Re: RC: Snaffle Snaffoo

[Jasmine Cave <toppere@siu.edu>]

I forgot to add that ports help to prevent a horse from getting his tongue
over the bit and that bit loops should always be used with full cheeks to
keep the mouthpiece in the correct posotion.
	jasmine

At 11:24 AM 6/2/99 -0700, Jasmine Cave wrote:
>My trainer is a certified riding instructer who is now qualified to teach
>olympic level dressage and show jumping as well as advanced saddle seat and
>reining. Her specialty is bits, she collects them and uses them as teaching
>aids. She is a riding instructer with southern illinois university and all
>of us equine science students must go through her bit class. A snaffle is a
>bit which has no shanks and no curb chain. A curb has shanks and has a curb
>chain. Either of these types of bits can be broken(single or double
>jointed), or unbroken(mullen or port or bar). For most horses a mullen
>mouth is the gentlest because it is shaped to follow the curve of the
>mouth. It uses pressure evenly over the tongue and bars and encourages the
>horse to lower the head. The single jointed mouth encourages the horse to
>raise the head by breaking over in the mouth giving the horse nothing to
>lean on. It is the most severe mouthpiece. The double jointed is
>comfortable to most horses as it follows the contour of the mouth better
>than the single joint, but is more severe than the mullen. This is a good
>mouthpiece if your horse is getting a bit strong in the mullen. 
>	On the snaffle the loose ring is a good bit for horses that lean because
>the rings move giving little for the horse to lean on. The full cheek
>provides more lateral control for horses that are somtimes difficult to
>turn. The eggbutt provides lateral stability for horses that flex the neck
>to readily. It is also no pinch so is comfortable used for long
>distance(can also get eggbutt sides on full cheek and loose ring).Gag bits
>elevate and flex the front end. The sliding cheeks automatically correct
>and reward the horse that pulls his head down and pushes his nose out when
>being riden. The elevator bit adds poll pressure and builds lightness by
>letting the horse anticipate what is going on. The mouth piece slides
>forward in the mouth before pressure is applied to the bars. A curb chain
>could also be added and the rings allow for multiple rein possitions or use
>with double riens. The pelham functions as a snaffle and a curb depending
>on where you have the reins. The top ring acts like a snaffle and provides
>lifting, the bottom ring activats the curb chain and provides flex.For
>those that like to use just one rein, you can snap your reins to the bottom
>ring at the begining of a ride when your horse is hot and switch to the top
>ring when your horse is calmer. The Kimberwick is a mild curb that comes in
>two styles: standard and uxter. The standard is basicaly useless as it acts
>like a snaffle. The uxeter when the top slot is used is a very mild curb
>that uses a little poll and curb chain pressure. When the bottom slot is
>used it provides more control. 
>	On curb shanks, the shorter the shank the less severe, a shank that curves
>back to the rider is less severe than one that curves toward the horse. The
>length of the top of the bit(from mouthpiece up to where it is attached to
>the bridle)the longer it is the more poll pressure, some horses don't like
>that much poll pressure.Ported mouthpieces are misunderstood by many
>people. Most belive that the port acts on the roof of the mouth. This is
>not the case except in cathedral and spade bits. It really applies pressure
>to the bars or if there is a roller, to the tongue as long as the curb is
>not so loose that the mouthpiece can flip, than it would hit the roof. Also
>many western curb bits are designed so that double reins can be used. If
>you have your curb chain hooked to a ring that is even with the mouthpiece,
>it is wrong. This is for a snaffle rein, and if your curb chain is hooked
>here the mouthpiece on the curb is going to rotate too much before the curb
>comes in to effect if it ever does. I was shocked to find that in Donna
>Synider-Smith's endurance book there is a picture of a curb set up this
>way. I showed this to my instructer and she said that when she got her
>dressage certification Donna was one of the testers and she marked my
>trainer wrong on the spade bit in her test. Well my instructor was correct
>and she had to get one of her reining testers to fix it. 
>	The mouthpiece material is also a factor. Stainless steel is usually
>inexpensive and most horses are comfortable with it. Sweet iron, copper,
>and nickel free(aurigan and gold metal and Klass) all increase salavation
>and softness in hard mouth horses. Synthetic plastic(happy mouth, apple
>mouth and flex) are very light weight and are not effected by temperature
>as much as metal(don't get too hot or cold).I never use nickel as I have
>seen several horses that were allergic to it, that includes german silver.
>	The mouthpiece texture is also an important consideration. A smooth
>mouthpiece is the least severe.A textured mouthpiece(twisted, corkscrew) is
>most severe and is usefull for horses that are always pushing and leaning
>on the bit.
>	If you would like to see the difference between a single joint and a solid
>mouthpiece for yourself grip the bit in your hand and have someone pull on
>the rings.
>	All of the pieces of your bit must be considered together before you label
>it severe on mild. Fat is usually milder than thin mouthpieses unless your
>horse has a large tongue or shallow mouth. And they are all individuals and
>will like different bits, this is ment as a guide only. As for catalogue
>discriptions they will call it what most people know it as not necissarily
>what it is.
>sorry about the spelling
>	jasmine
>
>At 11:17 PM 6/1/99 EDT, Srawdi@aol.com wrote:
>>I have ridden and owned horses all my life. I have always believed that the 
>>term snaffle describes a broken bit, and that it would require additional 
>>qualifiers [D ring, Argentine, Tom Thumb, etc.] to more accurately describe 
>>the bit. 
>>I have followed this discussion with interest. Many of the statements
seemed 
>>so authoritative I really started believing that I had a misunderstanding, 
>>and even that the nationally known trainer I use did as well. It occured to 
>>me to check some of the many catalogs we get to see how they describe bits.
>>If the term snaffle describes only bits with no shank, the catalogs are all 
>>guilty of misrepresenation. All use the term to describe broken bits rather 
>>than as a reference   to shank. I quote from State Line as an example. "Tom 
>>Thumb Snaffle. The best choice for a horse with a good mouth. Stainless 
>>steel, with a smooth copper mouth. 6" cheeks, 5"mouth." 
>>
>>Sharon "I did distance when distance wasn't cool" and the four Arab's who 
>>have used every bit known to man to find the one "perfect" for each of them.
>>
>> 
>>
>>
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>
>
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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
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