RC: Re:CONTROL AND COURTESY

[Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

>I had the vet check her teeth, did all sorts of things to no
>avail until a friend loaned me a Kimberwicke while she was recovering
>from a ligament injury and really couldn't afford any Toads. The change
>was nothing short of miraculous. I have to assume that somehow the
>Kimberwicke is simply more comfortable to her than the snaffle ever was
>because we have no more Toads, no head tossing and I almost never have
>to touch the reins.  In this case, the Kimberwicke was actually the
>softer bit. Don't know why, but I'm really happy with the result.
>

A solid mouthed Kimberwicke with a low port is a mild bit for a couple of
reasons.  

One...there is no joint in the mouth.  A solid snaffle is the mildest bit
around and a lot of horses have mouths where the roof of their mouth is
fairly low.  This is very often true with Arabs...and *all* of the horses
of Arabian persuasion that I've owned prefer something other that a snaffle
with a single joint that, when activated, forms an upside down V and pokes
the roof of their mouth and pinches them on the bars.  A solid mouth
snaffle or a french link will usually work a lot better on horses with low
palates.  Also, think about what you do when you encounter pain...you pull
AWAY from the source of pain.  If you got poked in the roof of your mouth,
your reflex would be to throw your head up and away from the pain.

Two...there is a chain or leather underneath the chin which gives you a
little of the brakes associated with a curb without being too strong (can't
pinch *too* hard) on a horse that is used to being ridden with a loose rein
or slight contact.  The upper slot is milder than the lower slot.

Let me quickly define curb and snaffle here.  

A snaffle bit is a bit that is used with direct reining -- that is, the
reins are attached to bit at the corners of the mouth and not below the
lips.  The action is on the tongue, the bars, and the corners of the mouth.
 It doesn't matter if the part inside the mouth is solid or jointed!  

A curb bit is ANY bit that uses leverage where the reins are attached at a
point below the lips and activating the bit with the reins causes the
attachment points to come back towards you...the bit rotates in the mouth
and activates the chain or leather under the chin.  It's a bit that is used
with indirect reining and acts on the bars, the chin, and the poll.  It
*does not matter* whether it has a solid or broken mouthpiece -- it's still
a curb bit!!  Used incorrectly, a curb can be EXTREMELY severe...and a lot
of that depends on the length of the shanks (this is a factor to consider
in a hackamore also,) the angle that they come off of the mouthpiece, and
the height of the port inside the mouth.  A low port is milder and gives a
little more room for the tongue than a straight mouth.  If a broken
mouthpiece is part of the curb, it adds action on the roof of the mouth and
the bars, and can potentially be one of the worst bits around...commonly
known as a Tom Thumb snaffle (remember, it's *not* a snaffle!) and known as
"The Nutcracker" by those that don't like that bit (like me. ;-))

Also, remember that, anytime you add another apparatus such as a running
martingale, you totally change the natural action of the bit...making
anything you use potentially MUCH more severe.

You can see why a solid mouthed Kimberwicke can be more comfortable than
either a jointed snaffle or a curb bit!  Another factor here is the
side-pull, which, with a well trained horse, can be a wonderful item since
the action is on the nose...and the reflex of coming away from the bit is
to lower the head.  This *doesn't* work as well on horses that have a habit
of throwing their head up at the slightest provocation or ignoring the
rider when they choose -- but now we're getting back into the bad or
non-existent training aspect in the horse and his inability to use his
topline correctly or respond to cues appropriately.

One more thing...no matter what bit you use, if you activate it with a
CONSTANT STEADY pull on the reins (with one hand using a curb or both hands
using a snaffle) you will ONLY teach the horse to clamp down on the bit,
run away with the bit, or lean on it!!!!!  You can tell horses that have
been incorrectly trained by what I've just stated, or by religious use of
other devices such as martingales or side reins...they will have *very*
well developed underlines (that bulging muscle under the neck is a
"give-away" of poor training.)  This puts a horse on it's forehand causing
it to lag behind with the rear legs and hollow out the back.

Sue



sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.


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