Re: RC: Snaffle Snaffoo

[Jasmine Cave <toppere@siu.edu>]

They are not interchangable terms because the argentine would have a ring
for a snaffle as well as a ring for a curb rein. The shanks are curved back
and the mouthpiece is usually cuved as well. The Tom Thumb has straight
shanks, straight mouthpiece, and no option for a snaffle rein. The tom
thumb is the more severe of the two. There is also somthing called a
breaking bit which is a tom thumb with curved shanks and a training bit
which is a breaking bit with a snaffle ring. So from mildest to harshest it
would go, argentine-training-breaking-tom thumb. Many curbs have "loose"
shanks of some sort and so usually are given a name corosponding to that
particular bits mouthpiece. So what kind of "seperation" is this and what
do the shanks look like?
jasmine
At 07:28 PM 6/3/99 -0700, Kirsten Foruria wrote:
>Well, I think I got a partial answer (thank you Jasmine). 
>The way I understand your explanation, Tom Thumb and
>Argentine Snaffle are basically interchangable terms.  My
>trainer does not use them that way, but I can certainly
>accept variable terminology as a fact of life.
>
>The remaining question I have then is what the heck is the
>bit that I've been calling a Tom Thumb? It's essentially a
>plain curb with no port.  IOW, the bit itself does not
>"break" in the middle of the mouthpiece (like a snaffle),
>but it does have a "separation" that allows the shanks to
>act independently. Occasionally the shanks themselves will
>be on swivels, I assume to allow direct reining without
>causing a twisting action on the mouthpiece.
>
>So (Jasmine <G>)... what is this bit called that I am
>describing?  They are commonly found in western tack shops,
>but usually there are only one or two on a wall full of
>various curbs, gags etc.
>
>Kirsten (gittin' a BIT o' edicashun)
>
>Linda_Merims@ne.3com.com wrote:
>> 
>> I havn't seen anybody answer Kristen's question about what
>> is a Tom Thumb vs what is an Argentine bit.  Being from
>> the English-seat tradition, I havn't a clue.
>> 
>
>-- 
>Kirsten (Price) Foruria
>Vermilion Desert Ranch
>Reno, Nevada
>
>
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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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