I recently observed a clinic with a well known showing expert, in which this person worked with a variety of horses and riders of various experience. I can honestly say it was the nearest thing to an equestrian version of "inspector gadget" I have ever seen.
The person appeared with a Mary-Poppinsesque bag from which a bewildering array of bits of kit constantly spewed forth in order to "fix" each horse and rider combination - I don't think I have ever seen so many horses with one part of their anatomy attached by elastic to another. The combinations where the horses poll and mouth were attached to the girth were particulary interesting, as the horses bobbed along with their heads on their chests whilst their back ends continuing to drag along in another county.
So this set me wondering - is it the producers of show horses who promote this quickfixery, or do the owners demanding quick results cajole the producers into it?
