse is worked. little and often, to build up his strength. The advantage of using the Click & Connect Neck Strap connected to the girth buckles is that it helps create a channel for the horse and rider - train tracks if you will. The rider could ride Maxi towards the neck strap more positively and use the neck strap to help her own balance so she didn't cause Maxi to wobble, using the neck strap to check she was central and in line with his neck - not twisting or falling to one side.