[drivingpairs] bits
- From: Hzlax@xxxxxxx
- To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 01:48:20 EDT
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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