ridecamp@endurance.net: bitting book , bitting debate

bitting book , bitting debate

Teresa Van Hove (vanhove@unavco.ucar.edu)
Mon, 11 Aug 1997 11:57:39 -0700 (PDT)

Hi,

I have been following the bitting debate with some interest, and some
yeah right attitude. Unfortunately for me there have been very few postings
regarding the intitial question. How do vosals, and other bitless alternatives
work? I would like to use a bit-less alternative so that my gelding can graze
freely when I'm at a ride. I can ride him in a halter -but he would burn
himself out on the first loop if I tried this at a ride. His pesonality changes
from mister calm to I can go the fastest here, mom, really, even though we
don't ride so hard in training, when I am at a ride. Does the Bits and Bitting
manual discuss vosals, side pulls etc? I am on the verge of making up my own
side-pull/vosal type noseband to try, but am not eager to do so, as I hate to
put the time into it. I currently ride him in a D-ring snaffle, or a halter
(for training or after the first loop or two of a ride.)

I had to go to a curb bit with my mare and feel that there is nothing wrong with
them if you don't lean on the bit all the time. To those who say they prefer a
snaffle - I say - you are not always out in the open where you can circle down to
get control of a horse. My mare has always been very go-ey. I use the same
grazing (swept back about 5 in. shanks, low port ) bit now that I went to
11 years ago and she has not gotten harder mouthed, and I can ride her without
worrying that she will run across an intersection ( I ride a lot of dirt roads.)
By the way there seems to be some confusion as to curb bits (any bit with shanks
designed to be used with a curb strap and snaffles - egg butts and Dee rings
are a far cry from the cowboy snaffles - I have heard and believe myself
that a snaffle curb bit is more harsh than a solid bit wtih a reasonable port
and same length shanks.

Susan - I personally would trash the tom-thumb bit as they are prone to flip
up as you described. A german martingale, used with a d-ring or egg-butt
snaffle can be good for head tosseres, but they learn very quickly when they
don't have it on and I don't like to have the extra equipment when I trail ride,
so I can't recommend it whole heartedly.

Just my 2 cents,

Teresa

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