• Thought from kelly Marks
• Feedback from users of the Dually Halter
  

The Dually Training Halter designed by Monty, is a patented schooling halter which effectively rewards horses for acting in partnership with the handler. This useful training aid will help get the most out of your work when leading, loading, long-lining, as a bitless bridle and more. • Can be used as either a standard halter OR as a training aid • Adjustable double noseband • High quality brass hardware is designed to breakaway under extreme pressure • Left & right side rings offer lateral control • Double stitched nylon for maximum durability • Comes with instructional video and booklet

Thought from Kelly Marks

Many IH members work with the Dually halter and have found it invaluable. The Dually must be the mildest form of training halter, with a broad band across the poll (as with a normal halter) but there is a ring attachment on the nose band (high up, it doesn't work on the soft, sensitive part of the nose) to allow it to close up quickly to ensure clear messages when teaching the horse to halt, come forward etc. I think calling any halter a 'pressure halter' could give a harmful impression. The point of these halters is not to put pressure on a horse so you can drag him about or be severe on him but as a gentle training aid.

 One of the key points when we are training horses is for them to be able to separate our 'Yes' from our 'No'. If we apply pressure on a horse and they make the tiniest move in the right direction then we must IMMEDIATELY release the pressure. In this way we can enable the horse to learn really quickly what is expected of him.

Remember this pressure and release ('yes and 'no') system works right the way through your horsemanship. Apply a little pressure to the reins, as the horse responds, immediately release the pressure. This will give your horse a payoff for your actions and he will become light and responsive to you. Practise always giving your horse the lightest signals to start with and see if you can get a response from that first. If not you can always apply a little more pressure.

Back to halters. Never tie a horse up on a halter point that will tighten on him and remember training halters are for training only and not for inexperienced handlers. Be extremely careful leaving a horse in any headcollar ensuring a horse can't get caught up accidentally.

A halter doesn't need to tighten to cause harm that's for sure. If you want to test out the severity of a halter just get someone to put the headpiece at the back of your neck and pull it! You will find the thinner the material is the more uncomfortable it will be. I have done this test with the Dually and the Be Nice and find them quite acceptable but remember if you are rough enough you can cause damage with any halter.

A friend of mine was recently at a college that is meant to be teaching 'Equine Studies'. He saw their method of loading a thoroughbred yearling onto a horsebox (directly off concrete which is crazy with a youngster for a start) was to have one student pulling with a chifney (about the severest mouth piece you could find) and another hitting it with a broom. I am sure there are some really enlightened Equine Colleges out there. I would hate to think that sort of practise was a 'normal' education for students.

Feedback from users of the Dually Halter

During the winter my mum and a friend attended one of Monty Robert's shows and came home inspired to deal with naughty horses in a different way. My mum had an accident with our two year old during the spring of 2004 and as Spring approached this year she was not sure if she was going to be confident taking him to and from the lush summer grazing. After buying the Dually she has gone from strength to strength. She now happily deals with our youngster, who at 3 1/2 stands at 17hh. The Dually is a truly fantastic product and somehow gets the horse's respect. There are still moments of minor silliness but these never amount to much and the Dually gives you complete control in a quiet, calm, authoritative and dignified manner, without spoiling the relationship between horse and handler. As spring approached and the horses could smell the grass, more and more people commented on the Dually that my mum was using. Five people now own Dually headcollars and use them regularly on their own horses; many others borrow them. As the horses feet hit the Spring grass we were confronted with well mannered, polite horses! None of the over-excitement and tantrums of previous years. Some people might scoff at the Dually and not believe in it but it does give you quiet control without losing any relationship or trust with the horse. Those that do scoff at the Dually are, of course, the ones that believe a good yank on a chiffney and a degree of shouting does the trick. That's their choice!

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