[drivingpairs] Newbie questions about bits, pole straps, etc.

I have been reading this list as a lurker for a while to help with our
education and now have actually started driving two of our Fjords
consistently as a pair.  To introduce ourselves we have four Fjords: 2
trained to drive single & pair (5 & 4 years old), 1 four year old learning
to drive, and 1 is only two years old but with great potential; and an
Appaloosa who doesn?t drive yet but thinks he knows everything anyway.  Just
started driving the Fjords about a year ago and love it very much so we are
all very green and love all the info. we are getting from the various
driving lists.  We love pairs more than we could have imagined and we have
only been doing that a few weeks.  Driving pairs was my goal when we started
out.  
 

Now my problem is finding a good supplier of bits with fixed cheeks.  Where
is everyone?s favorite place to get bits or have them made?  I am especially
looking for a 5 ½? arch mouth fixed cheek and a 5 ½? mullen or sweetwater
mouthpiece fixed cheek.  Would prefer sweet iron or non-copper as copper
seems to irritate their mouths.  I would like to find military elbow style
as I have one boy with very busy lips who will chew the reins if you blink
and that style seems to help a little.  Liverpool or butterfly fixed cheeks
would be ok, too.  All suggestions/discussion about pair?s bits would be
appreciated.

 

More newbie questions:  How loose does everyone leave their pole straps?  Is
there a general rule or just work with it till it feels right?  What about
crab/pole versus chest placement?  I know the ponies need to be able to bend
properly and not run into the crab/pole with chest or chin.  We?ve got a
4-wheel Pony Sport with about an 11 1/2? wide crab with 2 ½? rings on it and
4? quick releases that we added set just barely in front of their chest.
Harness is Zilco G. Bowman coaching style.  It is hard adjusting the length
as Fjords are fur covered tanks with very wide but short necks.  When
looking at magazines some crabs/poles are way out in front and some are
almost even with the breastplate.  Our set-up seems to work but always
interested in fine tuning the rig and learning more about it.

 

I am also interested if anyone drives their horses with a ?barefoot trim?
(not just without shoes) and how road work affects them.

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance or advice with any aspect of driving
pairs.

 

Only thing better than one Fjord is a pair of Fjords!

 

Milli Ann

Magnolia, TX 


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