Kimblewicke and Viennese curbs

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

Kathy wrote:



>I don't find kimberwicke's to be subtle at all - I don't get as much
lateral flexion with them as I do with the french link.<

I find this with any double jointed bit.  I use a KK, Dick Christian and a
French, all of which are legal for dressage.  I change them every so often,
if I find that the horse isn't listening for one reason or another.  I find
that the KK has the best effect, maybe because the horses can "play" with
the bean.  The Dick Christian seems a little stronger than the other two (it
has a centre link, not a plate or a bean, and probably gives a sharper
action, although not nearly as bad as the Dr Bristol) and I jump Toc in it
if he's getting his Napoleonic complex!


>I have to admit, however, that it was easier to achieve artificial flexion
at the poll by using a Tom Thumb pelham before we learned to do it right
with a French link.>

Yup!  Unless the rider knows what he / she is doing (and I don't, so don't
go there <grin>), the horse can evade a curb in a number of ways:

1.  Getting behind the bit

2.  Flexing from the crest

3.  Disengaging behind, whilst remaining "round" in front

4.  Rearing (yes, nothing like that chain to make a horse go up!)

I'm not saying that a curb is a "bad" bit, just that it needs a rider with
good feel to use it properly, to know when the horse is "backing off" and
when he is taking a good contact.  The "lightness" of the pelham is
attractive to most riders, but unless you have a good idea of what the ass
end of the horse is doing, it can give a very false feel.

Too many riders, and judges, in my opinion, have fallen into the habit of
looking at the horse's head and neck when assessing "roundness" and being
"on the bit" and they don't look at the loins.  Unless the loins have
dropped, and the horse is engaging his HOCKS, he isn't truly round.


>What is a Viennese?<

Um...it's called various things : An elevator bit, Portuguese snaffle,
Continental Snaffle, Dutch Gag, Viennese snaffle.  It is a snaffle
mouthpiece with a ring above, which attaches to the cheek pieces and two
rings below, which attach to the reins.  You can have your rein on the
bottom, middle or snaffle ring, depending on the leverage you require.


All of the names are wrong, because it's action is neither snaffle (it has a
lever action, which a snaffle does NOT) nor gag (a gag lifts the head, this
drops it).


Although it doesn't have a curb chain, it has the action of a curb, as it
operates to exert leverage on the poll, causing the horse to drop his head.
I sometimes use it for jumping, when a horse is rushing through the bit and
basically being a pig.  As long as your horse is schooled to move off your
leg, and is not on the forehand, it will give you the extra control you need
between fences to enable you to "set him up" properly.


This is, contrary to popular belief, more important in Show Jumping than XC.
In Show Jumping, especially when you're jumping a course of related distance
fences, when a long stride in the wrong place can make a difference between
a clear round or not, you really need your horse to listen to you when you,
say "hold" for six, when he wants to "push on" for seven.  In the Country,
you have more time between fences to set your horse up, and I personally
find that sometimes, a horse who needs the Viennese in the Stadium is fine
in a snaffle in the country.  Of course, there are exceptions, and some
horses are way too bold in the country, and you need the extra hold.  I have
a feeling PG is going to be one of these (he recently launched himself off
of a dam wall, because he "thought" I'd asked - not in this lifetime!)

One caveat though about the Viennese.  I've seen a few people using them for
flatwork, because they do make a horse come "round".  But this is also a
false roundness unless the rider is engaging the hind legs, too.  Also, they
come in various different mouthpieces, but most commonly a single-jointed
snaffle.  A horse who doesn't like a single jointed snaffle might not be
able to get away from the bit, because of the curb action - making this a
cruel bit unless you know to check the shape of your horse's mouth properly.
Mine has a KK mouthpiece, but they also come in happy mouth, French, mullen
mouth, nathe, and straight bar.



Tracey