[drivingpairs] bits

1. I like any bit that a horse goes well in. (A horse won't go well in a 
cruel bit).

2. In general I don't see any advantages of curb bits with broken 
mouthpieces. I know many people like them, but when I ask them why, I often 
get very unclear answers. It seems when we have two items which work 
differently and both have their advantages and their disadvantages, there are 
always many people quickly trying to combine both, thinking that way they can 
get the advantages of both and forgetting that perhaps they may also just 
getting the disadvantages of both, or worse, that perhaps the combination of 
both might even void any of the previous advantages.  A bit with a broken 
mouthpiece works on the principle of a slight nutcracker action, as well as 
the idea that you can work both sides of the mouth independently. A curb bit 
works with the leverage effect against the curb chain. Many people leave the 
curb chain too lose, wanting to be kind to their horses, thinking a lose curb 
chain will have that effect. That is wrong, a curb chain that is too lose 
makes a more severe bit as it  will only turn the bit so much more in the 
mouth before it has any leverage action for which the bit is designed, and 
with the additional turning will only put a lot of pressure on the poll, 
resp. raise the bit in the mouth and put pressure in the corners of the 
mouth.  A curb bit with a broken mouthpiece has a similar effect as a too 
lose curb chain, because the moment you pull on the rein, instead of giving 
you a leverage effect against the curb chain, the bit folds together in the 
nutcracker fashion of a snaffle which then makes the curb chain lose and 
uneffective.

3. I have driven my pairs for many years in plain snaffles, however, have 
come to the understanding, that the snaffle idea of working independently on 
both sides of the mouth while often great for a single is really not very 
conducive to driving multiples, where one is often happy to just have the 
various horses halfway together, never mind working independ sides of various 
mouthes. In addition it's not great on pairs and teams, where the coupling 
rein has a sideway pull at an angle thus has an entirely different effect on 
that side of the mouth than on the other side with the draft rein. Now I now 
prefer curb bits with fixed mouth pieces on pairs and teams for my own use, 
but would never tell anybody he can't use his snaffles if his horses go well 
with them. 

4. On pairs and teams also due to the sideway pull of the coupling rein I 
prefer fixed side pieces, as otherwise the forward half of the sidepiece is 
often pulled into the side of the mouth.  On my pair I prefer mullen mouth 
Liverpools with fixed cheek pieces. In addition I wrap the bits with latex, 
and for my every day work bits (as well as for the marathon) the lower two 
slots on the shanks are cut off as I don't find the need to use them anyhow, 
so with having them cut off I decrease the chance of one horse catching his 
partner in the bridle with the end (even though I watch and don't allow them 
to rub heads anyhow.) On my dressage bits the lower shanks are not cut off to 
preserve the traditional appearance. 
All as usual just my very own opinions, and most important: See Item 1 
above..
Hardy


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