![]() ![]() (Also, designed that it’s not to high where it will cut off circulation, and not to low sitting on the thin pallet bone where could break.) I personally own a ‘Micklem Bridle’ They have ‘bit clips’ that attach to the bit so when excessive pressure is used it carries on the the nose. Not a problem! Just came to mind – I would recommend a bit/bridle that puts pressure on her nose as well, as she wouldn’t be able to feel the pressure on her tongue, it might help with the riding side of things. (sorry for the untimely response, I just found this blog and find the topic of bits and race horses raise passion in me) I’ve been in a couple of dangerous situations on the track in the morning when a horse was lugging-out and therefore putting other horses and riders at risk by simply not staying where it should be. Frequently the owners have the least horse knowledge of anyone and they are paying the bills. Sadly, that choice is seldom up to the horse, the rider, or even the trainer but the owner. To me, that means the horse should have time off. I will admit that most of the time that a horse is lugging-out, it is because it has an injury that is causing it to do so. It should only do damage to the horse if he should start to lug out and the rider takes hold to correct it.Īs for why something like that would be used? For the safety of everyone. The bit that is the most bizarre and cruel looking is called a cage bit. In the wrong hands, any bit can be a torture device. In the right hands those bits are meant to retrain a horse with a bad habit. I’d have to agree about what you are saying about the bits looking like torture devices. Full cheek snaffles are not as common on track as some other bits but I do see them every once in a while. The straight pieces help with steering on green horses and also prevent the rings from passing through the horse’s mouth with one-sided rein pressure. Ahhhh, show and pleasure riders, another familiar bit, eh? A full cheek snaffle has a round ring on each end, with a straight piece that rests on the horse’s cheeks. This is Offshore, half brother to the brilliant and ill-fated filly Pine Island.ĥ. Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey commonly trains and races his horses in a fat loose ring snaffle. It’s also considered one of the mildest bits. Dressage riders, you’ve seen this one, right? Jumpers? Western riders? This is one of the most universal bits. Note that Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown trained in a loose ring snaffle in the mornings:Ĥ. Jockey Kent Desormeaux used the bit to rate the strong and powerful horse in the beginning of his races. The bit also increases steering power since a rider has the added leverage on the horse’s lower jaw.īig Brown raced in a ring bit. ![]() A ring bit is commonly used on strong horses since it adds stopping power. The cheekpieces are of varying shapes, as are the metal “spoons” below the mouth. The snaffle portion of the bit can have metal, plastic or rubber coating and the ring is metal. The ring bit has two mouthpieces: one jointed snaffle mouthpiece and one ring that encircles the horse’s lower jaw. Although Curlin always smoothly navigated his turns, I’ve also seen this type of bit on horses who bolt or drift out on turns.ģ. A bit like helps keep a horse travelling straight. In training, Curlin tended to tilt his head sideways (he did not seem to have the same problem on race day- perhaps it was only at slower gaits). Also known as, “what the heck kind of bit is Curlin wearing?” You can see the leather-covered mouthpiece here. During the time when young horses are prepped for a sale, they are trained to lead and stand, but these skills are put to the test in the unfamiliar surroundings of a sale.Ģ. When I see young horses at sales, I’ve noticed that the chifney has an added benefit: the horses play with the mouthpiece, which can be calming for them. The bit has three external rings: two attach to the horse s halter and one attached to a lead line. Click here for a view of a chifney with a curved mouthpiece. It’s also called an anti-rearing bit and it can have a straight or ported mouthpiece. Used for leading in hand and commonly seen at Thoroughbred sales. The Chifney was invented by a jockey named Samuel Chifney (1753 – 1807). The age-old sentiment about even the mildest bit being dangerous in cruel hands is just as true in horse racing as it is in dressage, reining, or endurance riding.ĭue to the sheer quantity of bits available to trainers, I’ll share more bits in future posts. The basic principles of bitting and horsemanship cross disciplines and continents. My hands-on riding experience is with hunter/jumpers, but I’ve learned quite a bit (ha!) by watching and shooting so much horse racing. I receive a lot of inquiries about the tack used in racing. ![]()
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