From: "Mary K. Kafura"
Hi Jessica, My teacher rode my mare, Amber, in a lesson Sunday with GP rider/trainer Sharon Bryant. Amber can be quite heavy ...the poor dear is built downhill. They worked on her first level stuff and she did quite well even managing one lovely working canter, collected canter, extended canter series at the end. Sharon mentioned again changing Amber from her very thick hollow mouth snaffle to a loose ring one just a bit thinner.
I have been looking in my catalogs and was wondering about the legality (for dressage) of the German Silver and augrian (sp?) composite bits. I read that the nickel in the one composite can cause a reaction in some horses. I also looked at the KK style with the little round part in the center. I understand that these are quite mild but that they do put more pressure on the tongue and some horses prefer the regular snaffle. I think my teacher is almost convinced that it would be OK to change Amber's bit now that we are moving up to first level. What bit do you suggest? Thanks!
Mary & Amber
Hi Mary!
As far as the AHSA rules are concerned, both metals are legal. The rules state that "all parts of a bit coming into the horse's mouth, i.e. mouthpiece, ... must be made entirely of the same metal." They also state "any of the above [permitted snaffles] may be covered with rubber or leather." Synthetic mouthpieces are also acceptable, as long as their contours conform to those of the permitted snaffles.
German silver is not silver, of course, but an alloy of copper, zinc, and silver. Aurigan is 85% copper, and has no nickel in it at all. Stainless steel is also an alloy: iron with chromium, or iron with chromium and nickel. Never-Rust is an alloy of galvanized steel and nickel.
Most people think that a thicker bit is a kinder bit, but this is not always true. Some horses have small mouths, and find it difficult to accomodate a truly thick bit; for these horses, a thinner bit would be kinder. The very thick hollow mouth snaffle that you mention could certainly be traded for a less thick (but not THIN) loose ring -- why not try it and see how Amber likes it? Your horse, not your tack store owner or your clinician (or me!) is the ultimate judge of a particular bit's comfort and suitability.
If Amber's current bit is an eggbutt, and you are considering moving to a loose-ring, be sure to check the holes where the bit rings run through the bit. There should be no sharp edges that could catch and pinch Amber's lips. In fact, the best loose-ring bits usually have "dimples" where the rings pass through the holes -- the edges of the holes are rounded and depressed slightly, and this makes it almost impossible for the bit to catch a hair or pinch a lip. You can achieve a bit more subtlety with a loose-ring bit, and some horses prefer them, as they provide a bit more freedom for the tongue.
KK bits are lovely, but VERY expensive -- if it's just idea of the center joint that appeals to you, rather than this specific TYPE of center joint, you might try Amber in a simple loose-ring French-link snaffle first. If she's happy with that, you will have saved a lot of money ($25-$30 vs $80-$90 for the KK snaffle). And since she's apparently been happy with her hollow mouth snaffle, I would guess that she would be percectly comfortable in a simple French-link.
Sharon doesn't see Amber that often, but if her suggestion is one that your regular instructor thinks is good, why not follow it up? You can always go back to your previous bit if you don't like the way Amber goes in the new one.
Let me know how it works out -- and congratulations on moving up!
Jessica
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