About Bits: Snaffle vs. Curb (Episode 103) - Herm Gailey
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- čas přidán 4. 05. 2022
- Bits can be a useful tool or an instrument of destruction; it is the rider's choice. This is the first of a series of videos aimed at helping you make the right decisions in the use of bits.
About Herm Gailey:
Herm Gailey has spent a lifetime with horses. He is a nonprofessional rider who starts and trains his own horses to successful careers in multiple disciplines. Away from the show ring Herm retains a deep respect and appreciation for good reliable trail riding horses and believes that all horses benefit from this type of riding.
There is nothing for sale here. If these videos allow one person to avoid fear, frustration, or injury or help one horse get a better deal, then that is payment in full.
Filming and production by Kim Gailey-Fitting
Video Camera Company: Canon
Microphone Company: RODE
Song Credit: "Devil's Son" by Enter the Haggis
(www.enterthehaggis.com)
Looking forward to the rest of this series. Thank you.
Tim: Thanks for your comment. Always a touchy subject for some reason. I appreciate your support. (Herm)
This is such a great video, thanks you the explanation! also love you saying "you can't correct bad hands with a good bit." SO true!
Thanks for your comment and even more thanks for finding and watching this oldervideo. That is the way my channel was designed with information that hopefully is more than a one week throwaway episode. Thanks for finding this older bit of information and I hope it helped.
Great info!
One of these days I'll learn how leverage bits work. I get hung up on the idea that the shanks act like a force multiplier or something, when it seems to me like the tightness of the curb strap is what governs the amount of pressure applied to the horse's face. Excellent video, looking forward to watching more. Thanks so much.
Thank you for your comment. Curb bits are, indeed, a fairly complex system. The curb strap is only one of the components. Add to that the dimension and configuration of the mouthpiece and the design of the shank coupled with the action of the curb strap and you have a lot of moving parts. For a few thoughts on the role of leverage you might try episode 153 entitled Curb Bits A Lesson in Leverage.
Thank you for stating flat out what makes a snaffle a snaffle -- that is, the cheekpiece, not the mouthpiece.
Thank you for your comment and thanks for watching these older videos. My hope was that this series might be a library for people who are interested in looking into bits and training issues. It’s always encouraging when someone does.
Hi Herm; I'd like to encourage you to try that chain mouth snaffle bit. Years ago I read an article by well known Arizona colt starter Mike Kevil. He said that he liked the chain mouth. I bought one and tried it and it has become one of my favorite snaffles. Everything I've tried it on has been comfortable in it. I consider it to be a mild bit, but you can also make it more authoritative if desired.
Thanks for your comment. Here’s the strange thing: the reason I bought the chain mouthpiece snaffle was because I had read an article by Mike Kevil I bet it was the same one. I should give it a try. Don’t have anything going in a snaffle right now but when I do I think I’ll take your advice. ThanksAnd thanks for watching.
As always a great video with great information. I had an experience one time in which I pulled a bit into my horse's mouth. At that time I didn't know how to prevent it other than going to a large D-ring snaffle. Thanks again. A~
Thanks for your comment. I truly appreciate your ongoing support!
Well Herm I think you have kicked the wasp nest here! Even I disagree with your terminology for the classification of bits and I am just an old man that tries to get along with most people. I do heartily agree with you that one of the biggest problems is the hands though I would say that an even greater problem with bits is peoples' lack of brain use when they are attached to a horse by any sort of bit. I would further advise you to keep ducking so that no one gets a clear shot at you. Keep up the interesting videos and thanks for your efforts.
Oh well, there is always room for differing opinions particularly on this subject. l certainly acknowledge yours and appreciate the respectful way you have expressed it. Keep watching and keep commenting. It is always good to hear from you. (Herm)
So for fun I'm going to kick the hornets nest a little. Lol. I've noticed that terms about bits are not only not standardized across disciplines, terms are different in different parts of the country in the same discipline. The whole point of talking about bits is to gain more knowledge about how they work and what each bit does. Anyone who wants to argue terminology instead of adding actual bit knowledge I take as that they don't have anything more valuable to add.
I agree it is way too easy to quibble over semantics. Of course I started it by emphasizing the mouthpiece issue when the really important distinction is leverage. The fact is 90% of the time when we say snaffle we are talking about the most common (jointed) version. So, everybody is entitled to their own opinions and certainly everyone seems to have one, myself included. More important: Happy Derby Day! Who do you like? I am intrigued by Epicenter Zandon and Taiba. Be interesting to see if one of them makes it.
I didn't even know the derby was today. Lol. I have 5 kids at an open show today getting some ring time.
Spending too much time with cows!
I think Herm's response to your unbelievably snarky comment was most gracious. You must be one of those people who calls any broken mouthpiece bit a snaffle LOL. Yes terms can vary by discipline and geographic location, but "snaffle" isn't one of them. It's about as simple a concept as there is. I'm mostly shocked that you would take a swipe at someone like that. If I hadn't already stopped watching your channel I would now. But I would still contribute to your gofundme.