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Re: [RC] Bitting for Control Question - sharp penny

 Well this is not the answer you will be looking for
because it's not a *quick fix*. You control a horse through
his mind NOT his mouth. Given the right stimulus a horse
can and will run through anything you can think up to put
in his mouth.....AND if you don't have control of him
BEFORE you go to an exciting event like an endurance ride I
can guarentee you sure as heck won't have control of him at
the ride, no matter what kinda of bit or hack you are using
on him...therefore, you are risking your safty as well as
other innocent people around you and are a potential
hazard. 
That said.... There are lots of good books and videos from
some people like Clinton Anderson, Pat Parelli and John
Lyons to name a few that can take you though the basic
steps to develop a listening horse that yeilds to pressure.
 As for types of bits for general information consider
that horses have different size mouths and shapes of
palates so what one horse finds comfortable to carry
another may not. Some horses find a large diamater snaffle
bit like a rubber snaffle very uncomfortable and will be
happier in a smaller diamater, even though a rule of thumb
is, the smaller the diamater the harsher the bit. Snaffles
work on the corners of the mouth and were designed to be
used one side at a time EVEN WHEN STOPPING a horse. Pulling
back on both sides of a snaffle causes a nutcracker effect
also, you are giving a horse something to lean and brace by
creating a fixed object in their mouth. French links (3
pieced snaffle bits) don't have as harsh of the nutcracker
effect when both reins are used simentanously and makes it
harder for them to brace or lean on due to the broken
mouthpiece. Boucher bits imploy some poll pressure in
addition to corner and bars of the horses mouth. Curb and
mullen mouth bits add chin groove pressure (if you employ a
curb strap) to poll and palate pressure but have no corner
of the mouth action. Thats why you don't teach a horse to g
lateral flexion in a curb action bit. Mechanical hacks work
on nose, chin and some poll pressure. Length of the shanks
on either a snaffle (tom thumb), curb or mechanical hack
increase the severity of the device. Sidepulls pull on the
same side that you are pulling on and cross pulls (figure
8's) pull on the opposite side. One reason I like starting
a colt in a cross pull 'cause young horses innately want to
move away from the pull and not into the pull. This is just
a very basic rundown on a subject there have been books
written about.
 My personal take on the whole control issue is that if I
feel I have to use more than a snaffle or frenchlink to
control my horse than I need to go back to the pen/pasture
and work on what building block my horse has missed in
his/her training and I have no business even trying to ride
in an endurance ride, ctr, horseshow, or any event I know
my horse will get excited in. I know alot of successful
endurance riders will disagree with me, but then I am a bit
of a horse control freak <vbg>

Regards,
Penny 
Please Reply to: CJ Fields longmilerider@xxxxxxx or
ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
==========================================

Hello! Hopefully you all can help.

I ride in a rubber coated snaffle and my gelding is super
strong and frequently ignores the bit and runs. What
would be some options? I was thinking mechanical
hackamore but not sure of the control? I don't want to
change to anything too severe because of our first ride
coming up soon. I'm sure this is the millionth bitting
question but I have a tough time searching the archives.

Any help is GREATLY apperciated!!!
Thanks!



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[RC] Bitting for Control Question, Ridecamp Guest