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A curb bit without a strap/chain has no leverage, so using it will generate
no more pressure than a snaffle, but I don't think it provides as an
effective tool to control the horse as a snaffle when things go wrong.
With a snaffle, I can easily turn the horse's head to the left or right to
spin him and get a whoa. With a curb, when you pull only on one side, the
opposite side actually lifts UP and hits the top of the horses mouth ( it
has to - it's a solid bar being levered off the gums of the pulled side).
While probably not painful, it can't be presenting a clear signal to the
horse.
So, I'm not saying curbs are bad, but have to be used with extreme care.
Re: your horse - it sounds like he needs groundschool. That is, unmounted
basic training. If he hasn't gotten it after all of the training you've
done from the saddle, then in my opinion, his basic training is flawed and
should be corrected. Most horses, including my quarterhorse, have problems
being separated from the herd (being left behind at the start, etc). This
is strictly a learned behaviour and can be unlearned. All of the "Natural
Horse" (Lyons, Parelli, Branamon, etc) practitioners have techniques for
this. In my opinion, if a horse exhibits this behaviour, the appropriate
technique is NOT putting a stronger bit in his mouth, it is fixing the
psychological problem of herd separation.
I have strong opinions on this because I come from the western world where
high leverage curb bits are common, where beating on your horse is common,
where control by submission is common. There isn't partnership.
And I'll go a slight step further. I just returned from watching the
semi-finals of the "open" hunter/jumper championships (up to 5 foot fences)
at a regional event here in town. Of the 10 horses that made it to the
final round today, EIGHT had serious bit control problems, SEVEN knocked
down bars because the horse was still fighting the bit when they were
supposed to be setting up for the jump. Enough said.
Mike Sofen
Seattle, WA
----------
From: mkgehrin@n-jcenter.com
To: Mike Sofen <miksof7@gte.net>
Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: Re: Vosals...& Bits, etc.
Date: Saturday, August 09, 1997 9:17 AM
> No matter what though, I'm not substituting pain for a
> lack of training.
>
Well, Mike, I resent that remark. If I used pain instead of training, I
wouldn't be able to ride my horse in almost all situations in a bit as
you say "has zero effect". Maybe that's why she likes it even better
than my fat, loose ring snaffle. But, as I've said, we have problems
when other horses are moving off ahead of us on the trail. For months I
have worked on this problem,in my ineffective bit, by using half-halts,
slowing down, leg-yielding and making her go at the end of the group.
Maybe it would just take tons more time but all I've accomplished is
making her walk all the time to control her anxiety. This gets really
tiresome. The one time I have tried putting the curb strap on, she
listened better and we were actually able to trot behind other horses.
I am willing to try going back to the loose ring snaffle since you seem
to think that has more effect than the grazing bit with no curb. But if
I end up with the curb back on, I am not the only one around who thinks
its necessary and safe to use it (with sensitivity and soft hands).
Plenty of horses with fine training use them.
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