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[RC] Question about Kimberwick, Mylar, and Tom Thumb bits - Jonni Jewell

Debbie, did the Kimberwicke have two slots for the reins to adjust to, or
were they just "D" rings on the side. If it has rein slots, it is referred
to an  Uxeter Kimberwicke. Put the reins on the lower rein slot, and then
the curb chain will engage as a leverage bit. Reins in upper slot, or just
around D and not through either slot, and it is more of a snaffle action.
(non-leverage)

Now, I have a different thought for you than the others. If you like how the
horse works with the current Myler mouthpiece, but you are having some
concerns about having "WHOA" when you need it, maybe look at the Myler
Kimberwicke, and get the same mouthpiece as your current Myler. If you are
schooling at home, working on getting your youngster to give, bend, etc.,
you can have the reins on the snaffle adjustment, and it would be like your
current Myler snaffle. But, if you get to a ride, and you see the horse
might be getting a tad more excited than you had hoped, and you feel they
may get "chargey", you could adjust your reins down to the low rein slot,
for some leverage action, and a tad more Whoa.

I love snaffle bits. I start all my guys in either a Egg Butt Frenchlink, or
the latest horse was started in a very mild Happy Mouth  (plastic)
non-jointed snaffle bit . At home, this is what I usually ride in. But, I do
NOT want to have a horse get to a ride, and be tugging and pulling, and have
their brains shut down to all the excitement and try to pull my arms off.  I
see more riders out there on rides, with their horses pulling them up out of
the saddle with their snaffle bits all day. I'm sorry, that is not fun. I am
not saying all horses who are in a snaffle or any other "mild" bit are this
way. There are many who will go along as nice as can be in snaffles or even
just a halter. But I bet that for the most part, those are experienced
horses who have done this sport a little while. I use a Frenchlink
Kimberwicke (impossible to find) at rides, and find I have a little extra if
the horse gets silly to remind him to come back into my hands, but it is
easy for them to drink in buckets etc. (BTW, most who are ridden in longer
shanks WILL learn how to deal with drinking....Becky Harts Rio did, and he
was always in a fairly long shanked bit, often with double reins...kind of
like the one Linda Tellington-Jones bit  advertises )

So yes, go back and school the youngster some more on WHOA etc., but maybe
look into other Mylers. (BTW, I don't own a Myler etc., but feel they make
some wonderful bits, so I keep the link bookmarked)

http://www.toklat.com/myler/index.html

Jonni



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