I have gotten a few questions regarding what type of bit a Billy Allen is, so I will elaborate a little.
Billy Allen bits are a type of bit which have been named after a famous old cowboy(?), rather than being made by or endorsed by Billy Allen. Therefore, they all have the same features. They are a shanked snaffle (which makes it a type of curb bit), but the mouthpiece is similar to a french link snaffle in that it has 3 parts, in this case consisting of a jointed snaffle with a roller over the joint. The roller stiffens the snaffle somewhat, making it stiffer than a single jointed snaffle. This set-up eliminates the nutcracker effect of the single jointed snaffle and allows the separate sides of the snaffle to be employed individually. It is shanked, so it also has a curb effect. It is supposed to be a good transition bit from snaffle to curb. Here are some examples of it: http://www.buytack.com/products/bits/ac/billy_allen1.htm
I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this bit.
Thank you,
Karen
--- On Fri, 7/18/08, Karen Lynd <klynd47@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Karen Lynd <klynd47@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: [RC] Question regarding bits To: "Ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: Friday, July 18, 2008, 4:52 PM
Does anyone ride in a Billy Allen bit or have any opinions about this bit?
