Bits Flashcards

Question

What is an loose ring?

Answer 1

- It allows freedom of movement through the mouthpiece. It gives a more subtle feel through the reins: not as fixed as the eggbutt. - Suitable for horses who tend to lean or heavy on the bit, as the horse cannot take hold of the bit so easily. - The movement can wear the metal thin where the ring passes through the mouthpiece. This can become sharp, and pinch or injure the horse's mouth.

Answer 2

- It's designed to prevent pinching around the mouth. - Suitable for a horse who has a 'fussy' mouth. The ring is fixed to the mouthpiece making the rider's rein more direct. - Good for riders who are not balanced in their seat, and use their hands for balance. The fixed ring reduces the undue movement transferring to the bit. - But it limits the movement of the bit in the mouth, and can consequently give a 'fixed' feel.

Answer 3

- A combination of the eggbutt snaffle and the full cheekpiece, it helps with steering by applying pressure to the side of mouth. - The ring also helps stop the bit being pulled through the mouth. It works on tongue and bars of mouth.

Answer 4

- The long cheekpieces are either attached at the mouthpiece known as the full cheek or as part of the loose ring known as the Fulmer snaffle. The cheekpieces act as a steering aid, by pressing on the cheek. The bit cannot be pulled through the mouth. - Both Fulmer and full cheekpieces have leather keepers to hold the cheekpieces in place, which keeps the bit still in the mouth and applies poll pressure. - The bit is useful for young horses in training to reinforce turning aids but not suitable for horses who lean or take hold of the bit.

Answer 5

- The action of the hanging cheek is often great for over sensitive horses. - As pressure is taken up the bit is lifted in the mouth reducing pressure from the tongue and bars. - The extension above the mouthpiece creates pressure on the poll, causing a head lowering action, or if the horse is moving well with impulsion from behind a rounding effect.

Answer 6

- The Gag is most commonly worn with one set of reins but to be most effective it should have two sets of rein attached. If riding with one set of reins it should be attached to the snaffle ring, which is the first ring adjacent to the mouthpiece. -The first set of reins is attached to the snaffle ring, it is used just like a loose ring hanging cheek bit, which uses poll pressure and lip pressure. The sliding loose ring also applies various pressures in the mouth depending on the mouthpiece it is in conjunction with. - When the second rein is attached to the ring below, the pressures are increased as the lower rings produce more leverage. In the instance of using 2 reins then this bit can be used as a hanging cheek bit and then when more help is required, the second rein can be brought into play. If the bit is only used with one rein on the lower ring, then the pressure in applied constantly and no pressure release is available for the horse. This bit is often used for a strong horse.

Answer 7

- The Pelham is designed to combine the action of the double bride. It comes in form of a straight bar, with a port or single jointed mouthpiece. With a port there is pressure on the roof of mouth, and with all Pelhams the lips, bars of mouth, chin groove and the poll. - Pelham acts like a hanging cheek snaffle, putting slight pressure on the poll and various pressures in the mouth depending on the mouthpiece. - When the second rein is brought into play, this increases the leverage and lip pressure, and also the curb chain comes into play. - The greater the distance between the cheek slot and the mouthpiece the greater the poll pressure. The greater the length of shank the greater the amount of leverage. - The curb chain should be fitted so that the curb chain tightens when the second rein is brought into play, but there must be a bit of give so not to tighten up straight away. - You can ride the Pelham with one or two reins, if using one rein a leather loop called Roundings is attached to where the reins would attach.

Answer 8

- It's part of the Pelham family as it has the same principles, but milder. - It can be either a straight bar with an arched (port) mouthpiece, a straight bar or jointed mouthpiece, a fixed D ring and curb chain. - It acts on the bars of mouth, chin groove and the poll. - On the Uxeter Kimblewick the reins can be attached through the slots to keep them from sliding. If the reins are placed in the lower slot the bit will have more curb action than the upper slot.

Answer 9

- The idea of the curb is, through pressure on the horse’s poll, together with the curb chain acting on the chin groove, to encourage the horse to lower its head. - Depending on the length of the shank determines how much action the cheek will have on the poll, rotating around the mouthpiece, the longer it is the more severe it is. - Commonly known as the Weymouth is rarely used on its own and is more commonly used to combine the bridoon bit to make a double bridle. - It puts pressure on the bars of mouth, lips, chin groove and poll.

Answer 10

- Acts like a normal snaffle to raise the horses head, when the horse holds its head too low it will act on the roof of mouth. - It's a modified snaffle bit that is smaller in diameter and has smaller bit rings than a traditional snaffle, and it is adjusted so that it sits above and behind the other bit, a curb bit, in the double bridle.

Answer 11

- A double bridle should only be used by an experienced rider and a very well-schooled horse. - The bridoon is attached to the bridle by an extra headpiece called the 'bridoon sliphead' and the Weymouth (curb) attaches to the cheekpieces. - the Cavesson is the only noseband that should be used with a double bridle. - The curb chain is either a single or double jointed chain which attaches to the hooks on top of the curb bit. The curb chain should have a ‘fly link’ which is the centre link, so when the lip strap is on it enables the strap to go the through the ‘fly link’ to hold the chain in place. - You use two pairs of reins the snaffle rein which attaches to the bridoon and a curb rein which is thinner than a snaffle rein attaches to the curb. - The curb rein being thinner also helps the rider know which rein they are holding. - The main function of the lipstrap is to stop the cheek of sliding cheek curbs from inverting and rendering the curb ineffective, or from being dragged into the horse’s mouth and to hold the chain in place.

Answer 12

- A bitless bridle as by name it has no bit, also known as a hackamore. - It puts pressure on the poll and nose. - It useful for horses with a sore or injured mouth, poor mouth confirmation and for some horses who object strongly to a bit. - Although it can be a nightmare for horses who are strong as they tend to ignore it.

Answer 13

- Bits are measured in inches, a pony size mouth can be 4 ½ to 5 inches and anything bigger can vary from 5 ¼, 5 ½, 5 ¾ to 6 inches. - When the bit is in the horse’s mouth there should be a thumb tip width (¼ inch) either side of the bit between the bit ring and the horse’s lips. There should also be a wrinkle or two in the corner of the mouth to show the bit fits correctly. - If the bit is too tight it will pinch on the corners of the mouth and lips, if too big it will slide around the horse’s mouth.

Answer 14

- Using a harsher bit than necessary. - This may happen when a rider who is not proficient enough to use a milder bit, has to use a stronger bit to gain control. - The bars of a horse's mouth have nerve endings that can become numb to feeling, through overbitting or bad, hard riding. The result is a 'hard mouth' and a horse who is unresponsive to the bit.