Aww, it was so exciting today -- a bit of background first.  There's a couple that owns several young horses at our farm and nice as they are, they don't know much about handling young 'uns, have always had older trained horses.  Happily they are very open to assistance -- like yesterday when I saw husband about to put saddle blanket on very nervous 2-year-old Belgian filly while she is tied to a concrete wall, I suggested he not do that while she is tied to wall with rope halter (ack!) but outside with someone holding her, and he said oh thanks so much, sure will!  So, slow progress, but they are trying hard on this steep learning curve.

The other filly is a 3 y.o. QH rescued from auction where she was starving.  They sent her to some cowboy trainer who brought her back after her 30 days with her face split open from smacking on the trailer, rode her with blood running down over her eye (baaaad cut, required staples above her eye and down her nose) and put her in the stall and left without even calling owner.  Yeah, great guy.  Well, this filly, Lil Bit, is the sweetest thing you ever did meet (and I'm not even a mare person) and her face is a heart melter, despite her rough past.  So today, owner lady asked if I'd mind getting on her b/c she'd been bucking and lady didn't know why.

Well, I was a bit concerned when I got on this filly who's had 30 days plus maybe four or five rides and she was in a long shanked Tom Thumb bit (she's being trained Western).  Trainer strike number 50 in my book!  So big surprise, the first time I put any pressure on the bit, her head completely went nuts and when I asked her to whoa, she started to pop a half-rear.  Well, I jumped off, told owner filly obviously HATED this bit -- owner says oh, well let me get my hackamore, she likes that.  Ok.  Owner comes back with mechanical hackamore with the longest shanks I have EVER seen, at least 4".  Sigh.  Ok, we'll try.  Puts that on filly.  I get back on after loosening curb chain to fullest extent.  Again, tiniest rein pressure makes poor filly flip head all over.  I've had enough.

Asked if they minded if I did an experiment.  They happily agreed.  I went to my truck and got out fat mullen mouth rubber loose ring snaffle.  Put THAT on headstall.  Got back on.  After an initial period of reactionary head tossing, filly started mouthing bit and VOILA now we can turn in (sort of) circles and whoa without trying to rear to get away from pressure.  Filly puts head down at walk and blows and relaxes.  We can even circle a trot with quiet head!!!!

So, I gave owners the bit, told them to fire their trainer (after I told them why she was flipping out -- plus she had gotten crazy head shy, which she never was before, and wouldn't let you stand by the girth -- acting like someone had beat on her), and to keep filly's riding light and fun.  

Sorry, this is a saga, but it was really exciting to be able to help Lil Bit, whom I loooooooove, and her owners find a nicer solution so they don't end up with a rearing menace of a filly on their hands!!!!!  Yay!! 

Love this story.  Imagine using something harsh and extreme on this poor thing.  I can't imagine what this trainer has done to her - but she's definitely telling her end of it.

 Glad you were there.  Love these owners for being open minded - and willing to learn to do things right.  Keep guiding them in the right direction.

That "trainer" needs to no longer be "training" horses.  Anyway, that aside, good karma and brownie points for you, Solaris!!! I'm glad Lil Bit's owners are willing to listen to you and follow your advice.  I'm sure the fact the changes you made resulted in a much happier filly right in front of them helped big time.  Yay, you and yay Lil Bit!

Yeah! That's great! I'm sure the filly is thanking you! :)

 Jessi

 Great job. Glad to have people around like you to be so helpful.  That poor horse.  The trainer should be charged with animal cruelty. That horse is so lucky you were there.

Its always nice when you can help out someone else with their horses and they aren't affended by it! Maybe they'll let you continue working with her and she could become your "project" filly! 

Thanks!  Yes, I'm always so happy to see people that are willing to accept help.  The owner is interested in having me give her some groundwork lessons, so I'm hoping she'll follow up with me soon.  I'm not sure I want a "project" as I already have my hands full getting Solo progressing, but it is fun to be able to offer this sweet lil' filly some help.

That's a wonderful story Solaris, thanks for posting! She is very luck to have you (and owners who are willing to listen to you) around. Poor baby, all the things she's been through at the trainer's place... It's amazing that horses (or any animal for that matter) can forgive all the cruelty and still try to learn from and trust humans. There are many words that I'd like to use for the trainer, however they'd be quite inappropriate for this board. Grrr.. he should be branded as "insuitable to train" so that no other animal suffers at his hands.

Solaris:

(she's being trained Western).  Trainer strike number 50 in my book! 

I hope you don't think all "cowboy" trainers are like that!

 No, I don't and I've met some very kind and good ones.  For every cowboy yahoo trainer out there, there are just as many horrible English trainers, idiocy and cruelty know no bounds!