Indeed the relationship between the using the leg, weight, and hands=20
(commonly known as the primary aids) in directing the movement of the=20
horse is an extremely complex one; however, if you proceed under the=20
assumption that the primary purpose of the rein is as an attention=20
getter and start out using them as such, you will never need 'more' bit=20
to 'control' when you use the interrelationship among the aids to direct=20
your horse's movement. Enough bit to get his attention is enough bit=20
for anything else.=20
Any rider would do well in his relationship with his horse if he were to=20
act under the presumption that the purpose of using a more 'severe' bit=20
is to enable the rider to get the horse's attention with a lighter=20
application of the rein and NOT to get the horse's attention by causing=20
pain because he is not responding to pressure.
Therefore, a more severe bit belongs on a MORE trained horse that is=20
already light and responsive to the hand. In my experience, if a rider=20
uses the bit to get a horse's attention by causing pain, horses are=20
capable of coming up with all kinds of inventive ways of avoiding the=20
bit (among these are getting over the bit, getting behind the bit,=20
tossing his head, and in many cases--especially with over applied curb=20
bits--rearing up), tying the horse's head (by the use of martingales,=20
draw reins, or whatever inventive things people have come up with for=20
forcing the horse's head into some desired position) to keep him from=20
evading the bit is not the answer.
My first maxim in choosing a bit is (and this is not a quote from=20
anybody else, this is one of mine) "at all costs, it is important that a=20
horse never associate the bit with pain." Given that a bit goes in a=20
horse's mouth and in essence lies on the gums (try pushing on your gums=20
with your fingernail to see just how sensitive the gums are), it doesn=92t=
=20
take very much bit or very much pressure on the bit to cause pain.
Aside: This is also why I like to teach green horses about the bit from=20
the ground (longing or ground driving) as it allows them to learn about=20
the bit without the added confusion of having to carry a rider. After=20
all, what else are we endurance riders to do with our horses between the=20
ages of 2 and 4, while they are too young to ride, but ground drive them=20
(they are also too young to longe, IMO).
If you are having trouble 'controlling' your horse with the bit that you=20
have, try reducing the severity of the bit until the horse learns to=20
respond to the bit rather than resist it. If you can't 'control' your=20
horse with the bit you have, the problem is not with the bit it is with=20
the horse.
Sorry to run off at the mouth, but one of my pet peeves is that there is=20
more to training an endurance horse than just conditioning it (which you=20
all already know about because of my dissertation about kicking). This=20
also happens to be one of my pet peeves about the racetrack. Maybe=20
someday I will get a race horse trainers license and demonstrate that=20
race horses would be much more successful if they were better 'trained'=20
and knew more than 'break from a gate and go like hell.'
In endurance horses I find the question of even greater importance,=20
because it has not only to do with their success as endurance horses,=20
but also their safety (and everybody else's too).
Again, sorry to be so verbose.
kat
Orange County, Calif.