Bruce Sandifer Talks Bridle Horses.

[@lilik6945]

wonderful demonstration of lightness and collection!

[@mikehooper4359]

Bruce is great and a really good communicator on the spade subject. Really enjoyed finding this interview! Thanks guys!

[@messiahsbythesackful6267]

I'm a midlle-aged horse woman from Michigan who grew up in open shows and the Quarter Horse world. And I hated the spade bit because I watched so many riders with beautiful mounts so far beyond my financial means who ruined them weekend after weekend jerking behind the judges back trying to get the horses nose to the ground. Now, as in so many things equestrian, I realize that it isn't the bit, it is the rider using the wrong tool incorrectly. Thanks for this! I have the time now and the experience to value re-education and plan to learn more.

[@LiveEquestrian1]

Love it. Yep I was similar.

[@xSpiderswebx]

I'm so grateful to be seeing these traditions getting documented. Even just ten years ago, it was tough to find good quality info in any significant quantity, unless you lived in the west. I'm in Central Ontario, Canada, and when I got back into horses in 2014 after a ten year break (finances), it was really tough to find books and DVDs I had confidence in. Recently found Pat & Deb Pucket's channel on youtube, and he's just like my old mentor. Watching these videos is helping me to remember some of the things I was taught but had forgotten. So thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart.

[@BlackKettleRanch]

Ray Hunt always used to say, "The human is full of opinions; the horse is the fact". It goes back to what Mr. Sandifer was saying about peoples' misperceptions about the spade bit and lateral movement.

[@sirronmitt]

Although Mr. Sandifer may not be as technically or scientifically specific regarding the spade bit, its contribution to collection, and his horses' movements, he is spot on. Dr. Deb Bennett of the Equine Studies institute has written the best technical and scientific explanations of the spade bit and collection I have read. Mr. Sandifer has developed this knowledge the traditional way by observing and feeling the horse's response. What Mr. Sandifer said about the horse raising his neck for collection was spot on. This severity classification of bits is hogwash and marketing to sell bits. One needs to extract the principles of the bit's design and the intended occupation (an limitations) of the horse to decide upon the proper bit for the horse. These bits and western reinsman riding style were never intended for the weekend warrior. A great video. Thank you.

[@we7438]

Nice vid. I like what he said about pushing a horse beyond the hackamore. So true. It is just a tool to bring your horse to another level. It's only good for what it's good for, depending on where the horse is. Thanks!

[@LiveEquestrian1]

Hi Eric! Bruce has some great ideas that have worked pretty well for him. Glad you enjoyed the video. More to come so stay tuned!

[@dubbie001]

Great watch and man that bay horse was 👌

[@piche090391]

That was amazing to watch!! Well explained. Thank you for putting out this content

[@roseperna1667]

Thankyou for sharing this with me. I live in Queensland Australia and every piece of information on this way of training is so helpful to me. 🙃🇦🇺

[@LiveEquestrian1]

Glad you enjoy the channel.

[@stephenhofer5464]

You guys would have loved spending time with the Late Richard Caldwell. I know I did. Was an amazing experience and awesome Vaquero

[@LiveEquestrian1]

Oh man yea! I had the pleasure of meeting him on a couple occasions. One of my mentors (Mark Plumlee) was a pretty good friend of his, and has some great stories. Scott spent some time with Richard back when he was first competing in the Californios.

[@johnlennon-realtorincolumb324]

Thanks so much for all of the info that you guys put out! I can feel your passion and it's truly appreciated. I'm going to search on my own for it but I can't get the KZbin link to work for Bruce's page. FYI

[@LiveEquestrian1]

Glad to have you with us! I’ll double check the link to Bruce.

[@mikemccravey3659]

Looking forward to the hackamore class in the works. The two of you have certainly started off with some top notch folks for the interviews. Curious about the horse Bruce Sandifer was on. The way his neck was coming out of the withers was he a Spanish horse?

[@LiveEquestrian1]

Yea, he has Andalusian/Lusitanos.

[@markmahnken6409]

Most horses will have their necks like that if not taught to properly collect, some more than others because of natural body build.

[@PetPrepRadioShow]

Dig it! Great to find you, Bruce. I watch Pat and Deb Puckett and that's how I learned about the Spade Bit Horse. RAD! What breed is the horse you're riding? He looks like a Lusitano possibly? Azteca? Thanks!

[@LiveEquestrian1]

This was a clip from our time with Bruce. We also interview Pat and Deb Puckett on another episode. I don’t believe Bruce has a KZbin channel, but he does have a website

[@stepzkage22]

Wow the horse is just moving off his seat thats how all horses should be riden no need to yank on there mouth all the the time great video 👍🏾

[@LiveEquestrian1]

Bruce has an excellent system for developing good bridle horses.

[@stepzkage22]

@@LiveEquestrian1 absolutely

[@TheTeenagedirt]

BRIDLE!!

[@LiveEquestrian1]

Thanks

[@theequinealchemist9448]

Teddy!

[@dustymcdaniel188]

tell Scott I'm sure glad a river didn't run through his bedroll while someone was giggling from the horse trailer all nice and dry. HAHAHAh

[@markmahnken6409]

If you have good hands almost any good bit will work. It's usually not the bit it's who is holding the reins. You can revere the old history and that's all fine and good but if you watch most past videos of the old cowboys they really weren't all that good as reinsmen compared to the masters of today. Although probably a tougher working breed of cowboy those of old times when men were men and cowboys were real deal. Like any trade or sport we all evolve usually for the better (except for the sport of reining with the new peanut pusher hoover vacuums they call horses). A master of today can get better results from a snaffle bit than the masters of yesterday in the spade. A broke horse is a broke horse and will work in most any bit when it's all said and never completely done. Yes I own a spade and use it here and there. Don't get stuck in the past or the future will pass you by. It's all in good hands..... Do you have the time?

[@LiveEquestrian1]

In the video we did with Brian Nubert he talks quite a bit about that.

[@sirronmitt]

Although I agree with many of your points there are some that one might want to reconsider. Actually, the spade bit is one of the oldest bits. They date back before 1200 B.C. Talking about turning back history. It is a rough and crude bit that has caused more damage to horse's mouths than any other bit. I suggest reading Rojas, Arnold R. Bits, Bitting and Spanish Horses. Alamar Media, Inc., 2010. Mr. Rojas was a horsemen raised in the Spanish vaquero style. In reading his many books one will also learn that even the Vaqueros did not mostly ride the spade bit. Cowboys rarely rode spade bits, but they were not "masters" by any stretch of the imagination. They often used high ported bits such as the half breed. But not the spade. Deb Bennett, PhD. Conquerors, The Roots of New World Horsemanship. Amigo Publications, 1998 is an excellent reference on the subject of the spade bit. Many of the "masters" of today go to the Spanish Riding School and learn to ride the classical Jimenta style. Ed Connell. Reinsman of the West: Briddles and Bits explains the training necessary for getting a horse in the spade bit. Few people take the years required to train both themselves and to find the one in a hundred horse that is adaptable to the spade bit. I couldn't agree with you more about the current reining competitions of today. The reason for the spade bit is about the collection obtainable with the spade bit using only one hand while performing work with the other. No other bit will accomplish that, with the small movement of the hands.

[@markmahnken6409]

Spades do not cause damage in the proper hands. Damage can be caused in a hackamore and a snaffle as well. I get your point though.@@sirronmitt

[@markmahnken6409]

I should have said a well made spade.