I obviously don't have your length of experience in either horsing
around or endurance. However, I do disagree, perhaps, with what you say
more than what you mean. I'm a rank amateur so watch me shoot my mouth
out here!
First, note that the leather borsal (the lether loop in a Jaquimah, sp?)
can shape itself with time to the horse's face. It doesn't sound like
the Vorsal can, if it's steel. You can also adjust the size of the
borsal by the number of wraps of the mecate. The thickness of the borsal
varies depending on the stage of training you are at, from think to
thin.
I start all greenies (including unridden horses) with a borsal, bareback
(before, that they learn to halter and drive). This gives them fewer
things to get confused by and the leather borsal resembles the halter
which they have learned to understand. When this system becomes
sufficiently mundane they are introduced to the saddle and then the
snaffle. Depending on how you rig the borsal (so called Texas style or
California also called Spanish style) it can be gentle or rough. I use
the California style myself. None of this is done until the horses
understand voice command, so that they are merely making a transition
not learning something completely new. There is no real difficulty in
direct reining with a Borsal, especially during the early stages.
I've ridden horses (other peoples) with curb bits, and found that they
weren't ready for them and moved them back to the snaffle. To me it
seems that to use a curb (even a Kimberwick) you need a well trained,
well behaved horse. The bit is a signalling device, somehow I don't
think pain makes the signal any clearer. Levered bits are post graduate
devices.
Horses go stupid, and the more likely they are to do so the more likely
I am to turn to a good old loose ring or KK snaffle. Especially in high
excitement conditions, it gives clear signals and one is less likely to
do any harm. There will always be beginners in the game (I'm one of
them), a few crazy horses and many crazy people, hopefully we can stay
out of the way of the innocent and each other. Horses are dangerous
animals putting different divices on their faces do not appear make them
safer or more controllable. No, my horses are not all well behaved
docile creatures, none are ready for a curb, and even then I doubt that
I'd trust them to behave well enough with a curb in a race. Perhaps in a
nice quiet dressage ring one day when they and I are ready.
-- Nicco Murphy Aerostructures Inc. F/A-18 Group, San Diego, (619)545-3333