Use a smooth pull. Use a smooth pull, as strong as necessary to get a response, when riding in a snaffle. The snaffle has its origins in Europe; some English horses spend their entire careers in snaffles. In Western riding, our thinking tends to be that we start a colt in a snaffle and use it for his early training stages to teach him to follow his nose.
Then we progress to a hackamore or a curb bit. A snaffle comes back into play when we need to tune up our horses or go back to basics. Starting from the far left in the photo, here are my MVP snaffles. Each has its own attributes and appropriate times to use.
No matter what, you must always be able to go back to a simple, smooth snaffle. Don Hansen snaffle, made by Denny Hansen. This loose-ring snaffle has a hardened copper mouthpiece that horses really like.
Historically, horses could chew through copper mouthpieces, but hardening the metal makes that impossible while still providing the salivary benefits of copper. Fishback snaffle, made by Dale Tingle. Heavier rings give this bit more weight than the Hanson snaffle. The fishback mouthpiece refers to its triangular shape that has a little more of an edge to it, which causes a quicker response from your horse.
Don Dodge snaffle, made by Greg Darnell. Designed from a full-cheek snaffle, this one has almost an egg-butt connection between the mouthpiece and the rings. D-ring snaffle. Neither this snaffle, nor the fishback, are legal for the show pen. Many breed associations allow junior horses to show in approved snaffles.
Like the fishback, the twisted mouthpiece helps to lighten a horse to your pull. Al Dunning, Scottsdale, Arizona, has produced world champion horses and riders in multiple disciplines. How snaffle bit pressure works. Simple Snaffles work well to teach horses to turn laterally: to give direct response to direct pressure from the rein left or right. He gets direct communication, and the rider can easily feel any resistance. The ratio of the pressure means that the rider will not pull harder on the mouth than the exact amount of pull he is using.
Nothing magnifies his request. He is more likely to quickly tolerate the more reasonable piece of metal with fewer pressure points. Notice that the chin curb strap is loose on a snaffle bit. See More about sensitizng your horse to direct bit pressure. Snaffles come in a variety of mouthpieces and rings. O Ring Snaffles with single joint mouthpieces are considered most forgiving of rider error and most commonly seen in early training.
Owing to the loose ring design, there is more signal to the horse of impending action when the rider takes up the reins. They can sometimes pinch since the butt of the bit is not fixed in one position on the ring and can catch the inside of the corner of the mouth. The cheeks move laterally back and forth and the ring rotates through the bit butt loose-ring. Rings of 2. They are commonly found with rubber mullen mouths, eggbutt mouths, and sometimes twisted wire mouths although the more complicated or severe mouthpieces are rarely combined with a simple O-ring configuration because the O-ring is usually considered a beginner bit.
The O-Ring exerts the most concentrated pressure n the side of the face. D-Ring Snaffles A fixed-ring Snaffle bit does not swivel on the ring. They have a fixed butt and better lateral cue because the side opposite the rein-pull exerts pressure to encourage the turn. The flat side of the cheek spreads the pressure over a larger area on the far side and makes it a little easier for a young horse to understand the request to give his head.
With an O-ring snaffle above the pressure is concentrated in a smaller area of the mouth. Signal is sacrificed because the ring does not rotate, thus there is less movement of the ring to warn a horse that the rider has taken up the reins. Less signal time is bad for novice riders, but the clearer communication of the Dee snaffle is better for novice horses.
Dee snaffles are less likely to pinch the lips than an O-Ring snaffle. They come in many types of mouthpieces, from egg butt to thin twisted wire, and more complicated combinations. Simple mouthpieces with a Dee Ring are the universal bit of choice for almost any type of pleasure riding. If you are a beginner who might still be inadvertently balancing yourself with your hands reins , a smooth, D-Ring snaffle may be the bit for you — particularly if it has a curve in the bars of the mouthpiece.
Curving the bars will help to alleviate the nutcracker clamp on the outside of the bars, making it an even milder bit for less experienced hands. Not as often seen in dressage, show jumping or Eventing, this bit has become more popular in western riding. The pressure is spread over an even wider area of the face.
Spreading the pressure gives a horse more understanding of your desired turn. The effect is to give even more lateral guidance. Because of the leverage created by the shank, the ratio of pull is Unlike a snaffle bit, the curb bit incorporates rotation and leverage via a leverage piece that is attached to the mouthpiece.
This increases the amount of pressure. There is also a curb or chin strap attached to the mouthpiece to stabilize the shanks. Because of the jointed mouthpiece, many people confuse the Tom Thumb bit with a snaffle bit, but the shank gives it away. The Tom Thumb bit is actually a leverage bit with shanks ranging from five to seven inches long.
It includes a curb chain or strap that attaches to D-shaped slots and is more severe than a snaffle. For more in-depth information about Western bits, you can check out our buying guide for horse bits. Now that you know all how to fit a snaffle bit properly, it's time to put your knowledge to work. When you want to choose the best snaffle bit for your horse, rely on NRS. Our collection of tack and supplies has everything you need for a happy horse and a great ride!
Choosing the right tack for your horse is crucial for a number of reasons. When it comes to port bits, horses have a wide variety of options. A new year means new trends and new tack!
Whether you're rodeoing or simply spending some time on the ranch, you'll want to update your gear, and Cowperson Tack offers some great ways to do it. Stores Login View cart. What Is a Snaffle Bit? Just What is a Snaffle Bit Exactly? See below for snaffle bits to use if your horse is opening their mouth and letting the bit slide through it.
A snaffle bit is any bit where the bridle's headstall and the reins attach in the same ring. This type of attachment results in a ratio of pull, which means that one pound of pressure from the rein equals one pound of pressure to the corners and bars of the horse's mouth.
A leverage bit has a higher ratio of pressure based upon the lengths of the shanks. Snaffles can have thick and gentle mouthpieces. On the other hand, thin mouthpieces, like twisted wire, are more severe. The lighter pressure is why snaffle bits are commonly used to start young horses or to retrain older horses that need some back to basics work. However, in the wrong hands, any bit can be harsh, including snaffles.
Excellent horsemanship requires soft, low hands of the rider. Have you ever heard the expression "plow reining"? Direct pressure is used to get the horse to turn laterally in either direction. It requires the rider to use two hands. One hand pulls on one rein while the other hand pushes the opposite rein across the horse's neck.
For example, to turn right, the rider would put slight pressure on the right rein while laying the left rein on the neck. The desired result is the horse will respond by giving in to the pressure and turn in the direction of the pull. If the horse resists, then more pull can be applied. This pull is most effective when the rider's hands are low and to the sides of the horse's neck. Remember to ask with slight pressure, insist with small tugs, and demand by pulling the horse head around.
With patience and consistency, your horse will start to respond to light pressure. The most common snaffle used in early training happens to be the most forgiving of rider error.
The rings are loose, and there is a single jointed mouthpiece.
0コメント