Lacy got an english bridle!!

Looks very smart !!!

[color=#8000BF][b]LOVE :love the head shots!!

I'm no judge of english tack lol But looks pretty on her but...dunno maybe a darker color??[/b][/color]

She looks good! Something weird about the saddle though. Don't know what it is. Doesn't have that "meld" to the back I've seen with english saddles. I've no clue about english though!

the bridle looks fablous on her!

Another english tack question...
Is the curb strap normally that loose? Doesn't seem like it'd do much good. Also... The neck strap thingy... Name escapes me... Is that how they normally sit?
Western we put them a couple fingers in between the neck and strap. I don't remember if english snaffle bridles normally even have curb straps. I know I've seen the chain curbs with double bit bridles, but would a curb strap do anything for a normal snaffle bit?
Thanks!

Blame my western husband. :) The throatlatch strap is much looser than most people would put it (at his insistence) and thus falling a bit forward on her. He also insists on a curb strap though yes, it is uncommon on a bridle like this. He also insists it be quite loose. It actually does serve a purpose in this case, it prevent the bit from being pulled through the mouth. Believe it or not even with rings that big, that bit has been pulled through her mouth, and that loose curb strap does prevent it.

Bit keepers will keep the bit in place. Curb shouldn't be there unless she's being ridden in a curb bit...and I'm not seeing a neck thingy, just a long rein that's sort of looped?

Diane

Bit keepers? I think she means the throatlatch of the bridle.

The rubber rounds that fit on bits. I've always called them "bit keepers", but google is only giving me the leather ones for shanks... :BH

Diane

These things?

[img]http://www.4dobbin.com/product_images/B…]

But they be ugly! :laugh1

That's them, but I don't remember them being white...have a vague memory of them being more of a dull reddish colour...

These are black: http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/produc…" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These come in red, blue or black: http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/produc…" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And these come in red, black and brown: http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/produc…" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Diane

I've seen them in bunches of colors. I need to look at Lace and see what color would blend best with her, although the curb strap is pretty much accomplishing the same thing.

That curb strap, on a non-curb bit, is bugging me... :laugh1

Diane

Really? I see no purpose in a curb strap on a curb bit except to make the situation even more severe.

It's the traditional side of me wincing at the curb strap on a non-curb bit--it just doesn't "look right". I've never needed to use a curb on any horse I've owned, and it's been yonks since I've had to use one (I think I last used one when I was about 14...I don't remember using on on my horse in Iran, and the lipi cross I rode in Greece was a green baby...

Heck, thinking back, I can't remember riding much in any shanked bit...eggbutts have always been my bit of choice...

Diane

We haven't ridden her in a shanked bit. Too harsh for such a responsive horse. As loose as this strap is, it's only keeping the bit from pulling through.

I HAVE used a strap, tightly fastened with a shanked bit recently, but it was on a ridiculously bull headed and strong horse who needed a serious attitude adjustment. It didn't take long before he was going nice in a plain snaffle.

I prefer eggbutts too, just couldn't find one with the mouthpiece I wanted when I needed a bit.

I'd still get the bit guards, as long as you're using that bit. They're only around $6 :laugh1

Diane

I had wondered about the curb strap too but figured it was either specific to their region or some other discipline.

OK. So I'm not crazy. Well not about this anyway.
I dont think curb straps aren't any more severe than the hands that hold the reins...

I don't think it's severe. I just hadn't seen it done before. :)

I agree with Andrea, I use a curb with a Billy Allen bit but then I'm very light with my hands. personally I hate eggbutts the nut cracker action can be very servere and a lot of people think they are soft and then use them heavyhanded....I wont use any nutcracker type bit on my horses.....I likr Mylers but they are so expensive!

Well when a curb strap is used on a curb bit and is fastened the way it should be, it puts a tremendous amount of pressure under the jaw when put into action by the rider. It can be quite tough.

When used loosely like this with a snaffle, it never really comes into action on the jaw.

Lipi: I only use eggbutts with a double jointed mouthpiece to prevent the nutcracker.

Yes the French link type snaffles are good. ;)
Curbs can be very severe you are right but in gentle hands you hardly use them.

[quote="accphotography"]When used loosely like this with a snaffle, it never really comes into action on the jaw.

[/quote]

Yes, that's what I meant in my post above. I can see that it serves the intended purpose in the absence of rubber bit rings. Quite clever, really.

I have to use rubber bit rings on Isabelle no matter what bit I'm using (even with a pelham or D ring) because she's so sensitive that she bleeds where metal touches her. And I bred this mare?? Yes. Anyway, I buy black to disguise them against her dark muzzle. I bet that's why they come in different colors.

Yeah that's why I was wondering what color on Lacy. Orange, black or white all have potential, but with the shape of her white, any one of them will show. :laugh1

By the way, I found out it is NOT his western experience that has him putting a curb strap on a snaffle bit, it's his RACING experience. Apparently EVERY SINGLE racehorse that wears a snaffle bit, wears it with a curb strap (I verified that this morning). But I will say this, not many of them wear a noseband, and when they do, they leave it pretty loose. A properly fitted noseband might help reduce the need for the curb strap. But I did see horses with fitted nosebands and curb straps, so maybe it's just their thing. :laugh1 He gave me a LOOOOONG list of reasons why a curb strap is mandatory on a racing snaffle. It was enlightening.

These are bit keepers, and I like Lacey's new bridle. She looks so sophisticated.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.as…" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[img]http://www.raraequus.com/edu1/images/fu…]

Yes those bit keepers are good but only work with a fulmer snaffle type bit.

I come from western background and I have allways considered curb straps on ring snaffles as essential. I use one on my training bit. Mainly it's due to the fact that western riders rarely use a noseband and so a horse can open their mouth [i]fully[/i], and snaffles are more commonly used on young horses(who will definitly gag at some point). Riding a colt in a western bridle and ring snaffle without a strap the bridle can nearly turn around on their head without much pressure, I don't even think those bit guards would stop it. If you dont care to look silly it would probably be more sensible to just start colts in an english bridle LOL.

I also have a full cheek which does the same thing but I feel it doesn't set propperly without keepers (like what TCF showed) and I havn't tried putting one on a western bridle yet :| . Once the horse neck reins or is decently trained enough to keep their mouth shut it doesn't matter. My "going out" snaffle that I use on Sissy doesnt have a strap, it just has slightly larger than normal rings.

I do have some of those rubber things too, use them on a western pelham I thought might have been pinching a little. now I cant get them off!

Edit: Oh! I remember I saw something in one of my old books that looks cool:

[img]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Da…]
[img]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Da…]

Now...how to make one :hammer

[quote="Andrea"]OK. So I'm not crazy. Well not about this anyway.
I dont think curb straps aren't any more severe than the hands that hold the reins...[/quote]

No, they're not, and like elevators, etc., they can "subtle-ize" the contact with the horse via the bit, when used correctly. One of the reasons I'm not a big fan of 'bastardized' double bridles is that they combine the bit and curb action into one rein, which IMO is for 'severity', not subtlety.

Diane