RE: Snaffle Snaffoo

["Flemmer, Linda" <flemmerl@rcbhsc.wvu.edu>]

Title: RE: Snaffle Snaffoo

Jasmine,

Thanks for the excellent post!  You summarized things very well.  Would you consider allowing Steph (list owner) to post this under the FAQ under a heading like "bitting"?  The only areas you didn't touch on are hackamores, bosals, vosals, and side pulls.  Maybe someone else with lots of experience with those could respond, too!

If you think it is ok, contact her (her address is on the endurance web page) and tell her that folks (or at least me) are requesting it. 

Linda Flemmer
-----Original Message-----
From: Jasmine Cave [mailto:toppere@siu.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 1999 2:24 PM
To: Srawdi@aol.com; Ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: Snaffle Snaffoo

My trainer is a certified riding instructer who is now qualified to teach
olympic level dressage and show jumping as well as advanced saddle seat and
reining. Her specialty is bits, she collects them and uses them as teaching
aids. She is a riding instructer with southern illinois university and all
of us equine science students must go through her bit class. A snaffle is a
bit which has no shanks and no curb chain. A curb has shanks and has a curb
chain. Either of these types of bits can be broken(single or double
jointed), or unbroken(mullen or port or bar). For most horses a mullen
mouth is the gentlest because it is shaped to follow the curve of the
mouth. It uses pressure evenly over the tongue and bars and encourages the
horse to lower the head. The single jointed mouth encourages the horse to
raise the head by breaking over in the mouth giving the horse nothing to
lean on. It is the most severe mouthpiece. The double jointed is
comfortable to most horses as it follows the contour of the mouth better
than the single joint, but is more severe than the mullen. This is a good
mouthpiece if your horse is getting a bit strong in the mullen.
        On the snaffle the loose ring is a good bit for horses that lean because
the rings move giving little for the horse to lean on. The full cheek
provides more lateral control for horses that are somtimes difficult to
turn. The eggbutt provides lateral stability for horses that flex the neck
to readily. It is also no pinch so is comfortable used for long
distance(can also get eggbutt sides on full cheek and loose ring).Gag bits
elevate and flex the front end. The sliding cheeks automatically correct
and reward the horse that pulls his head down and pushes his nose out when
being riden. The elevator bit adds poll pressure and builds lightness by
letting the horse anticipate what is going on. The mouth piece slides
forward in the mouth before pressure is applied to the bars. A curb chain
could also be added and the rings allow for multiple rein possitions or use
with double riens. The pelham functions as a snaffle and a curb depending
on where you have the reins. The top ring acts like a snaffle and provides
lifting, the bottom ring activats the curb chain and provides flex.For
those that like to use just one rein, you can snap your reins to the bottom
ring at the begining of a ride when your horse is hot and switch to the top
ring when your horse is calmer. The Kimberwick is a mild curb that comes in
two styles: standard and uxter. The standard is basicaly useless as it acts
like a snaffle. The uxeter when the top slot is used is a very mild curb
that uses a little poll and curb chain pressure. When the bottom slot is
used it provides more control.
        On curb shanks, the shorter the shank the less severe, a shank that curves
back to the rider is less severe than one that curves toward the horse. The
length of the top of the bit(from mouthpiece up to where it is attached to
the bridle)the longer it is the more poll pressure, some horses don't like
that much poll pressure.Ported mouthpieces are misunderstood by many
people. Most belive that the port acts on the roof of the mouth. This is
not the case except in cathedral and spade bits. It really applies pressure
to the bars or if there is a roller, to the tongue as long as the curb is
not so loose that the mouthpiece can flip, than it would hit the roof. Also
many western curb bits are designed so that double reins can be used. If
you have your curb chain hooked to a ring that is even with the mouthpiece,
it is wrong. This is for a snaffle rein, and if your curb chain is hooked
here the mouthpiece on the curb is going to rotate too much before the curb
comes in to effect if it ever does. I was shocked to find that in Donna
Synider-Smith's endurance book there is a picture of a curb set up this
way. I showed this to my instructer and she said that when she got her
dressage certification Donna was one of the testers and she marked my
trainer wrong on the spade bit in her test. Well my instructor was correct
and she had to get one of her reining testers to fix it.
        The mouthpiece material is also a factor. Stainless steel is usually
inexpensive and most horses are comfortable with it. Sweet iron, copper,
and nickel free(aurigan and gold metal and Klass) all increase salavation
and softness in hard mouth horses. Synthetic plastic(happy mouth, apple
mouth and flex) are very light weight and are not effected by temperature
as much as metal(don't get too hot or cold).I never use nickel as I have
seen several horses that were allergic to it, that includes german silver.
        The mouthpiece texture is also an important consideration. A smooth
mouthpiece is the least severe.A textured mouthpiece(twisted, corkscrew) is
most severe and is usefull for horses that are always pushing and leaning
on the bit.
        If you would like to see the difference between a single joint and a solid
mouthpiece for yourself grip the bit in your hand and have someone pull on
the rings.
        All of the pieces of your bit must be considered together before you label
it severe on mild. Fat is usually milder than thin mouthpieses unless your
horse has a large tongue or shallow mouth. And they are all individuals and
will like different bits, this is ment as a guide only. As for catalogue
discriptions they will call it what most people know it as not necissarily
what it is.
sorry about the spelling
        jasmine