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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:00 pm
Alrighty, so anyone who has read any of my previous posts, knows that the horse I own (Ruby) is freaking crazy sometimes. I've been doing a lot of research so I can improve myself as a rider, and I was wondering: Should I change my bit? I know that some people have told me that I might try changing to a kimberwick bit, but I'm not really sure what it is exactly. Will someone please suggest some bits that might work for me and my horse? (I don't want anything too harsh.) By the way, I have a video if you haven't already seen it. (It's under "New Video of Me and Ruby.) And also, this is a picture of it. (Very old picture. I just came across it when I was looking at old show pics. Jeez I was horrible.. Oh and before someone asks: Yes, I was indeed crying. >.< I had just been dissed by the judge. More or less told that I wasn't riding right and that I needed to change the way I rode if I wanted to ever place in a show. She suggested a whip.)
 Sorry it's so big!
So.. yeah. Should I bother changing the bit? And if so, what do you suggest?
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:21 pm
I like loose ring snaffles, personally. The bit is entirely dependent on each individual horse and their personality, so it's kind of hard to recommend one without really seeing you ride and seeing how different aids affect her. A lot of finding the perfect bit is experimentation, just seeing what works and what doesn't, but I can give you an idea of some common bits and what they're helpful for, and that might help you decide if any of them sound right for Ruby.
Basic Snaffles: Contrary to popular belief, the snaffle refers to the action of the bit, not the fact that it's jointed. A jointed bit is not milder than an unjointed bit, simply different with different purposes.
There are four basic mouthpieces to snaffle bits (there are more types, but those get more into specialties like waterfords and secundas) Single-jointed - What you usually think of when you see a snaffle. Fairly mild, but can create a nutcracker affect on the jaw. Also very harsh on a horse with a low palate, as the center of the bit can squeeze up and poke them on the roof of the mouth, which is really sensitive. French Link - French link snaffles are very mild and very soft. They offer the give affect of the jointed snaffle without the nutcracker action. I like them a lot. A true french link has a small, flat, figure-eight shaped center piece, but people also often refer to bits with a round piece in the middle a french link, and I have yet to see anywhere what the "correct" term for these are. I've seen bean link, round link, and a couple others to describe it. The French link should not be confused with the Dr. Bristol, which has a long flat center piece. Because of the angle that the center piece is set at, this is a fairly harsh bit. It can be made more harsh by sharpening the edge of the center piece, but that's generally consider unethical and bad. Mullen Mouth - A solid mouth piece that is actually very mild. Great for horses with low palates, the center of the bit does not rise at all in the mouth, and there is zero nutcracker action. Twists - The metal is twisted, creating a textured, ridged surface. These bits are fairly severe and are not meant to be ridden on contact. Some people question whether they should even really be considered snaffles, though they do fit the technical qualifications as they work on direct, pound for pound pressure.
Different snaffles are also defined by their rings or fastenings. Loose ring or "O" ring - What you have on Ruby now. A round ring that slides freely through the bit. Because the ring rotates through the mouthpiece, this is a very sensitive bit. the smallest movement of the riders hands can make the ring shift, which the horse will feel in their mouth. This is a great bit for very sensitive horses and riders with very quiet, careful hands. Eggbutt - An oval-shaped fastening that connects with a joint to the side of the mouthpiece, but cannot slide freely. This is a "duller" bit, in that the slightest twitch of the reins does not translate as clearly to the horse. This can also be a great option for overly sensitive horses if the riders hands are not highly educated, as it helps to prevent sending mixed signals. This is pretty much my favorite beginner bit in the world, but it is useful to people who are not beginners as well. D-Ring - Shaped like a capital letter D, this bit is popular in the hunter ring and gives a very clean, neat appearance. It also prevents the bit from sliding through the horse's mouth because of the straight sides (a problem that can occur with the loose ring or the eggbutt) and gives you a little bit more turning power, since the side of the bit will press into the horse's cheek. Full-Cheek - Prevents pulling the bit through the mouth, and gives you power steering! Well, control over the head at least. No bit is going to give you control over your horse's shoulders, that takes correct training. Can be very good for horses that tend to get hard to control when they get a little excited. It was great on my thoroughbred. MUST be used with bit keepers! These are little pieces of leather that attach to the top arm of the bit and to the cheek piece to hold the bit in place. This ensures that the bit stays at the correct angle in the horse's mouth which ensures their comfort and the correct action of the bit.
Curbs- The term "curb" is often misleading and misunderstood. A curb bit is a leverage bit. Whereas a snaffle bit applies direct pressure to the horses tongue, bars and lips, giving you an exact pound-for-pound amount of pressure (i.e. you put 1 lb. of pressure on the reins, your horse feels 1 lb. of pressure from the bit) a leverage bit amplifies the amount of pressure that you exert on the reins by rotating the bit and pressing up with the curb strap and down on the poll. These bits are harsher, but in the right hands, can be used to add refinement and lightness. They should never be considered a beginner bit (I know that you're not a beginner, but I like to add other information in for anyone else who might be reading biggrin ) Kimberwicke - This is one of the milder curbs, and you can almost turn it into a snaffle if you attach the reins right. It looks kind of like a D-ring snaffle with holes in the sides of the ring and an attachment for a curb strap. Usually it has a solid mouthpiece with a low port, which is a little curve in the middle of the bit to allow space for the tongue (with low ports at least, in some western bits you get larger ports that are designed to add pressure when the bit is rotated). You attach the reins to one of the slits in the side of the bit, so when you pull back on the reins, rather than just pulling back on the bit, it rotates, bringing the curb strap against the chin and the crown piece down on the poll. Can be useful for a horse that is hard mouthed and just ignores the bit, and is pretty mild as far as curbs go. The rotation is small, so it only multiplies the pressure by a small factor. Pelhams - Designed to be an alternative to the double bridle, the pelham uses two reins and has both a curb and a snaffle action. You need to be able to handle both reins and use them independently before using this bit, but when used correctly, it can add a lot of softness and refinement to a horse. These are also fairly common in the hunter ring. They do make bit "converters" that allow you to ride in a pelham with only one rein, but personally, I hate them. They just muddy the signals, and, in my opinion, if you aren't an advanced enough rider to be riding with two reins, you shouldn't be riding in a pelham. I'm getting tired of typing. Those are the main bits that you're going to see in the english world. The dutch gag or "bubble bit" as we always affectionately referred to it, is also a form of curb that does not utilize the curb strap. It should also be used with two reins, but many people only attach the single rein to the lower rings to give themselves more control.
If you do decide to switch to a kimberwicke, I would HIGHLY recommend finding a knowledgeable person to help you get it adjusted. It is imperative that the curb strap be adjusted correctly and that the bit is sitting comfortably in the horse's mouth. That said, I almost think that you and Ruby might have more like with a D-ring or an Eggbutt snaffle. She seems like an incredibly sensitive horse, and I am not saying that you have bad hands or anything, but it might be good to "dull" some of the signals to some extent. I wouldn't necessarily move to a harsher bit because, from what I've seen, the problem is not that she does not feel the bit, the problem is that she doesn't respect or understand the cues that she gets through it. Often times people will try to bit their horses up to solve submission problems that are actually created by over-bitting in the first place. A horse will toss their head and evade the bit a lot more if it's more bit than they're comfortable with or need.
All of that being said, I am a firm believer that bit is only as severe as the hands that hold the reins. You can break a horse's jaw with a plain snaffle if you're harsh enough, and you can make the biggest, meanest looking curb as gentle as can be if you know how to use it correctly.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 1:10 am
.....omigawd i love you aria smile
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:55 am
haha, I need a life. Who else spends their Saturday nights typing up bit guides on Gaia? rofl
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:16 am
Aahahaha, thank you soooo much Aria! ^^ I'm not going to try to reply to all of that, but what I will say is that I'm thinking of trying the Kimberwicke, the D-ring, or the Eggbutt snaffle. XD I will get my old trainer to help me adjust it with whichever bit I get. I might even bring Ruby to the Tack shop. o.o (We're doing that anyway when we go to get a western saddle. Better to try it on her than just me, eh? XD) But anyway, I know what you mean about the getting harsher and harsher. I hate harsh bits with a passion, mostly because I see them used terribly at shows and things. Horse people are some of the craziest and oddest people. :]
So, I think that I will definitely be changing bits either way, because lately I've just been thinking that most of the problem might be her bit. ^^ And you're right, she is a very sensitive horse and I agree with "dulling" the signals.
Thank you soooooooooooo much~ ;D
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:42 pm
To begin, I would raise your bit at least one hole if not two on your bridle. That may fix almost any problem you have because your contact is better established. And maybe have a vet out to check your horse's teeth.
I would say don't try a kimberwick just yet. They can be really harsh if used incorrectly or when it doesn't fit perfectly. If your curb chain is not fitting right, you may cause damage to your horse.
Personally, I would try a Full cheek french link snaffle with a flat link if you can find it. Or try something with rollers or pieces that move! Some horses just need something extra to fiddle with and they will soften their mouths right away.
You shouldn't need a harsh bit. I almost never use them. The harshest bit i've ever used was the curb on the double bridle I used to use on my last horse when we were training FEI Juniors. And I hardly touched it. You could actually see the slack in my curb reins. I don't think there is really ever a need for a harsh bit once you understand and listen to your horse. A lot of people will put a harsher bit on a horse with a hard mouth but the best way to ride a horse with a hard mouth is in a hackamoore for a couple weeks while his mouth gets a break from being yanked on. You'd be surprised by how effective it is!
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:41 pm
I would pick a snaffle over the kimberwicke. Like we've said before, Ruby is very sensitive, and the curb action of the kimberwicke is going to augment your aids which could give you the same over-stimulating problem that you get with the loose ring. I really don't think she needs a kimberwicke. It is mild for a curb, but still a curb, and therefore "harsher" by nature.
Stargazer - Rollers! I forgot about rollers! I agree, very useful for horses that need something to play with. Can also encourage them to soften their mouth and salivate since they'll be moving their tongue over the roller.
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 12:16 am
i personally love snaffles smile
we had this little mare, charlotte, who was absolutely amazing, but she did tend to "run off' with people when jumping. so then she'd get really hot and "crazy" but only for certain people. so they started putting her in harsher and harsher bits. she HATED it, and started to back up, spin in circles, just plain take off, refuse jumps, and refuse to move forward. (and yet, surprise surprise, EVERY time i rode her i used a simple eggutt snaffle (or d-ring, cant remember) , and she would be perfect)we FINALLY convinced the people to only put her in a snaffle and nothing else, and she's great now. (plus she now has an absolutely amazing leasor smile )
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:51 am
Stargazer- We've had her teeth checked out many times before. ^^ She had a "hook" at one point, which we took care of, and that was probably her reason for throwing her head around so much.
Mkay, I understand about the Kimberwicke. I'll try a snaffle. And I'll talk to my old trainer about getting it adjusted.
I think that my bit does move around, (this probably isn't what you mean though) it has two pieces, so it bends in the middle. Do you mean something that literally has like a little ball in the middle that they can play with?
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 10:02 am
Soooo, since I have you vid. you and Ruby and you have told me a lot about her, I can tell you that you more than likely shouldn't use a Kimberwick on her. We tried one on my friend's pony that is the world's worst runaway pony and granted it made her behave better, but after using it for so long, it taight her to begin bucking when the reins were pulled on because, a Kimberwick is so harsh and strong.
Snaffles and D rings are always good because there are several types that can bought to match the individual needs of your horse. Egg rings are good too, I use an Egg ring snaffle on Hannah. But then again, she can't use a strong bt because she is so sensitive with her mouth. Plus, we want her to learn the pressure through my hands so she is more connected with me, the rider. Maybe that is what Ruby needs- a soft bit with firm hands.
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:05 pm
Exactly!  Copper rollers on a d-ring. The copper encourages salivation, and the pieces move a little as the horse moves their tongue.  Another kind of roller. I don't particularly like this bit... but you can see that the roller has a lot more freedom and they could really play with it.  Clearer picture with a full cheek  This bit has "keys" which are a less common way to keep a horse entertained. I've never seen one actually used though. (now, for reference purposes)  Regular loose ring snaffle, single joint (I'm guessing this is what you're currently riding in)  My favorite bit ever, this is the "bean" link that I was talking about. Very very soft. Very sensitive. Allows for very subtle aids without being strong. I tend to put these on any horse that can go in them. biggrin  Eggbutt french link snaffle. See how the center piece is flat and kind of shaped? Also, very mild.  Dr. Bristol. Notice the difference between this and the one before it. The longer centerpiece set at a different angle makes this a fairly severe bit. As for adjusting the bit, you should be able to do that yourself with a snaffle. It should sit so that it creates 2-3 small wrinkles at the corner of her mouth. Like Stargazer said, you'll probably want to raise it one or two holes, and that should make it sit easier. That will allow you to have a more even contact, since the bit won't be moving up and down in her mouth as much.
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:36 am
Ahhh, I see. ^^ I'm definitely not going to try the Kimerwick then.
And yes, that regular loose ring snaffle is exactly what I have on Ruby right now.
I think that what I'll do is try is the regular D ring snaffle or that "bean" link bit. ^^
Right, and what I just noticed in that picture, the bit isn't sitting like that anymore. xD We ended up raising it a while ago. But I'll make sure that it shows 2-3 wrinkles. ^^
We're probably going to see about getting a new one soon. We're getting a new western saddle anyway. Sooo yeah. ^^ Thank you VERY much!
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