On Dec 31, 2007, at 3:58 AM, Karen Thomas wrote:
However, I think Will Covert DID have some success (as a FEIF
International Judge) in getting them to listen - at least the Peruvian
spade
bit has been banned. All kudos to him, and especially to Sali Peterson
who
first made a noise to the USIHC about the use of the bit and got Will
to go
to FEIF with it.
All the stuff I read from Americans gave me the impression they (the
writers
of the posts) gave me was that they were almost more concerned about
the
"cultural invasion" of using a Spanish-associated bit. Maybe I'm
wrong,
but I didn't get the feeling that the rage was so much directed
towards the
harshness of the bit. I really think there was a "there goes the
neighborhood" attitude at work, compromising the exclusive culture of
Iceland.
Curious.
I have Peruvians and they are all finished in Peruvian bits, which I
don't consider a particularly harsh bit at all. The finished horse
works on a loose rein with its mouth closed and its poll flexed.
But I can easily see if this bit were adopted by a snaffle bit
equitation culture such as I've seen in pictures on this list over the
years -- reins taut, nose in the air, mouth tied shut, rider apparently
hanging on for dear life -- and even worse, if this bit were used to
start a horse, then yes, it would not be in the horse's best interest.
The cultural disciplines that use a curb or spade bit (Peruvian,Paso
Fino, vaquero, reining . . .) start the horse from the beginning with
the final bit in mind -- and that includes several months of bitless
saddle training in a bosal or bozal.
Lynn Kinsky, Santa Ynez, CA
http://www.silcom.com/~lkinsky/
http://www.dslextreme.com/~napha/JoyOfRiding/index.htm
