VN :>     My question - HOW IN THE HECK?  I mean, what does the
VN :>cavesson have to do with that?  She was all strung out,
VN :>neck-wise, like many of the hunter jumpers I see in the
VN :>show rings.  I put the cavesson on her and within 2 minutes
VN :>she was back on the bit where she belonged.  I don't think
 MA> What type of cavesson is it?  Flash, figure 8?  Plain.  Gotta know that 
 MA> before I can answer your questions!  My impression is 
     Okay, I should warn you that flash cavessons are illegal in the show 
ring here; Mrs. Braswell will only let you use one if it is a NECESSITY.  One 
of her other students. Jennifer, boards at a pricey stable 1/2 mile from here 
and sometimes we ride together or take lessons together...I also haul her 
horse to shows as her Honda Civic just can't handle my trailer.  (Maybe she 
needs a Brenderup?)  Anyway, Jennifer's strikingly beautiful mare was a race 
horse less than a year ago, and for reasons I don't know because I haven't 
asked she requires a flash.  The good news is that the judge at the last show 
didn't know any better and gave her FIRST PLACE in English Pleasure anyway.  
The benefit of living in an area where 99% of the judges specialize in 
Western.
I wish you could see this mare move - her registered name is Brutus something 
-Mrs. B. and Jennifer renamed her "Princess Lightfoot" - she truly seems to 
dance in the air.  I hope it doesn't change when they get some weight on her.
And I take back everything I have ever said or thought about rehabilitating 
former race horses...although the best thing that ever happened to Princess 
was for her to bow a tendon and get her retired from the track.  She was in 
layup for awhile to recover from the injury when a trainer STOLE her and 
several other horses from California and brought them to Arizona.  
     Jennifer was just getting over a broken heart because the Appaloosa she 
had bought was drugged when she bought him; after having him a few weeks it 
became obvious that the lameness that had set in was serious, permanent, and 
there when she bought him but cleverly masked by drugs.  She gave him back to 
the seller, and found Princess.  I'm not clear on the details but something 
tipped her off that all was not aboveboard; she contacted the REAL owner 
through the Jockey Club and he told her that the horse she bought and the 
others she had looked at were stolen...she was instrumental in getting the 
trainer arrested.  The owner ended up selling her Princess for *$800* (gasp!) 
and somehow she ended up getting Princess for free as she made $800 profit 
off what he wanted for another of his stolen horses that she sold here for 
him.  I was very surprised as, #1, $800 sounds like killer pricing to me and 
#2, horses cost 2 to 3 times as much in California as they do here.  I know 
two Paso breeders who regularly haul horses there to sell.  To me, the moral 
of the story is that Princess BELONGED to Jennifer, that this was MEANT to 
!
 MA> that it's a flash or figure 8 from Spot's response. 
     Getting back to the subject (finally) - it's a "French cavesson."  I 
asked Mrs. B. what that meant as I had to special order it as the harness is 
black - it just means it's skinny and plain.  Looks just like the cavessons 
on my plain vanilla hunt bridles except it's black.
                                                 
 MA> Both will keep the horse from evading the bit, 
 MA> although the F8 probably does it more impressively!  
 MA> They both put pressure on the sensitive area just 
 MA> above the nose, as well as not allowing the horse as 
 MA> much or no freedom to open her mouth to evade the bit.  
     Okay, that explains it - she HAS to keep her mouth closed...she she gets 
ON the bit, right?  If it was Dub, he would find still another way to evade 
it, I think.  I'm so accustomed to dealing with a DIFFICULT horse that when I 
work with one that ISN'T, I don't know how to do it!  :)
                                                        
 MA> And what are you doing driving this horse without even 
 MA> a plain cavesson in the first place! (g).
     Well...hold on...I don't use an overcheck, either.  She normally doesn't 
need it.  Check those photos you took driving her - did I have the cavesson 
on her then?  DID YOU SAY ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT IT BEING MISSING?  (grin)
 MA> PS:  Send me Mrs. Braswell!  Wish I could have met her 
 MA> when I was over there!
     Nope - you KNOW I'm not a selfish person - but she STAYS HERE!  :)
--- Maximus/2 3.00
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