How Do I Put This Bridle Together?

Merry Christmas to All....How Do I Put This Bridle Together? By Lee   12/25/99 10:05:16 AM

Merry Christmas Everybody.....

I got a new bridle here and after reading a few messages I have definitely discarded this Tom Thumb bit. I guess I will use it for a fish weight....If it doesn't pinch my fingers while I'm baiting the hook..Ha. I went over to my uncles old junk room and located a straight snaffle bit. 

Now does the throat latch, head stalls, and reins all three go in those rings?...I guess they have too. I have looked at thousand of pictures of bridles and none had a complete bridle with a straight snaffle all fixed up...I hope this will solve my problems with the horse and the bridling. She almost fights us when she sees the bridle... 

Steps:  

1. Attach the headstall to the rings.  

2. Attach the curb strap to the bottom of the rings. (brow band up) (be sure curb is loose)  

3. The reins attach between the bottom of the headstall and the curb. 

Thanks David. 

That's how I had it set up but that looked like a lot of stuff in one spot. My mare has a slender head so I think I am going to have to take a link out of the curb chain as the leather ends are taken completely up...It stays under her chin safely though and the curb chain on a straight snaffle bit would just kind of support it wouldn't it? 

I just got through spending an hour putting the bridle on, tying the reins on her neck, let her stand a little bit, and then did it again and deposited some carrots. I didn't even saddle her. I really think that that little mare hated that TomThumb bit so bad that she is fighting me when I try to bridle her. I'm kind of having to get her to trust me again!

Don't worry about how loose the curb is, it doesn't do anything anyway. You only put it on there because it'd look funny without it and if you get bucked off and hold on to the reins you don't want the rings of the snaffel to pull through her mouth. I don't know what you are calling a 'straight' snaffel. 

If you are talking about a regular broken snaffel or a twisted wire snaffel we are ok. Just be sure if you're using a twisted wire that the wire is BIG. If you are talking about a gag bit with just one solid piece that does not break in the horses mouth I don't have a clue what it'll do. Never used one. Only seen a few that were used on draft horses and mules.  

Good luck.

What I called a straight snaffle is a regular jointed snaffle according to the bits page at this site.....It says that most horse are happy with this bit. The bars of it are exactly the same length as the Tom Thumb that I was using.....What advantage would I have in going to a bosal as long as I am changing bits and bridles.....

The horse undoubtedly has been ridden with a bit in her mouth forever but she sure is unhappy about something to do with our simple little rides around the pasture and alfalfa field......Maybe I should give her a big change and go to a bosal? Control is not a problem.

Hello Lee  I still suggest that you try a side pull, I think that would be the easiest for you to ride with, and it would help the horse get over it's associations with the bit. And have you had your horses teeth checked? There could be other reasons to her aversion to the bit, too.  As for a curb strap, if you decide to go with the bit, just take it off. In Europe the regular snaffle is the most commonly used bit there is, and nobody uses a curb strap with them, and it doesn't seem to cause a problem there.... soo... :-)  

Make also sure that the headstall it self fits. There should be plenty of room for the ears, make sure that it doesn't pinch. The throat latch should be loose enough to place a pull fist under (that's another piece of leather that really has no purpose for your use, why that strap is there is a whole other story, but leave it on, it does no harm if it's not pulled tight.)  If you have a noseband on your headstall, either take it off, or place it very loosely on. 

The purpose of the noseband is to prevent a horse from opening his mouth to evade the bit. Sounds great for some maybe, but the thing is that if your horse is uncomfortable with the bit and opens her mouth to avoid it, the is a message from your horse that you need to receive. If this is a problem do something about her discomfort rather than hiding the problem by tying her mouth shut.  I am not saying that you would do this of course, I am talking generally here now.  

Also, the placement of the bit is important. There is an old rule that says to place the bit in the horses mouth so that there are two wrinkles in the corner of the horses mouth. I disagree with this rule, when one puts a bit in this high up the horse gets no relieve from pressure even when the reins are hanging. Different horses likes the bits in different places, and what I usually do is place a bit very loosely in the horses mouth and let the horse place it where it wants to have it. When the horse is quiet with the bit and has found where it wants to have it, I will adjust it to hang in that place. Have yet to find a horse that willingly places a bit so there are any wrinkles in the corners at all, usually it ends up right at the corners.  

People are often worried about placing a bit too low in fear that the horse will get its tongue over the bit. That is something a horse will do to get away from the pressure of the bit, and again, the question should be how to get the horse more comfortable rather than how to set it up so that the horse can't show his discomfort. If it's a young horse that is just starting with a bit one can place it so that there are some wrinkles in the corners of the mouth for a couple of days so the horse learns to wear it, and then when the horse is no longer trying to get the tongue over or spit the bit out one can lower it down to where it should be.  

Needless to say (?) one shouldn't ride the horse with the bit until the horse is comfortable just wearing it on it's own.  I know you are not talking about a twisted wire snaffle, but since David brought it up, I thought I'd mention it...  I twisted wire with big twists are NOT more gentle than one with small twists, on the contrary...  The way it works is that when you are pulling on one rein the bit slides a little through the horses mouth, across the bars and tongue. If you have a bit with big twists the edges of the twists tends to be sharper than if the twists are small (many). If you think about pulling a bit like this through your fist you get kind of the idea.. the bigger twist will be rougher to pull through.  

Just thought I'd mention that.... :-)  

Ellen 

You have me convinced....I'm going to drive into town tomorrow and try to locate a sidepull. They will probably tell me at the tack shop but I understand that the rings of the sidepull should be just above the corners of the horse's mouth....I assume that this would put the nose band safely up on the bone of her nose. 

How many fingers should one fit under the nose band? It looks like you adjust it with the straps under the jaw? I teach school so it looks like I have a week of nice weather here in NW Okla to figure this new horse and new bridle out. I appreciate you all's help. 

Hi  Glad to hear it :-))  

yes, the rings are fitted just above the corners of the horses mouth. The sidepull should be fitted loosely, don't know how many fingers, but so that it sits loose without hanging down to the horses chest :-)  Look at the picture on the bit pages to get the idea. 

One word of caution when using a sidepull, check the horse regularly for soreness on the nose. There are many different materials that they are made of and especially the one in rawhide can easily rub the horses skin sore. Best to get one in leather, but one can also use some padding on the nose part to make it softer.  There are some paddings made for the top of the halter to avoid rubbing the horse there, and those can be used for the sidepull, or you could easily make one yourself. Sheepskin is the best thing to use. It shouldn't be a problem, but better safe than sorry! :-)  

Ellen

Ellen------  

Please understand I am NOT arguing. I am asking because I obviously am using bad information. I use a twisted copper wire bit. When you took it out of Little Satan's mouth and we put a side pull on him I knew you didn't like the bit but we never got around to discussing it. I routinely use sweet iron ring snaffles, one of the ones I use has spades on it, the other doesn't. I prefer to use the copper because the horses seem to prefer it. 

I say this because they don't play with it as much. I do realize that the one in LS's mouth was one that a horse that went 'down the road' had chewed quite a bit. I also have the same bit in stainless steel. All of this is academic with me at this point as I have just about quit using the bits since you have introduced me to the side pull, but I felt the horses preferred the copper wire bit BECAUSE it was more textured to their tongue. They don't mouth the copper as much and, if their was an objection to it, I just wasn't tuned in enough to realize it.  

Are they leaving the bit alone because it hurts their tongue to mess with it?  If not why do I seem to think they prefer it? Any Ideas?  After reading the bits section (cover to cover) You've got me to wanting to go back and try one of the curb bits that I have not used in 5 years.  

Oh--- and by the way, you got that og word that gets mixed up when trying to 'Talk Texan' and think Norway.

Hello David  It's more fun when you argue! LOL!  

Some horses seems to enjoy the taste of copper especially over the taste of stainless steel. Copper encourages salvation, just like sweet iron does, and stainless steel seems to dry out the horses mouth. That could be the whole difference that you are seeing. If you used a smooth bit of the exact same with and material and thickness as the twisted bit you used I am pretty positive that the horse would have preferred that over the textured one.  

So, you are considering starting to use the curb bit again? Why?  And, as for the "og" word that slips in my text, sorry, can't help it! When I do write that, just translate it to "and", and you will understand what I mean. Sometimes I get the languages mixed up a little, can't be helped I guess! 

LOL, maybe it's a blonde thing again!  

Ellen 

Ellen I have always been so impressed with the way English is taught in Norway. It is one of the easiest countries for English speakers to travel in. I had cousins visit me this past summer and they had no problem striking up conversations with complete strangers and even the TEXANS had no problem understanding them and this was the first time they had been to an English speaking country. So I can certainly forgive an og here and there. 

Keep up the good work.