This message is from: Starfire Farm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Jon A. Ofjord wrote:
> I'd like to start my mare in a western > curb bit. She is currently working in a full cheek snaffle. Any > suggestions as to what type of bit I can use? I.e.; Tom Thumb, or ? I > can't seem to find too much in the catalogs I receive that would fit my > mare. She takes a 5 ½" bit. Most bits I've seen are only 5", especially > the training bits. > > Should I start her in a Tom Thumb type bit or go to a low port curb? I > haven't been able to find much written about this, or maybe I just don't > know which books to buy. I'm not near any large cities to shop for bits, I > usually have to order them through catalogs. > > Any advice as to how I should work the mare when I start her on a curb > action bit? I wouldn't bother to do this, but I believe the Fjords have to > be ridden in a western style curb bit for the western riding evaluation and > trail classes. Any help would be appreciated. > > Mary Ofjord > North COast Fjords Just a word of caution when selecting a curb bit. The leverage action on a curb bit can interfere with the connection you have when you ask a horse to bend. In other words, when you use a snaffle to ask a horse to turn, you have a direct line from your hand to the horses' mouth, which gives a clear signal to your horse. A curb bit incorporates a leveraging, pinching, action, which not only puts a lot of pressure on the horse's bars and tongue, but also puts a lot of pressure under the chin. To see just how much pressure, place your hand between the mouthpiece of the bit and the curb strap or chain. Then have someone else pull the bit back, as if by the reins, putting even pressure on your hand. Then have them jerk it back, as if you had pulled the reins rapidly. You should get a good idea of how this might feel to your horse. You can also cradle the mouthpiece in you hand and wrap your fingers around it gently, to see how it might hang in your horse's mouth. If you put a curb bit on a horse which has never worn one, and apply pressure, the horse's initial reaction will be to raise its head away from the pressure under his chin. The horse, as with anything, needs to be trained to understand this pressure, to be able to respond to the lightest signals. Otherwise you are simply torturing your horse! Before you try a curb bit on your horse, he should already know how to "stay between your reins" without pulling on either side of the bit, as well as how to bend and turn from your legs and seat, not the reins. Classically speaking, the curb bit was designed to be used on horses that are "fine tuned", and to help the rider send invisible signals to the horse reference changes in balance and collection. This relys on an even signal on both sides and bars of the mouth, which also places some pressure from the top of the bridle on the horse's poll, consequently asking the horse to give at the poll. I feel that our signals/aids to the horse should be as clear as possible, therefore I don't recommend using a Tom Thumb bit. The Tom Thumb has a broken mouthpiece, like a snaffle bit, but also incorporates the leverage of a curb bit. This, all to easily, can lead to a pinching action on one side of the mouth or the other as we try to ask the horse to turn and, in my opinion, leads to confusing signals to the horse. Therefore, I would recommend a curb with a port which would fit the conformation of your horse's mouth, and the size of her tongue. For a horse being newly introduced to the curb, I would recommend a low port, to avoid the port touching the roof of the horse's mouth. Once the horse learns to "drop his poll", give to the bit, and carry himself in a collected frame (which he should have already learned in a snaffle) you can introduce the curb. The classical, Vaquero style of training starts with a snaffle, then moves to a bosal/snaffle combination, then to a "half breed" curb bit (which has a moderate, say 1 inch high port), then a full spade (which can be up to 3 inches long!) It is not considered an instrument of control, it is considered, and used as, an instrument of fine communication. If you saw the Horse Whisperer, the gear on the finished horses is an example of a Santa Barbara spade bit and pencil bosal. In upper level Dressage, the curb bit is used in conjunction with a snaffle bit (both bits in the horse' mouth.) Crudely speaking, the snaffle bit is used to help with turning and bending signals, the curb is used, as in the Vaquero style, to send fine signals to the horse to make slight changes in the horse's collection. Too often, though, in both disciplines, we see people using curb bits for their ability to control a horse through the application of pressure on the horse's mouth. In this age of instant gratification, we are often looking for the quick fix, rather than willing to spend the time to take the necessary steps to train properly! That said, I also understand those who feel the need to have the security of a curb bit when driving. In a recent Mounted Police seminar that I attended, the instructor recommended using a snaffle bit for training, but using a curb bit for working on the street. He recommended this because he felt that there are times, in an emergency situation, when you need to have the extra "oomph" that a curb bit can provide to send a strong signal to the horse. I feel this is also true of driving, but would caution that it is imperative that your horse is thoroughly well trained, and you can perform all of your movements and tasks in a snaffle bit, rather than simply rely on the action of the curb! I don't know what the requirements are for dressing a "Western" Fjord for evaluation, but I do know that the Quarter Horse and Paint exhibitors (the trend setters in Western horsey fashion) are riding their colts and green horses in snaffle bits with mecate reins, or bosals. The horses go, as in a curb, on a very loose rein, with the head carriage rather low (not with light rein contact, as in Dressage.) I think there is nothing cuter than a Fjord horse, dressed in a snaffle and mecate rein, with a little silver on the bridle, in a nice Western saddle! As for the width of the bit, you might have to have one custom built, as most "Western" horses don't have the wide mouth, fleshly lipped horses that we have (although our Morgan gelding runs a close second to the Fjords - and what wonderful lips they are!) As for the width of the bits, so far I aslo have only seen 5" bits in the catalogues. I can check with our local Western tack stores to see what they carry, or recommend. Until then, best of luck! Beth, Sandy and all of the Fjords, etc. of Starfire Farm in Beautiful, HOT, Colorado.
