snaffles, kimberwicks and curbs

["Karen Sullivan" <greymare@jps.net>]

Regarding all the discussion on different bits and training, I offer the
following opinions-it is all well in theory.
It's amazing what can be done over time with a young horse; to get them to
go nicely in a snaffle, rope halter, or sidepull, even in big, group events.
What bugs me, though, is those that tell you how awful certain bits are, and
all the "nevers", like never use a curb with a running martingale, never use
a Tom Thumb, etc, etc.

I'm sorry, but all horses are different and have different backgrounds.
Nobody has the right to judge what someone is using of their horse, or what
they try!  I have two horses that hate snaffles; one in a mild Kimberwick
and one in a huge, 'honkin' curb with a high port and roller.  Personally, I
dislike the action of a simple snaffle-I do not like the idea of the joint
in the middle-seems like a bad idea, and I cannot tell you the number of
people I see with horses that stick their noses up the air to avoid that
bit.  A snaffle with a french link, or "dog bone" in the middle makes more
sense to me and won't poke the horse in the pallate like the single joint
will.  A snaffle is a mild bit, and it is lovely to see a well-trained horse
going well in one, with a rider with a light hand....

BUT, some horses just to not do well with this in big group situations, like
endurance rides.

My big mare was more or less given to me at age 8 when the owner gave up on
her. The owner never did ride that horse (but lots of money to the trainer
for arena work in a snaffle).  She also had prior Western training with
cows, practical stuff. The Student Equestrian team tried this horse for 6
months, and gave her back in horror.  She is the strongest, most opinionated
horse I have ever had, and the best thing I have found, after years of
dealing with this beast, is the curb....with the martingale.  My theory is
that neither the curb OR the martingale have any adverse effect (I ride
loose rein and rein Western), UNLESS she decides to be a butthead and argue
with me.  In that event, I DO have the means to stop her, and she KNOWS it.
This makes us a much safer team out on the trail with others.  And, there is
nowhere now wouldn't go with this horse, or anything we couldn't handle.  We
don't need others to "babysit" us.  I would be happy to hand this mare over
to any trainer that claims they can get her going well in a snaffle, or
sidepull or milder bit, and then send them out on an endurance ride!

Personally, the bit I dislike is the Tom Thumb, but I do have friends that
use them successfully....so who am I to judge it? Their horses seem to work
well in them.

Every horse is different, and every rider approaches things differently.

Karen