Re: RC: bitting questions (even longer)

[Abby Bloxsom <goneriding@snet.net>]

> The horse really likes it <bitless bridle> and responds well - I have considered just
> sticking with it, but I am nervous about taking a 4/5 yr old to rides next
> year w/o a bit.  And I do want to understand the problem.
> 
I do think that the 2nd reason you've given here is the more important
of the two ... frankly, if a horse will stop/turn/go reliably, I don't
really care what the method is!  (my early teacher Robin Groves used to
say "you can teach him to canter when you touch his right ear with a
dinner fork, if you want to")  If the brakes on the bit-free bridle
(how's that?) are equivalent to or better than the bitted one, then what
difference does it make?  It's merely one of convention, and with
day-glo biothane all over the place, I'm not certain that an endurance
ride is a place where people are really going to fuss over convention. 
If it's an issue of "I know I don't have a bit and I worry about that"
then it's time to put that out of your mind.

> But because I do feel there is a bit element to it - I don't want to punish
> him for saying this hurts!  

A good instinct.  

> So even sometimes on the trail, when I'm asking
> him to do a turn that he'd be doing anyhow, he'll react - so I'm
> interpreting that as discomfort rather than defiance.
> 
A reasonable assumption.

> This bit is a mullen mouth with a couple different places the reins can
> attach - either with little to no leverage or with some (short shanks, so
> not that much).  I have never used a bit like this before, so know very
> little about what to expect.  But I operated in my hands and don't feel it
> will be severe.  

Keep in mind that a bit that either doesn't fit or is used badly will be
severe, no matter what kind of bit it is (but I think you know that).

> It is skinnier and I think I like the way it looks in his
> mouth better than the fat snaffle.  It is a solid bar with a slight curve
> over the whole length.

The chief advantage of the mullen mouth is that it gives some relief of
tongue pressure without touching the palate.
> 
> Anyhow, I tried it yesterday.   I
> immediately noticed that he would respond to a request to turn much faster
> with this bit than his other bit.  

I've had the same results with that bit, with *most* horses.  My
apologies to Laurel Hickey and anyone else who went out & picked one up
because I said I hadn't found a horse who didn't go well in it ... 

First of all, I've now met two standardbred mares who hang on it.  It
also does seem that after a while some horses do start to hang on it -
it's a great bit for work in light contact (carried on the tongue) but
when I get to where I'm asking more complex questions of the horse I
think maybe there isn't enough tongue relief available.  I suspect that
this is also true with a heavy-handed rider.  I'm working on
"graduating" some horses to jointed bits (probably mostly french mouth)
in the spring to see what impact that has, and I'll keep y'all posted
what comes of it.

I hope you'll keep us posted as well.

Happy trails
-Abby

-- 
* * *
Abby Bloxsom
ARICP Certified Instructor
Level III Recreational and Distance Riding
Colebrook, CT USA
dearab@horsecom.net
goneriding@snet.net