New DVD - In the Snaffle Bit - Buck Brannaman

If you have followed Buck Brannaman over the years you'll know that he is about making good horses that can be ridden straight up in the bridle - that is in a spade bit and using romal reins. And to that end he has made several training DVD's, from ground work, to the snaffle bit, hackamore, two rein and finally in the spade bit. And while it can be intimidating even thinking about the day in and day out dedication over years to get a horse from the halter to the bridle, I don't think this training ladder is not an all or nothing thing.

Many people can find great functionality in riding a horse in the snaffle bit and/or the hackamore where the horse can be ridden one handed most of the time which of course is necessary to have a hand free to throw a loop, open gates, or work a flag while on horseback among many other things.

I don't have anything hanging up in my tack room or trailer that isn't either a snaffle bit or a rawhide hackamore anymore. On my own horses, I don't think I've ridden one in anything but a snaffle or hackamore in 15 years now. Although it wasn't always that way. It doesn't seem that long ago when I was chasing bits trying to find just that right bit that the horse responds to best, and I cringe when I think about how I was going about things back then. I wish this new DVD from Buck was available back then.

The good thing attending clinics, or watching DVD's is that they can shorten the learning curve. Some people are in a position where traveling to clinics just isn't possible and that's where the value in a good DVD comes in, not to mention that you can rewind and watch over and over.

The latest DVD from Buck Brannaman, almost 5 hours long, is a two DVD set that takes Buck working with several different horses in different stages in the snaffle showing what he expects from each horse in that stage. And this 2 DVD set covers many other things such as roping, dragging, hobble training and much more. I think this DVD set is likely the one most people cannot do without.

I'm a big fan of Eclectic Horseman magazine, so that's where I recommend picking up 'In the Snaffle Bit'. This is the link to EH and the DVD if you are interested - In the Snaffle, by Buck Brannaman.