to horse folks:

[spaz7875]

so. I was reading Fugly Horse of the Day and a post that started as "man isn't tail-numbing awful?" turned into a twisted-wire snaffle bash in the comments section. I can recall riding school horses in slow twists even when I was a little kid, and I remember asking my trainer (at Youth, no less) to let me use a twisted wire Dr. Bristol as my

Comments

[sm923]

Ah the age old bit issue!

I LOVE big, fat slow twists for the older, more seasoned show horses. Obviously, if they don't need it, I don't use it but let's face it, when they start to hit 15 or 16 and have "been there done that" they do need a little extra. So I don't mind them at all.

The smaller twisted wires I'm more leary of just because in the wrong hands, it can make the horse bleed, develop calouses, and just make for a very pissy horse. However, I had a smaller twisted wire on my double for Walker because that's what worked. He'd been a show horse for 12 years before I got him and been there done that and little old me, my first ever real show horse, couldn't get him to set his head for my life in the double. BUT we only used it at shows and two or three times the week before a show. So yes, I've used them and in the right hands at the right time, it's a non-issue. I DO cringe however, when I see the 4H contesting kids yanking and kering on their horses mouths with a twist in(hell, even a smooth snaffle) but that's neither here nor there.

As far as the bicycle chain, they aren't that bad!! If you get a regular bicycle chain and NOT the mule bit(which has the sharp edges on the inside). The regular old bicycle chain bits are extremely flexible and actually can be very mild bits. They conform to the horses mouth so well and let them feel every cue with great precision. Probably not the best for younger/inexperienced riders but it is a great bit none the less. I tried one with Ed after he broke his jaw(two piece rigid bits rub him in the wrong spot). And he really liked it.
http://www.nationalbridle.com/product-p/1-6583.htm
That's a good one.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=126d5cc2-feef-4368-b020-5d761d4a97bd&ccd=BZR002&utm_source=bizrate_shopzilla&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=31743
That's a bad one.

I'm a huge bit nerd. I love trying new bits and seeing what works and why and when. There are a lot of mosconceptions about bits out there and any bit in the wrong hands sucks. And let's face it, most of the poeple on Fugly are pony land, lala, I <3 my horsie type of people anyhow.

And that's my novel!

[84trillion]

Yeah, I think the issue here is that any bit is only as strong as you make it - and when you have the 4H kids and the people the Fugly crew deal with/are/etc., that sort of bit is inappropriate. But in the case of well-seasoned, trainer-supervised show horses? I don't see the issue.

[spaz7875]

stipulation: GOOD trainer-supervised. haha, there are far too many asshats out there. but yeah, I agree that most bits are only as strong as the hands behind them

[spaz7875]

see, I'd be worried that a bicycle chain could pinch the tongue because of all the joints. and when I think bicycle chain, I usually think mule bit

haha, most of the people who read FHOTD are really like that. my favorite comment was from the woman who posts the stuff and she was saying how she wouldn't send her horse to a trainer without lurking at their barn for months, making sure no horse gets ridden in an OMFGZ TWISTED SNAFFLE evar! don't get me wrong, my dad and I clocked a lot of late hours at shows watching how trainers worked their horses, but at some point you just have to trust. if you're gonna waste your time stalking someone like that, save your money and train the damn thing yourself

[sm923]

I found that you need to ride with bicycle chain bit a littl ehigher in the mouth than other bits(which is why it didn't work for Ed because he likes the bit dangerously low in the mouth).I'm sure you could get a piece of leather to cove rthe mouthpiece so that it's still flexible but less likely to pinch. Is that legal?? haha