A Western style curb bit with leather curb strap An English style Weymouth curb A curb bit is a type of bit used for riding horses that uses lever action. It includes the pelham bit and the Weymouth curb along with the traditional "curb bit" used mainly by Western riders. Kimblewicks or "Kimberwickes" are modified curb bits, and a curb bit is used in a double bridle along with a bradoon. A curb bit is, in general, more severe than a basic snaffle bit, although there are several factors that are involved in determining a bit's severity.
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Liverpool bits are a type of curb bit commonly used for horses in harness.
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Parts of a curb bit The curb bit consists of a mouthpiece, curb chain, and a shank, with one ring on each side of the purchase arm of the shank, and one ring on the bottom of the lever arm of the shank. Pelham bits add a ring for a snaffle rein, next to the mouthpiece.
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Performing tölt. The curb bit is of traditional Icelandic design. Icelandic equitation is the traditional style of riding of Iceland. It is closely associated with the Icelandic horse.
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The Pelham bit seeks to combine the actions of both the curb bit and snaffle or bridoon bit, without the need for using two bits, as in the double bridle.
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The pelham is not permitted in dressage at any level. The pelham is never legal for use in any western riding discipline, where either a snaffle bit or a curb bit is used.
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A single curb bit is used for gaited horses such as the Tennessee Walker and Missouri Fox Trotter. The shanks of the curb bit are often longer than those found on the Weymouth style double bridle used in dressage, often 7 inches in overall length (some breeds have length limits in the rules). The browband is commonly brightly colored leather or vinyl, red being the most common color. The cavesson is sometimes plain leather, and sometimes colored to match the browband, depending on breed and fashion trends in tack.
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A decorative fixed shank on a western Salinas-style curb bit A curb bit is a leverage bit, meaning that it multiplies the pressure applied by the rider. Unlike a snaffle bit, which applies direct rein pressure from the rider's hand to the horse's mouth, the curb can amplify rein pressure several times over, depending on the length of the curb's bit shank. Shank sizes vary from the Tom Thumb (2 inches long) to more than 5 inches. The longer the bit shank, the more powerful its potential effect on the horse.
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Uses: Most common in the English disciplines, especially show jumping and eventing. Used mainly on strong horses. Not permitted in dressage, not commonly used in hunt seat riding. Rather rare in a pelham, very rare in a curb bit.
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Horses that maintain a more vertical head position, such as dressage horses, generally use a curb bit with straight shanks. Those that have a nose-out head position when working, such as cutting and roping horses, more commonly use a curved shank.
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This is a curb bit with a jointed mouthpiece, sometimes called a "cowboy snaffle". However, such bits are not snaffle bits because they have a shank and work with leverage The snaffle differs from the pelham bit, the curb bit, and the kimberwicke in that it is a non-leverage bit, and so does not amplify the pressure applied by the reins. With a snaffle, one ounce of pressure applied by the reins to a snaffle mouthpiece will apply one ounce of pressure on the mouth. With a curb, one ounce of pressure on the reins will apply more – sometimes far more – than one ounce of pressure on the horse's mouth.
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Loose-ring (either side) and eggbutt (middle) snaffles. Choices in bit rings can be found in direct pressure bits such as snaffle bits or bradoons. Leverage bits such as the pelham, and curb bit have a bit shank rather than a bit ring. (see bit shank).
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Horses in most types of reining competition are required to perform in a curb bit. In most cases, riders with a horse in a curb must give all rein commands with only one hand.2011 AQHA handbook, rule 443.2007 NRHA handbook, p. 682007 USEF Rulebook, Western division.
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The other parts of the bit are the bit rings on a snaffle bit, and the shanks on a curb bit. These pieces do not go inside the mouth, but rather are the parts of a bit that are outside the mouth, where the bridle and reins attach.
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Plastic- coated bits are often the same size as metal bits, and some are flavored. Often, bits with shanks that also have single- or double-jointed mouthpieces are incorrectly referred to as snaffles. Because of the presence of a shank, they are actually in the curb bit family.
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Gluecksrad or "LG" bridle In a mechanical hackamore, also known as a hackamore bit, brockamore, and English hackamore, the reins attach to shanks (like bit shanks on a curb bit) that are attached between a noseband and a curb chain. As in a curb bit, the shanks apply pressure with leverage to the nose, jaw, and poll joint. This is not a true hackamore, nor a modern bitless bridle, but rather is a hybrid between a cavesson and a bitted bridle. A European design, known as a "Gluecksrad" or "LG bridle," uses metal loops from the headstall to the reins to add leverage, though with less force than the shanks of a mechanical hackamore.
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The bits of a double bridle, showing both a type of snaffle bit called a bradoon and a curb bit. A bit consists of two basic components, the bit mouthpiece that goes inside the horse's mouth, and the bit rings of a snaffle bit or shanks of a curb bit, to which the bridle and reins attach. All bits act with some combination of pressure and leverage, often in conjunction with pressure applied by other parts of the bridle such as the curb chain on the chin, noseband on the jaw and face, or pressure on the poll from the headstall.Price, Steven D. (ed.) The Whole Horse Catalog: Revised and Updated New York:Fireside 1998 p.
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A curb strap on a Western style curb bit A curb chain on a Pelham bit The main use of the curb chain is to enhance and control the lever action of a curb bit. Additionally, it helps to keep the bit steady and in place within the mouth. On English pelham and double bridles the curb chin is attached by a ring ("fly link" (UK)) to a lip strap, which helps keep the lip strap in place while the lip strap in turn prevents the curb chain from being lost if it becomes unhooked. The curb chain applies pressure to the curb groove under a horse's chin when the curb rein of the bit is used.
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There are many riders (and a remarkable number of tack shops) who do not know the true definition of a snaffle: a bit that is non-leverage. This often results in a rider purchasing a jointed mouthpiece bit with shanks, because it is labeled a "snaffle," and believing that it is soft and kind because of the connotation the snaffle name has with being mild. In truth, the rider actually bought a curb bit with a jointed mouthpiece, which actually is a fairly severe bit due to the combination of a nutcracker effect on the jaw and leverage from the shanks. A true snaffle does not have a shank like a pelham or curb bit.
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Upper level and FEI dressage horses are shown in a double bridle, using both a bradoon and a curb bit with a smooth curb chain. Traditionally, the snaffle is used to open and lift the poll angle, while the curb is used to bring the nose of the horse towards the vertical.
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A western style curb bit. Bits that have shanks coming off the bit mouthpiece to create leverage that applies pressure to the poll, chin groove and mouth of the horse are in the category of curb bits. Most curb bit mouthpieces are solid without joints, ranging from a straight bar with a slight arch, called a "mullen" mouthpiece, through a "ported" bit that is slightly arched in the middle to provide tongue relief, to the full spade bit of the Vaquero style of western riding which combines both a straight bar and a very high "spoon" or "spade" extension that contacts the roof of the mouth. The length of the shank determines the degree of leverage put on the horse's head and mouth.
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The curb bit places pressure on the bars, the palate (especially if the port of the curb bit is fairly large), and via the curb chain, the poll and chin groove. It is used to regulate vertical flexion (cresting the neck and collecting the body through an arched spine), and the poll pressure asks the horse to lower the poll and telescope the neck to raise the base of the neck. If the horse tries to push his nose outward without permission from the rider, the curb reins will automatically come into play and tighten, asking the horse to flex. If the horse stiffens, adding slight poll and tongue pressure with the curb can ask him to relax at the poll.
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Usually expressed as good (or easy) to C/F/S. ;curb #Curb bit: A type of bit that has bit shanks. It applies leverage pressure to a horse's mouth when the reins are tightened. The degree of leverage depends on the length of the shank and the positioning of the bit mouthpiece on the shanks.
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Usually offered by the stallion's owner and allows the mare to be rebred if for some reason the resulting foal is stillborn or is not living.Belknap Horsewords p. 301 ;Liverpool bit :A type of adjustable curb bit used for horses in harness, allowing the horses in a team to be driven with the same rein tension.Belknap Horsewords pp.
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An antique curb bit with pelham rein attachment points The angle cheek pelham was formerly used in the Australian Light Horse and other cavalry units as it was designed to suit as many horses' mouths as possible. The Australian design had one side of the mouthpiece smooth and the other serrated. Various rein attachments were also possible with this bit.
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Though most curb bits have a solid mouthpiece, with or without a port, any bit with shanks and leverage is always a "curb" type bit, even if has a jointed mouthpiece. Shanked bits in the curb family include the Weymouth, which is the curb portion of the double bridle; the pelham bit, a single bit ridden with two sets of reins; and the single-reined curb bit.
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Pelham bit with curb chain and jointed mouthpiece A pelham bit is a type of bit used when riding a horse. It has elements of both a curb bit and a snaffle bit. In this respect a pelham bit functions similar to a double bridle, and like a double bridle it normally has "double" reins: a set of curb reins and a set of snaffle reins.Sandin, Theresa.
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A curb bit works on several parts of a horse's head and mouth. The bit mouthpiece acts on the bars, tongue and roof of the mouth. The shanks add leverage and place pressure on the poll via the crownpiece of the bridle, to the chin groove via the curb chain, and, especially with a "loose jaw" shank, may act on the sides of the mouth and jaw.
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Types of bits: snaffle, curb, gag, pelham What it is: A cricket is a single roller placed within the port of a curb bit. usually containing copper, often producing a rattling or "cricket- like" sound when the horse moves it around. The cherry roller bit has multiple rollers along its mouthpiece and may be of steel, copper, or alternate between the two. The mouthpiece may be jointed or straight.
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Lyons Press Horseman's Dictionary pp. 196–197 Generally considered the mildest type of pressure, though severity can vary depending on the type of bit mouthpiece used. The most common style of snaffle bit has a jointed mouthpiece, but the term refers to a direct pressure bit with any type of mouthpiece, solid or jointed. Term sometimes is incorrectly used to refer to a curb bit with a jointed mouthpiece.
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Spooner, Glenda, Instructions in Ponymastership, p.86, Museum Press, London, 1954 However, in its early years of use, it was also known as the "Spanish jumping bit". The "D" ring is offset, so the bit mouthpiece is on the upper part of the flat side of the D, creating a small amount of leverage, supported by a curb chain. This allows the Kimblewick to have a mild curb bit effect.
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A bridle utilizing only a snaffle bit is often called a "snaffle bridle", particularly in the English riding disciplines. A bridle that carries two bits, a curb bit and a snaffle, or "bradoon", is called a double bridle. A snaffle is not necessarily a bit with a jointed bit mouthpiece, as is often thought. A bit is a snaffle because it creates direct pressure without leverage on the mouth.
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In classes where horses are turned out in saddle seat equipment, it is typical for the horse to be shown in a single curb bit with a bit shank under , rather than the double bridle more common to other saddle seat breeds. Riders wear typical saddle seat attire. Hats are not always mandatory, but use of safety helmets is allowed and ranges from strongly encouraged to required in some pleasure division classes.
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See also latigo. A western-style curb bit with silver bit shanks and a copper roller ;bit :An object, usually a metal bar, placed into the mouth of a horse, held on by a bridle and used with reins to direct and guide the animal. Occasionally made of other materials, including rubber.Belknap Horsewords p. 52 May be solid or jointed and may have rollers or other attachments added, usually in the center.
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To allow for communication with the horse even with a loose rein, the bridle also evolved. The biggest difference between "English" and "Western" bridles is the bit. Most finished "Western" horses are expected to eventually perform in a curb bit with a single pair of reins that has somewhat longer and looser shanks than the curb of an English Double bridle or a pelham bit. Different types of reins have developed over the years.
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An Uxeter or slotted Kimblewick, with the rein on the lower slot, making the action stronger An old solid nickel Kimblewick bit. A Kimblewick, Kimberwicke or Kimberwick is a type of bit used on a horse, and named after the English town of Kimblewick where it was first made. The bit has bit shanks, D-shaped rings, and a curb chain. Due to its shanks, it is regarded as a type of curb bit.
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If the mechanical hackamore is not used correctly it can cause serious injury to the horse it is being used on name="Cook,R". A mechanical hackamore uses shanks and leverage, thus it is not a true hackamore.R.M. MIller, p. 227 Because of its long, metal shanks and a curb chain that runs under the jaw, it works similarly to a curb bit and has a similarly high risk of abusive use in the hands of a rough rider.
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It also helps prevent the curb chain from unfastening or otherwise moving too much. In western riding, the "slobber bar" or "shank hobble" placed between the rein rings of a curb bit serves the same purpose as a lip strap. The leather curb strap-like attachments that are sometimes used to connect the rings of snaffle bit on a western bridle are also occasionally known as lip straps, though "bit hobble" is the term more often used.
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A medium-height port on a curb bit, offering room for the tongue without acting on the hard palate. Types of Bits: All types, including driving bits. What it is: The middle of the mouthpiece has a "port," or curve, which may vary in size from "low" to "high." The port is different from the mullen mouth in that the curved portion does not extend the width of the mouthpiece, but is only an inch or two in the center of the bar.
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Riders may use both hands when a horse is ridden with a snaffle bit or a bosal hackamore. However, snaffles and hackamores ridden with both hands are usually limited only to special classes for horses between the ages of three and five years old. Most of the time, with the exception of "freestyle" classes, snaffle bit and hackamore horses do not compete directly against curb bit horses, though specific details vary depending on the particular sanctioning organization. 2007 NRHA handbook, p.
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He invented a curb bit called the Tom Bass bit, which was designed to give the rider control without causing pain to the horse, but never patented it. The Bass bit is still in use. For his contributions to the state of Missouri, Bass was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians in 1999, becoming the twentieth person so honored. Bass also has exhibits in the American Saddlebred Museum in Mexico, and the American Royal Museum in Kansas City.
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Polo pony wearing a Pelham bit with draw reins Draw reins are common in polo, connected through the "snaffle" bit ring of a Pelham bit or a gag bit in lieu of a direct rein, to the saddle billets. The draw reins have a direct rein action. A second pair of reins, on the "curb" bit ring, provides a lever action. When the rider pulls all four reins (both pairs) together, the draw reins become slack, transferring tension to the other pair of reins.
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The primary difficulty in use of a running martingale is the inability to raise the horse's head in the event of the animal bucking. If adjusted too short, lateral use of the reins may be impeded. If used improperly, the force exerted by the running martingale on the horse's mouth can be severe and for this reason the standing martingale is preferred in some circles. Improper use includes use on the reins of a curb bit; adjustment too short, so that the equipment pulls the horse's head below the proper position.
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But like a snaffle bit, a pelham bit also has a bit ring on either side of the mouthpiece. Like some curb bits, a pelham bit usually has "loose" shanks - hinged at the mouthpiece in the same way that the rings of a snaffle bit are hinged. When two sets of reins are used, the snaffle rein generally is wider, to help distinguish it from the curb. A "cowboy pelham" is a western style of loose- jawed curb bit with additional rings at the mouthpiece allowing a second set of reins to be added.
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A western curb bit with a loose-jawed shank Shanks come in a variety of types, which may affect the action of the bit. Some shanks are loose-jawed, meaning they swivel where the mouthpiece attaches to the shank. Others have a loose, rotating ring at the bottom of the shank for rein attachment. Both of these functions allow slight rotation before the bit engages, again providing a "warning" to the horse before the bit engages fully and allowing him to respond to the slightest pressure, thus increasing communication between horse and rider.
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The upper shank should bend slightly outward, to prevent it from pinching when the reins are pulled. The severity of the curb is determined by several factors: longer shanks are considered more severe, as are tighter or thinner curb chains and higher ports. The bradoon always lies higher in the horse's mouth than the curb bit, and is placed above the curb chain. It is common to place the bradoon a bit higher in the mouth than a snaffle used alone, because it is less likely to get caught on the curb.
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When used in Saddle seat tradition, particularly in the United States, the bradoon is used both to raise the head and turn, while the curb is used to lower the head, soften the jaw, and to slow the horse. In saddle seat riding, contact is to be maintained equally on all four reins. In modern dressage, most riders employing the double bridle "ride on the bradoon." In other words, they keep a steady contact with the bradoon bit and only engage the curb bit to when necessary to encourage the horse to collect.
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The western saddle features a prominent pommel topped by a horn (a knob used for dallying a lariat after roping an animal), a deep seat and a high cantle. The stirrups are wider and the saddle has rings and ties that allow objects to be attached to the saddle. Western horses are asked to perform with a loose rein, controlled by one hand. The standard western bridle lacks a noseband and usually consists of a single set of reins attached to a curb bit that has somewhat longer and looser shanks than the curb of an English Weymouth bridle or a pelham bit.
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Belknap Horsewords p. 527 Riders generally have a fairly long stirrup, sit rather than post the trot (hence a slower trot, called a "jog" is generally desired in the western horse) and, on a finished western horse, reins are usually carried one-handed by the non-dominant (usually left) hand and, with minimal or no contact with the horse's mouth. The finished animal is usually ridden in a curb bit and turned by use of the neck reining technique. Inexperienced or "green" animals are usually ridden two-handed in either a snaffle bit or a bosal-style hackamore.
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Younger horses, three-year-olds, can compete with a snaffle bit. Four- and five-year-old horses can compete in either a snaffle bit or bosal; six year and older horses compete in a "bridle", which utilizes a curb bit, usually a milder version of the original spade bits used by the Californios. Occasionally, one will see a skilled rider with a horse in a spade bit, but because of its potential severity, the difficulty and time involved in training a horse to a spade, and the well-bred horses of today which can perform without such bits, most horsemen avoid the spade.
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Horses that maintain a more vertical head position, such as dressage horses and western horses trained in the "straight up" or Vaquero tradition generally use a curb bit with straighter shanks. Those that have a nose-out head position when working, such as cutting and roping horses, more commonly use a more curved shank. Shanks on certain western bits that curve back are sometimes called a "grazing bit." Though a horse should never be allowed to graze in a bridle, the term came from the mistaken notion that the turned-back shank was to allow the horse to eat with a bridle.
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Western- style bit used as a "cowboy pelham" with double reins The pelham bit has several uses. In the English riding disciplines, it is used in place of a double bridle, when it is desirable to have double reins but not two bits. The pelham bit is also used for polo, when the action of a double bridle is desired, but the rider's ability to make rein adjustments is limited. In training, a pelham bit sometimes is used in both English and western disciplines to transition a horse from a snaffle bit to a curb bit or double bridle.
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A curb chain for a western-style bit An English-style curb chain A curb chain, or curb strap, is a piece of horse tack required for proper use on any type of curb bit. It is a flat linked chain or flat strap that runs under the chin groove of the horse, between the bit shank's purchase arms. It has a buckle or hook attachment and English designs have a "fly link" in the middle to hold a lip strap. On English bridles the horse is bridled with the curb chain undone on one side, then connected once on the horse.
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Varian departed slightly from tradition. She started young horses under saddle at the age of three, beginning with a bridle and a snaffle bit because it sends clearer signals to a young horse, particularly one of sensitive disposition. She then introduced the traditional hackamore, and, after a couple of months to transition between the hackamore and the snaffle, began teaching neck reining, which allows a horse to be ridden one-handed. After a year or two, when the horse became light in the hackamore, she introduced the young horse to the two-rein, using a light bosal with either a "half-breed" or a low-port curb bit.
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Once the horse understood the bit, the bosal was removed and the horse was ridden in just the curb bit for a while until ready to go into the full spade bit, at which point the horse went back into the two-rein when the spade is first introduced. She introduced horses to the spade bit at the age of seven or eight, if they had suitable conformation and temperament to carry it. When she selected and fully trained a spade bit horse for her own personal use, that particular horse stayed with her for life and was never sold. Varian considered Arabians the most "people-oriented" of any horse breed.
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A leather lip strap A lip strap attached to a curb bit and curb chain A lip strap is a piece of horse tack made of rolled leather or occasionally thin chain, used sometimes on some types of English-style curb and pelham bits. The lip strap runs between the bit shanks and passes through a special center ring on a curb chain sometimes called the "fly link". The lip strap attaches to rings at midpoint of the shanks and buckles on the near side.How To Fit A Double Bridle Retrieved on 3 April 2009 The lip strap helps keep a "mouthy" horse from mouthing or "lipping" the shank.
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A classic "Santa Barbara" style bit shank, designed for western riding and decorated with silver for use at horse shows The bit shank is the side piece or cheekpiece of a curb bit, part of the bridle, used when riding on horses. The bit shank allows leverage to be added to the pressure of the rider's hands on the bit. Shanks are usually made of metal, may be straight or curved, and may be decorated in some disciplines. The headstall and curb chain or curb strap of the bridle is attached to the top of the shank, and the reins are attached at the bottom.
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Parts of a curb bit and its shank. (Click on image to enlarge) This photo shows all possible elements of a western shanked bit, including loose cheek, "slobber bar," mouthpiece, curb rein ring, snaffle rein slot, and curb chain that applies leverage to the chin groove. The term shank is generally used interchangeably with the term "cheek" to describe the entire sidepiece of the bit, but shank also may refer just to the lever arm, the portion of the bit that extends from the mouthpiece to the rein ring. The purchase of the bit is the upper portion of the cheek that extends from the mouthpiece to the headstall rings.
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Therefore, a tight curb chain is much harsher, and provides less finesse in signaling the horse than a looser curb chain would, as the horse is never given a chance to respond before the curb chain engages. Secondly, an extremely tight curb chain causes the mouthpiece to constantly push down on the sensitive tongue, never allowing the horse relief. A curb chain is generally adjusted so it comes into action when the shank rotates 45 degrees back. However, skilled riders with experience with the curb bit may adjust the chain tighter to accommodate the needs of the individual horse, type of equipment, and training situation.
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However, it is important that the bits do not lie too far apart from each other within the mouth, as the tongue may be caught between the two. In general, both bits are chosen to be slightly thinner. Although this increases their severity, most horses prefer thinner bits because it allows for more room for the tongue, which can be uncomfortably cramped with two thick bits sharing the space. The bradoon rein should be wider than the rein used on the curb bit and in sport horse disciplines is often a bit more grippy (laced or, less often, rubber reins are popular), while the curb rein is thinner and smooth.
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Traditionally, the vaquero method starts a young horse using a hackamore, which is headgear that uses a heavy rawhide noseband, called a bosal instead of a bit to control the horse. As the horse gains skill with a rider, it moves to lighter bosals, and next into a transitional period in its training; carrying a bridle with a type of curb bit called a "half breed" which is a modified spade bit worn in conjunction with a light bosal. The rider carries two sets of reins, one set on the bosal and one on the curb, giving this gear its name, the "two-rein." After several years in a two-rein, the horse graduates into the spade bit.
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Thompson's research debunked one popular theory of the term's origin, namely that it was first used after the Thoroughbred racehorse Upset became the only horse to defeat Man o' War in 1919. The meaning of the word "upset" has long included "an overthrowing or overturn of ideas, plans, etc." (see OED definition 6b), from which the sports definition almost surely derived. "Upset" also once referred to "a curved part of a bridle-bit, fitting over the tongue of the horse", (now the port of a curb bit) and though the modern sports meaning of "upset" was first used far more for horse races than for any other competition, there is no evidence of a connection.
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Horses are generally shown with the curb bit portion of a saddle seat style double bridle, or in a very thin, refined show halter, usually of black or patent leather with a colorful noseband (and, sometimes, browband). Usually the forelock and one or two sections of the mane has a brightly colored ribbon braided into it, and false tails are permitted. Clipping styles vary by breed and by discipline within some breeds, but proper clipping is an art form and far more extensive than for the sport horse or stock breeds. Action breeds are groomed extensively with silicone sprays on the coat, oils to add shine to the face, and hoof polish common.
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A western-style bridle with a browband and decorative snaffle bit A western saddle A horse wearing a bosal hackamore Detail of a western curb bit breast collar, used to help keep the saddle from slipping. This refined design is suitable for show, working horses wear a heavier design A set of romal style reins A set of split reins Today's western saddles have been greatly influenced by the Spanish Vaquero who were Cowboys. When the first saddle was developed, it didn't have a horn which was later invented by the Spanish and Mexican vaqueros (Kelly, 2011). The needs of the cowboy's job required different tack than was used in "English" disciplines.
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In Dressage the length of the lever arm portion of the cheek cannot exceed 10 cm. Cheek sizes vary from the Tom Thumb (about 4½ inches long) to bits that exceed the 8½ inch "show legal" maximum cheek length. The relative ratio between the length of the purchase and the lever arm also affects the amount and type of leverage that is applied to the chin and poll of the horse (producing 1:3 ratio of rein to chin+poll forces in case of the typical curb bit). A long lower shank (lever arm) in relation to the upper shank (purchase) increases the leverage, and thus the pressure, on the curb groove and the bars of the mouth.
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Like the pelham and curb bits in general, the Kimblewick has bit shanks with purchase arms. However, unlike these other bits, its shanks have no lever arm. Due to the purchase arm and geometry of the rings, the rings may function as very short lever arms and create a small amount of leverage, which puts this type of bit into the pelham or curb bit "family". The curb function varies with the style of bit: slotted Kimblewicks provide the option of more curb action, whereas unslotted Kimblewicks are very close in function to the Baucher bit, which most users regard as a snaffle bit, and to the pelham bit when the snaffle rein is used.
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Although the kimberwicke appears to have a D-shaped bit ring like a snaffle, the bit mouthpiece is not centered on the ring, and thus applying the reins creates leverage; in the Uxeter kimberwicke, there are slots for the reins placed within the bit ring, which allows the reins to create additional leverage. Both are used with a curb chain, thus the ring acts like a bit shank and creates a slight amount of leverage, making it a type of curb bit. A true snaffle also will not be able to slide up and down the rings of the bit or cheekpieces of the bridle, as this would place it in the gag bit category.
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A distantly related variation on the English double bridle is the "two rein" setup used in the western riding classic vaquero tradition (also known as the "buckaroo" or "California" tradition) of developing a "spade bit" horse. Rather than use of a bit and bradoon, the trainer uses a thin bosal style hackamore over a complex type of curb bit known as a spade. This tradition originated with the same haute ecole and military uses of horses in the Middle Ages, but developed differently from classical dressage since approximately the 16th century, when Spanish horse trainers arrived in the Americas. In this tradition, the ultimate goal is use of one hand on the spade alone.
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A prominent aspect of Baucher's method is "flexion" (and relaxation) of the horse's jaw in response to light pressure from either the snaffle or curb bit. Indirectly, this motion was intended to effect flexion at the poll. This part of Baucher's training taught the horse to relax to the bit pressure from the ground - applying gentle but consistent pressure to one side until the horse would "give", then releasing the pressure immediately. Once the horse relaxed to the right and left consistently, he would begin the jaw flexion (in effect, both sides at once, resulting in the horse giving to pressure from the bit to find the release, versus pushing against the bit, tossing his head, etc.).
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Poorly made saddles of this style can be unbalanced and an improper seat leads to a hollow-backed horse who does not have properly engaged hindquarters, with a superficially correct front-end position that is achieved by improperly forcing the horse's head and neck up and in, usually by means of leveraged training aids. The saddle seat horse traditionally wears a double bridle (full bridle), with both a curb bit and a bradoon. A pelham bit is also legal for pleasure classes, though not common. The double bridle is preferred (and mandatory in most equitation classes) because it allows more fine-tuning of the horse's head and neck position, though a pelham can be used in a few specialized classes such as Saddlebred Pleasure Equitation.
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Horse harness was very well defined in the 1791 regulations: bridle with snaffle bit and curb-bit and double reins, breastplate with small 'rose' in the center, horse saddled with a Polish wooden-treed, leather-covered saddle (similar to the Hungarian hussar one) with high pommel and cantle, and croupier attached, with two leather pistol holsters attached to the saddle. Saddle was covered with a dyed textile 'mitug' (short shabraque) for a companion and black-dyed sheepskin 'mitug' with cloth double-color edge for a retainer, a 32-inch cloth valise behind the saddle under the mitug, with a grain bag underneath this valise. In addition two linen bags attached to the saddle and a small ax for a retainer.
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Shanked curb bits are used in western riding for nearly all adult horses, and are seen in English riding disciplines primarily as part of the double bridle used by advanced dressage riders, and on the hybrid pelham bit that includes a ring for a second rein attached at the bit mouthpiece. Direct pressure snaffle bits have no shanks, instead they have a single bit ring. Bits that have shanks coming off the mouthpiece create leverage and place pressure on the poll via the crownpiece of the bridle, to the chin groove via the curb chain, and, especially with a "loose jaw" shank, may also touch the sides of the mouth and jaw. The shank and its leverage action is what defines a curb bit as a curb, regardless of mouthpiece.
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If a running martingale is used with a double bridle, only the snaffle reins should run through the rings. Running curb reins through the martingale creates excessive amounts of leverage and can cause pain to the horse if misused. While fox hunters once were known to ride with a running martingale attached to the curb rein, today this practice is relatively non-existent, partly because the double bridle is only common in equestrian disciplines that usually do not use a running martingale. However, if a running martingale is used on the curb, however ill-advised, it is extremely important to use rein stops, as the martingale ring is sometimes larger than the ring on the curb bit shank, and can get caught on the bit with potentially disastrous consequences.
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A "bit and bradoon" (curb and snaffle), the two bits of the double bridle Detail of a "bit and bradoon", long-shanked curb and thin bradoon traditional in Saddle seat style riding The double bridle differs from the usual snaffle bridle in that it consists of four reins attached to two separate bits: the bradoon-style snaffle and a curb. The curb bit hangs down from the main headstall, and the bradoon has a separate, simpler headstall made from a narrow piece of leather known as a "bradoon hanger" or a "slip head." The bradoon headstall lies under the curb headstall, with the browband of the bridle holding both pieces, as well as the cavesson all together as a single unit. A bradoon is a snaffle bit designed specifically for use in the double bridle.
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This included starting horses not by "breaking" them using the traditional western methods, but by training them on the longe, then slowly teaching them to accept the weight of a human on their back. He also brought dressage methods from both the French and German schools, with a great deal of influence from Baucher, and as senior instructor of equitation at the Mounted Service School at Fort Riley he insisted in teaching new recruits to properly use the aids and promoted the European methods. Henry helped to institute the high level of horsemanship at Fort Riley, helping to develop farrier and veterinary programs which were to become required courses for cavalry lieutenants. He also got rid of the harsh curb bit used by the Cavalry, known as the Shoemaker bit, and replaced it with either the snaffle bit or the double bridle.
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It is particularly useful for encouraging flexion and softness in the young horse, though it has a design weakness that it is less useful than a snaffle bit for encouraging lateral flexion. The classic vaquero and modern practitioners of the "California" cowboy tradition started a young horse in a bosal hackamore, then over time moved to ever- thinner and lighter bosals, then added a spade bit, then eventually transitioning to a spade alone, ridden with romal style reins, often retaining a light "bosalito" without a mecate. This process took many years and required an expert trainer. The "Texas" tradition cowboy, and most modern trainers, will often start a young western riding horse in a bosal, but then move to a snaffle bit, then to a simple curb bit, and may never introduce the spade at all.
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He also owned interests in shipping, warehousing, and construction companies, and built the first capitol building on the state of Michigan. Jones was a member of the Whig Party, and served several times as an alderman of the city of Detroit (1827, 1830, and 1838), and was elected mayor in 1839. He also served as Adjutant-General of the state of Michigan in 1829 and as a state senator in 1840-1841. His contemporary George C. Bates said of him: :Sudden and quick in quarrel, with a temper requiring a curb bit, Mr. Jones was a sort of western Vanderbilt, with a great big head, enlarged views, interesting industry, who saw far ahead into the future, and had he lived longer, would have cut deeper and deeper into the tablet of time his career, for he was a most public spirited, enterprising, go ahead man.
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Draw reins in the western riding disciplines are always attached to the rings of the cinch (a western-style girth), usually on each side of a western saddle, run through the bit rings (either inside to outside or vice versa, there is no firm rule, though the rein moves more smoothly if the inside goes to the girth and the outside to the hand), and then to the hands of the rider. They are rarely used in a two-rein system, usually are used alone or used with the regular bridle reins allowed to lay slack and not held by the rider. While use of the standard draw reins presents only mild controversy in western circles, a controversial use of this rein in western riding is its use on a curb bit, a practice that applies incorrect leverage, is dangerous, and creates an effect that some consider abusive.
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Although the modern ideal is for balance between the snaffle and the curb, and most riders today tend to employ the bradoon for the majority of commands, historically, the accomplished rider would "ride on the curb." Riding on the curb indicated lightness in the mouth, was a demonstration that both horse and rider had been highly trained, and that the rider had very good control of his or her hands, and was able to ride the horse mainly from the seat. The rider would keep a modest contact with the curb bit to regulate collection and only engage the bradoon bit to raise the head or reinforce leg and seat aids for impulsion and direction if those aids failed to achieve their effect. With a supremely trained horse and rider, not only would the horse be ridden on the curb only, but with placing both sets reins in one hand and carrying the whip upright in the other.
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Riders must use a western saddle and a curb bit, and may only use one hand to hold the reins while riding. Two hands are allowed if the horse is ridden in a snaffle bit or hackamore, which are only permitted for use on "junior" horses, defined differently by various breed associations, but usually referring to horses four or five years of age and younger. Horses are not allowed to wear a noseband or cavesson, nor any type of protective boot or bandage, except during some tests that require a reining pattern. Riders are allowed two different styles of reins: 1) split reins, which are not attached to one another, and thus the rider is allowed to place one finger between the reins to aid in making adjustments; and 2) "romal reins," which are joined together and have a romal (a type of long quirt) on the end, which the rider holds in their non-reining hand, with at least 16 inches of slack between the two, and the rider is not allowed to place a finger between the reins.
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Bit shanks, such as those on this spade bit, work as a lever The relation of the upper shank (purchase)--the shank length from the mouthpiece to the cheekpiece rings—and the lower shank or lever arm—the shank length from the mouthpiece to the lowest rein ring, is important in the severity of the bit. The standard curb bit has a " purchase and a " lower shank, thus producing a 1:3 ratio of purchase to lower shank, a 1:4 ratio of purchase to full shank, thus producing 3 lbs of pressure on the chin groove and 4 lbs of pressure on the horse's mouth for every 1 lb placed on the reins (3 and 4 newtons respectively for every newton). Regardless of the ratio, the longer the shank, the less force is needed on the reins to provide a given amount of pressure on the mouth. So, if one were to apply 1 lb of pressure on the horse's mouth, a 2" shank would need more rein pressure than an 8" shank to provide the same effect.
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