Poll: how many of you have changed something that influences your horse's training for a show?

Question

I'm just.... amazed..... at how many people will just throw something out the window for a show. Even little shows that mean nothing.... like 4-H. My sister's arab was going in a loose ring snaffle and had to be put into a kimberwick in order to compete in 4-H. Some kind of bullshit rule about how only babies can go in snaffles. To me, that would be a deal breaker. 4-H is pretty meaningless IMO anyways, but I would never put a kimberwick in my horse's mouth, especially just for some stupid show.

What do you guys think? Would you slap on a stronger bit or change something important just for something like this?

I'm curious. Obviously a lot of people have a different way of thinking.... There are a lot of people in my sister's 4-H group. I'm sure many more people with the same thinking exist out there. I just don't understand the logic.... To me, me and my horse's training and beliefs on training trump all else. That is the most important thing. Besides our health & wellness, obviously. Or maybe not so obviously. A lot of people risk their horse's health for shows too. It's obvious to me.... but maybe not to everyone? What are your beliefs on the matter.... Where do your priorities lie?

Answer 1

Well, not the way your sister did it, and never into a Kimberwicke. But I have transitioned to curb bits for years when I was showing and they were required. That said, the transition allowed for lighter rein aids, less noise and pressure in my horse's mouths, and was in no way harmful or irresponsible. There was good reason for the transition, and even benefit to the horse.



But, long before being shown in a leverage bit, my horses were fully trained from ground work to bosals to snaffles and were completely responsive to body aids and neck reining before they were transitioned to the curb. The transition is started with two sets of reins in a mullen mouth Pelham to educate the horse to accept a solid mouthpiece using snaffle reins, then adapting the horse to responding to signal from the shanks with the curb reins. Last, the horse is finished into a solid mouth curb.

The curb bits I use have enough shank length to provide ample advance signal so leverage force never has to be engaged. After a couple times of engaging the leverage during training, the horse quickly learns to respond before it is engaged, as soon as he feels the vibrations through the shanks. A Kimbrewicke makes that kind of advance signal impossible, and is not a bit i'd ever use for that reason.

The double bridle is necessary for advanced collected work in dressage requiring the curb action to signal for flexion and suspension. The snaffle reins are used for all other movement requiring direct contact.



The only reason a western horse can be finished into a curb without need for snaffle reins is because he is taught to respond to the neck rein for all lateral signal and to function on loose reins. Shanked bits can't be used for direct lateral signals or with continuous contact.



So, I disagree with anyone making a sudden transition just to enter a show, unless it is to remove the bit and use a Dr. Cook bitless bridle. Even then, though, it will confuse a horse already being stressed by just being at a show.

Answer 2

At the barn where I learned most of my riding skills (the one with the uber creep I posted about last year with the knife...) they ONLY use harsh bits. I was naive there, surrounded by the norm of the steer roping community, which is not a gentle one. I always rode Shazam there in either a chain mouth, chain mouth with port, or a narrow western french link snaffle with shank....I was NEVER educated on bits there.



Thanks to Yahoo Horse Section I learned a lot....Now I either ride Shazam with an O-ring snaffle with a good sized mouthpiece, or no bit at all. I BARREL RACE him and train in an O-ring snaffle now.



In my opinion, no horse needs anything harsher than a simple snaffle. All it takes is time and patience, and the right training. As long as the training flows in a baby step, building block pattern, any horse can make it to show level in a snaffle. I don't care what breed, or what discipline.



Thats just my personal value.

Answer 3

Our gymkhana group holds an open gymkhana and a horse show during August, which we went to for the first time last summer. The open gymkhana which is just a regular gymkhana with ribbons that people can come and watch, doesn't have a rule concerning bits or anything like that. So we used our gelding Pawnee, who goes in a bosal and my mare Socks who goes in a curb. The horse show on the other hand, had the rule that horses five and under had to go in a snaffle and horse six and older had to go in a curb. It drives me crazy that they'd have rules like that. I don't appreciate being told what I can and cannot use in my horse. Perhaps if they gave a good, logical reason I'd be more willing to comply, but I don't understand why this rule was made.



We competed in the open gymkhana and one class in the show. We wanted to use Pawnee, but he doesn't need a bit. You can direct him by his mane. It'd almost be cruel to put a bit in his mouth, and he definitely doesn't need a curb, which is what he'd have to have. Socks was fine, since she was old enough she'd have to use a curb. We then chose my sister's horse Sadie to replace Pawnee, but Sadie is five and goes in a curb. She usually goes in a bosal as well, but also works well in a curb. So we just lied about her age. She's a grade horse so no one would be able to prove us wrong. I realize you can't do that at big, important shows, but for this small one, I wasn't going to put her into a bit she doesn't work well with.



If I was ever faced with the problem of change my bit to something my horse is unfamiliar with or doesn't work well with or not compete, then I would choose not to compete. I don't believe in changing something just because you're told to, without a good reason. My horse's well-being comes before everything else.

Answer 4

"Only babies go in snaffles" is the most ridiculous bit-nonsense I've ever heard. It takes a rather special horse to go everywhere in a simple snaffle, you see riders going for bigger and bigger bits and it can be quite exciting to see a snaffle and a cavesson noseband in high level eventing for example or out hunting.



The priority has to be the horse's well being, not the rosettes. I've shown lots of ponies in double bridles when they're ready for them, you can get a level of responsiveness and a boost to training with the double when the pony is ready, but a lot of people will pop a double in for a show when their animal can't cope with it all and the rider gets in a fizz with all the reins which just makes it worse. I'd rather be the only snaffle in the class than put two bits in before the pony is perfectly established with just one!



I would always rather compete in the same tack I ride in at home - things are difficult enough at a show without changing the lines of communication.

Answer 5

In my shows, it's a rule to have a shanked bit on a horse in WP. I have a shanked port bit that I use ONLY for shows. I like the idea of having a different bit for shows, but I hate ports. We got it for free from a friend that was moving and had stopped showing for quite some time but it's still due-able. I haven't used it yet because I haven't been to any shows, but I ride Casey in an offset D ring snaffle. I don't ride him in a port and never will switch him to a shank. I ride in snaffles! End of story! I think it's bull crap that people have to do everything for shows that they do. I think it should be on the HORSE and how the horse MOVES not what kind of bit you have on. That's my personal opinion on things though. Obviously the person who made the rules doesn't agree, that's what I don't go to shows that much. I go to FUN-SHOWS! That are truly fun and are a backyard type show and a rule there is NO SILVER! That's my kinda F-U-N show. That's why I go to those shows and it is a "bring your workable tack and your horse and you're good to go in any class that we have" type atmosphere. That's the shows I go to for a reason.

-Fresh--Paint-

Answer 6

I don't understand that thinking either. If a horse goes well in a snaffle, I don't understand why you should have to change it.

I want to compete in AQHA shows sometime in the future. The horse I ride now will be 5 in a couple months, and at that age she needs to be in a curb bit, and I think split reins. I already ride her with split reins, but she goes well in a snaffle, except for having to stop. Horses under 5 can be shown in a snaffle. Luckily, she isn't anywhere near ready to show yet, but I would rather keep her in a snaffle than switch her bit just to show.

Answer 7

I ride Luna at home in a loose ring oval link snaffle. At shows/trails/etc, I ride her in a loose ring waterford (which is what we jump in) because she's so spooky and can be head strong. If she doesn't have a stronger bit than the link snaffle she forgets about everything and won't listen. I ride with a lot looser rein, but I am trying to get her to the point where she can be ridden in a snaffle everywhere. She's such a ***** though...



If the rules are you have to put a kimberwicke on when your horse goes in a snaffle, that would be a deal breaker.

Answer 8

Being from the UK I do not understand what 4-H is though I have seen the term quite often on here.



I agree, why put a stronger bit in the horse's mouth to conform to rules!? I also do not understand why in the higher dressage rules they are not allowed to go in snaffles but have to go in double bridles! Or why they are not allowed to wear boots or bandages in dressage! If my horse was needing them due to hard ground or recovering from injury I want to be able to put them on him without fear of being penalised! Some rules are draconian! We need to vote with our feet (or our legs!) Same with the controversial Roll Kur. It was only when riders went up in arms about it that something was done and it was banned - and quite rightly so! Perhaps we need to do this with bits and other things! Surely our horse's welfare and comfort comes first!

Answer 9

What I think is weird is how some things ate "illegal" in the show ring. If you can't use it to show in then who is it created?! For instance my horse is a very built hanovarian.

His grandfather was Weltmeyer and he looks almost exactly like him. He is insanely strong, so strong that at the barn we need to ride him in a gag to be able to control him! Since those bits are illegal in the show ring he uses a very strong Pelham and he needs to get drugs. I hate having to give him drugs, but I also don't want to die! I have only fallen off of him once and I have had him for 4 years. My trainers have not fallen off because they are extremely good riders. So he only gets things when he really needs it. I wish I could just use the gag and not give him drugs!