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Bitting the Walking Horse Invariably, when I begin working with a new horse, I must spend hours in bit training, getting him to bend freely, soften and lightly follow the bit. This area is so very key to getting relaxation, balance and softness to your horse, that I'd place it right up with a good fitting saddle on the priority list of riding essentials. The greater the natural headnod motion your horse is inclined to walk with, the more necessary the bit training becomes for both the horse and the rider. I've found that improper use of bits and hands is the single biggest gaiting impediment that I see daily. I guess my whole point of raising this topic is that the "walking horse bit" is one of those commonly accepted practices that is simply a myth, and completely wrong for the delicate communications that a bit is supposed to assist. Here we are, asking a horse to stride loosely while nodding his head in productive rhythm, but we’re told to put a bit in his mouth that just gets in the way of that very necessary movement. Does it not follow that any "bump" we feel through the reins as the horse nods in his walk, he feels that same "bump" to his much more delicate and sensitive mouth? Plus whatever force or impact we are feeling through the reins is being multiplied by the curb shanks on his mouth and jaw. FORMULA: If the bottom of the shank (below the mouthpiece) is, for instance, 3 times longer than the purchase (above the mouthpiece), then whatever pressure we exert or feel on the reins gets multiplied times 3 on the horse's mouth tissue. So a walking horse bit with 10" total shank of which 7 1/2" are below the mouthpiece will multiply any pressure you feel on your fingers by almost 4 times on the horse's mouth! So even extremely light contact through a long-shanked curb bit can result in discomfort to the horse's mouth that can't help but discourage his natural headnod motion by bracing his head, neck and even shoulders. When using curb bits my horses began to resist and get stiffer in the jaw while I was forever seeking a lighter hand placement to reduce the contact I was feeling on my end, and the longer the curb the more I found this was so. Often they would begin to pull their mouths behind the bit trying to avoid any contact all together. Now many people might jump in here and say, "Anita, your hands are obviously too hard." I’ll not deny this is a possibility, and that a person with extremely light and sensitive fingers and superb balance may be able to ride the longer shanks without interfering with the horse... maybe. I know it doesn't work for me and I’ve watched plenty of other people riding their gaited horses to know I’m not the only one out there who doesn't have these "sensitive hands". Most of these horses become stiffer in their bodies and will lock up to resist all head movement. This stiffness then connects all the way from the jaw, through the poll, down the front of the throat-line to the shoulder. They will often brace their neckline to avoid any and all movement. These are the horses that usually end up with "U" necks; bulging and over-developed resistance muscles along the front of the neck. My personal experience has been that using a true snaffle with no curb plus lowering my handset, frees up the the horse and encourages a more natural carriage of his head and neck weight in counterbalance to drive the walking gaits. He becomes better able to utilize that weight in a "productive" headnod. The true snaffle is also called a "direct action" bit; meaning that any pressure or pull we exert translate into ONE direct action pull on the horse. A curb bit, however, due to it's leveraged design, takes that single pulling action and translates it into 3 directions of pressure on the horse: up on the jaw, down on the bars and tongue and down on the poll. This becomes much more confusing to young horses or horses who are training. Using the direct action of the snaffle bits makes your training much more clear and concise and advances communications between horse and rider. Now there are always people out there who are so addicted to their long walking horse bits and will forever fire off comments that "if your hands are soft enough, it's not harsh". Or another one you hear all the time "any bit, in the wrong hands can be inhumane". Well, my response to them all is "what exactly do you need from this longer bit that you can't get from a milder curb or even a true snaffle???" When I see one of these long bits on a horse, I invariably see a stiff horse following that bit. This is the number one problem in horses brought to me for gait correction! The first several days I usually have to spend just teaching them to follow a snaffle for a one-rein stop, then lateral flexion and give to the bit. Then we get to move on to the second most common problem: teaching them to lower their head and get their necks round and loose...but that's for another article. Another characteristic that I hardily recommend in any bit is to keep the mouthpiece as comfortable as possible. This bit is your primary tool of communication with your horse and if he's so uncomfortable that he's afraid to engage it, you've lost that communication. I personally prefer double jointed mouthpieces that give a lot of flexibility. I know that the most popular are the single joint, but I have found that they can not only be aggressive into the upper palate of the mouth, but can also create a nutcracker effect on the jaw if both reins are engaged. Again, keep in mind I want the horse comfortable. I like the mullen barrels, the French links and the elliptical links as well as the triple barrels. I do NOT like anything with the word "wire" in it! Remember that anything thinner than 1/4" it becomes severe, but you can also take this too far the other direction... I've found if it is larger than 1/2 " it can become uncomfortable for many shallow mouthed horses as well. You must look inside your horse's mouth conformation to see how much room he has and make sure he has clearance with the shape as well as where you are placing the bit. Comfort is what we want. Now I’m not advocating that everyone immediately run out and put ring snaffles on their horses when they have no idea how to work with one. There is a definite safety factor when you are used to using a curb-action bit on a horse with a ‘big motor’ or who is high strung. You need to train both yourself and your horse what to do when things get spooky when riding out of a confined area, but you start with "in the arena or round pen" teaching your horse to "give" at their poll as well as to learn a one-rein stop. Instead of the rider attempting to "control" the horse with long shanks, you must learn to disengage the hind-quarters and redirect your horse when he gets nervous. Remember this is horsemanship: control is an illusion when you're working with another creature with a mind of its own. We can only seek to influence and condition what the horse is doing to a greater degree as we progress in his training and increasing our partnership with this horse. There are some benefits to a mild curb bit as a horse’s training advances, for more subtle communications, but this is only after they are working well in a snaffle. While we can train our horses to respond to less enforcement, it takes time and effort, and people safety must always come first. So go to your arena, your round pen, or you corral; wherever you feel a measure of safety and start there. I've even started in a large stall. You start by training them to give their heads laterally at a stop, so the space doesn't have to be that big. So stop trying to achieve a sense of control through bits, and use them instead for the communication tool that they are. I forget who said it first, but I believe the quote is that "trying to stop a horse with a bit is like trying to stop a car with the steering wheel; it’s the wrong tool for the wrong job". To me, the "walking horse bit" is absolutely the wrong tool for the job of getting walking horses to fluidly walk and shake. I think my real contention here centers back to the misapplication of the title "walking-horse bit". It's a misnomer and in my opinion doesn't belong anywhere near a properly gaiting walking horse. I have been asked to post photos of some of my favorite bits. I will do so, but caution first that each owner should looking into their horse's mouth to determine conformation and fit. Below are some things to consider in choosing a bit for your horse:
Some of my personal favorite bits in order below (note that I am not "endorsing" any bits for compensation): Myler English D ring snaffles; Myler fullcheek snaffles; French link snaffle - these "training bits" are wonderful and comfortable in your horse's mouth. They only pull in one direction and are most direct while training a horse to give to and follow the bit. Please note that if you feel your horse needs a little more tongue relief, the MB04 mouthpiece, shown on the HBT western shank below can be ordered on any of these Myler bits.
Myler HBT 5" Western curb shank; Myler English Pelham mullen barrels - When you're ready for a mild curb these next three are my top prospects. Whatever mouthpiece you've been using in your snaffle bit, can also be ordered in these mild curbs which should make the transition that much easier for your horse.
Myler English Kimberwicke mullen barrels;
French link curb bit; Myler Combination bit - These training bits may not be appropriate for the show ring, but they have a definite aid in teaching a horse to bend at the poll without being severe in the mouth. The Myler combination bit uses a bosal action which engages first, while the mouthpiece slides along in mild gag action and only engages when the horse does not respond to the bosal.
Low port Kimberwicke - many horses simply do not like much "action" in their mouth. They prefer a solid, stable mouthpiece. This low port gives them a small amount of tongue relief while keeping the stability they rely on. Watch that they do not take it too far and start leaning on this bit.
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We've Moved!!!Howe They Walk Farm has relocated to the east side of Kansas City ... new place, same great horses! Our new location is: 9969 D Highway, Napoleon, MO 64074phone 816*230*6247 mobile is still 816*686*7748
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