Re: RC: bits

[David LeBlanc <dleblanc@mindspring.com>]

At 12:43 PM 1/30/00 -0600, you wrote:
>A straight bar is straight, a mullen has a slight arch so that it makes
>contact with the tongue and bars. All snaffles are not mild. The
>french/double jointed snaffle is, the single joint is not. The single joint
>applies a lot of leverage to the mouth and horses with shallow mouths will
>find this very severe. Also many horses go better in a thinner
>mouthpiece(standard size, compared to hollow mouth) than previously thought.

I've recently gotten into a big discussion about this topic with a number
of friends, and naturally, everyone is telling me something a little
different than the next one.  One recommends such and such a bit, and the
other says it is horrible (of course, they each say the one the other one
likes is horrible, so...).  2 people said it depends on what the rider does
with it, which makes sense.  One says use a broken bit, the other says use
solid.  I'm CONFUSED!!! The horse says that she does what I ask nearly all
the time _without_ me pulling on her mouth, so she doesn't care since I
don't pull on it much anyway... <g>  (yes, she's a _really_ good horse).
I'd like to sit down with a book or two, learn something about it, then
resume discussing and experimenting.

I can't seem to find many resources on this - for example, "Go the
Distance!" which usually covers everything really well says nothing.  Can
people recommend some good books that I can use to learn more about this?
I saw a couple listed in Amazon.com, but no reviews.

If the best anyone can say is "use what works for you", or "try it and
see", then thanks, but don't bother - I already know that much, and would
like to learn more.  I also know there is no magic formula, and that what
works great for one might not work for the other.  I need resources - web
pages, books, etc.

I really hope this one doesn't turn into a flame-war...


David LeBlanc
dleblanc@mindspring.com