Bit Basics

Bits come in all shapes, sizes and materials and rest on the tongue in the space between the incisors and the molars.   It places pressure on the tongue, the fleshy sides of the mouth, called the bars, and, in some cases, the poll or top of the head.

I am going to focus on the snaffle type bit here today because it is the only type that uses a single rein and is also the most common.  There are several different types of cheek pieces and mouth pieces which, when combined, create a myriad of styles that can be as unique as the horse that wears it.

Loose Ring and Eggbutt Snaffles

This picture has examples of two of the most basic snaffles, an eggbutt in the center, and loose ring on either side.  On the eggbutt, the ring is fixed and can not rotate through the mouthpiece so it does not pinch the horse's lips.  The loose ring tends to let the horse relax it's jaw a bit more, but it can pinch the lips.  All three of these bits are stainless steel and have a basic single joint in the middle.

Rubber Full Cheek

This is a full cheek snaffle.  This also is a single joint, but it is rubber coated.  The full cheek's distinguishing characteristics are the bars that extend above and below the ring.  This was Toby's first bit.  I choose this because the bars  help to guide the horse laterally and prevent the bit from sliding through the mouth.  An important tool for training a young horse how to turn.

The rubber coating helps a young horse except the bit easier.

French Link Full Cheek

This is what I ride Toby in now.  It is still a full cheek that will aid in turning, but I have switched him to a regular stainless steel with a double jointed "french link" in the middle.  This link lays flat on the tongue and reduces the "nutcracker" action that the single joint has.  This is a very mild bit.


The french link is not to be confused with the "Dr. Bristol" which looks very similar, but the link in the middle in turned 45 degrees so the edge rests against the tongue.  This creates a pressure point on the tongue and is more severe.

 Synthetic French Link D-ring

This is the bit I ride Casey in.  It is a D-ring french link snaffle with a plastic mouthpiece.  Casey has a very sensitive mouth and it took me years to find a bit that doesn't make him "chomp" constantly.  The synthetic plastic material is often more acceptable to horse with sensitive mouths and the french link makes this very mild. The straight sides of the D-ring help to aid in lateral movement much like the full cheek, without being overpowering.  Casey has accepted this bit although there is still some chomping occasionally.  I think he would be much happier in a hackamore or a bitless bridle.  That will be my next endeavor.

So that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to bits and bitting.  I hope to cover more in future blogs so, stay tuned!

Awwww!

Our first clutch of Pheobe chicks just about ready to leave the nest.

What is wrong with ewe?

I was watching the Preakness with my husband last week and as Mucho Macho Man paraded by he said "What is wrong with that horse?".

He was referring to the horse's "ewe neck".   This occurs when a horses is poorly muscled over the top-line and has a noticeable dip in the neck just before the withers.  It tends to make the neck look skinny and a bit odd.

Ewe Neck

Average Neck

It is not just a cosmetic problem, however.  These horses hold their heads high which can make the horse difficult to control while riding.  The bit does not contact the mouth correctly and can leave the rider with minimal steering and "brakes".

This condition is typically seen in young horses (Mucho Macho Man) and undernourished horses where muscles are underdeveloped.  The good news is that is can be corrected with proper conditioning and exercise.

How to Build a Tack Trunk, Part Two

Yeah!  I finally finished it!  Here is what I did:

I started by attaching a chain to either side of the lid to keep it from flopping back when opened.

Then I started a small storage box.  I cut the pieces to size and routered them.

I glued and nailed the box together,  countersunk the nails and filled the holes.

Then stained it.

Next I worked on the brush box.  Again, I cut the pieces to size...

routered...

and glued and nailed.

I used a 5/8" dowel for the handle.  After drilling a hole at either end of the box and inserting the dowel, I countersunk a nail through the top on both sides to keep the dowel from moving. Then stained the whole box.

I added some cleats on the inside of the trunk so the boxes would have a place to rest and...

Voila!  The finished product!

How to Build a Tack Trunk, Part One

My niece is 12 years old and has the horse bug just as bad as I do.  One of her first words, actually, I should say one of her first signs, was horse.  You see she was born profoundly deaf and could only communicate through sign language for the first few years of her life.  My brother, seeing that there was not a lot of early intervention programs for children with hearing loss in our area, started The Decibels Foundation to raise money to help pay for such programs.   This year they are holding their second annual horse show and I decided to make a tack box to donate to the silent auction.

This is how I went about it:

I used some 3/4 inch birch veneer plywood, cut out front, back and side panels for the basic box and routered the edges.

Using some small brads nails and wood glue I put together the basic box shape.

I added some trim to the inside so I would have something to nail the floor to.  Then I cut and attached the floor.

 I attached some 1 by 3 for the base trim and...

 ...a 1 by 2 for the top trim.

Added some corner trim to the sides.  Then countersunk any nails, filled the holes with wood putty, and sanded for a neater look.

I attached some thin pieces of wood to the inside corners as guides for the small storage box and brush box I will be making in part two.

Then using more 1 by 2  and some 1/2 inch birch veneer plywood I built the lid.

I stained the whole thing and attached the lid with a piano hinge.

Added a latch and some handles and the basic trunk was finished!

Stay tuned for part two...

What is a PMU horse?

Many people don't know that there is a large industry that gathers Pregnant Mare Urine (PMU) for the hormones to use in hormone replacement drugs for menopausal women.   It is marketed under the name of Premarin.  PMU farms have hundreds of mares that they breed and hook up to collection devices in very small stalls for the last six months of their pregnancy.   They are taken "off-line" just before foaling and allowed to foal outside in open fields, but they are bred again shortly thereafter.  These mares are kept like this year after year, producing foals that no one wants, until they are no longer productive, then they are discarded.   Most of the foals are discarded as well,  a few fillies are kept to replace older mares, the rest of the fillies and most of the colts are sent to slaughter.  A filly foal has a less than 1 in 10 chance of not going to slaughter, a colt foal has a less than 1 in 50 chance.   Some of these foals are saved by rescue organizations.  My friend Toby was one of the lucky ones.

 Toby made the trip down from Manitoba when he was about 6 months old.  He and 47 other foals were taken in by a rescue group who quickly found themselves overwhelmed.  So Toby and 16 of he friends went for another trip to the MSPCA Nevins Farm.  After a few months of care there, he was ready to be adopted.  That is where I found him.  

The PMU industry has gotten smaller in recent years.  Stricter regulations and greater awareness of where Premarin actually comes from have had many farms throwing in the towel.  The problem of these unwanted foals still exists, though, and will until there is no longer a demand.  There are only so many homes for these foals so, please, think twice about taking Premarin.

Blanket Statement

Well, its that time of year again.  Time to bring in all the horse blankets to wash and waterproof them for next year.  I am not big into blanketing my horses.  I believe that horses are healthier when they are left the way nature intended.

Toby in full winter fuzz

That being said, my horses do have three blankets each, a cooler, a heavy winter blanket and a lightweight rain sheet. There are occasions when blanketing is necessary.   I use the cooler, or lightweight moisture-wicking polar fleece, when they have gotten wet in the cooler weather.  For example if they have been running around and worked themselves into a sweat  or they have been out in a light snow storm or cool shower.  The polar fleece keeps them warm but allows the moisture to escape.  I also use the cooler in the fall to keep Casey warm on those cool fall nights.  He tends to be slow in growing his winter coat and as a result I have gone out several mornings to find him with a case of the shivers.

Casey in his heavy winter blanket

Their winter blankets I use even more sparingly.  I only really break them out when it is going to be under 20 F for more than a day or two.  Even then I don't always blanket Toby since he grows an extraordinary amount of hair.

Toby and Casey sporting their lightweight blankets

The lightweight rain sheet is what I use the most.  They wear them mostly in the spring and fall when getting wet to the skin can cause a chill or when "rain rot" can be a problem. 

Rain Rot

"Rain rot" or "rain scald" is an anaerobic skin infection that causes crusty scabs and matted tufts of hair.  The bacteria love a humid,  oxygen-free environment which happens when moisture is captured under a thick winter coat.  Treatment requires baths with antimicrobial shampoo (usually daily for about seven days) until the infection clears, but it is easy enough to prevent if they just wear their raincoats.