Ridecamp: [RC] Bits

carolyn_burgess@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

> .  I won't ride on the trails with anything
> stronger than a full cheek snaffle.

Maryben writes:

> It's a good thing Becky did not suscribe to this theory or Rio would not be
the legend he is today.  He actually ran away with her at the end of a tough
100 miler one year........Riding him in a snaffle was a sure way to die.
At 25 or so now, he is still a handful and we won't even talk about Khazen
who actually bucked last year.  He is in his 30's.....mb<

There's a great photo of Becky and Rio in Sally Swift's new Centered Riding II
book on page 246, on their way to winning the Gold in1990 in Holland, with Rio
in his Rollerbit. They rode for at least the last ten years of his career in
their two-rein Rollerbit, also called a TTEAM Training Bit by Linda
Tellington-Jones and Robyn Hood.

The rollerbit has a high port with a copper roller, loose cheeks and curved
shanks which encourage the horse to give at the poll and engage the
hindquarters. The bit is intended to be ridden off the snaffle rein with the
curb rein loosely draped; the weight of the rein does the trick. Riding with
only the curb rein negates the purpose of the bit and offers no lateral control.
Coupling the bit with a neck ring or braided climbing rope often helps to bring
horses who are strong at the start back to the hand, stay round, and not run
off.

A lot of folks think it's "too buch bit" for an endurance horse to be carting
around all day, but when I crewed for Rio a few years ago at the Swanton Pacific
100 R&T, he happily slurped his mash at every vet check with the rollerbit on.
Most folks can use this bit at the start and switch to a bitless bridle,
sidepull or snaffle down the trail.

Bobbie & Perle
Escondido, Calif.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
 Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

 If you are an AERC member - PLEASE VOTE in the Director at Large 
 and By Laws Elections.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=