Irishcobs
Well-Known Member
How do they work? I know the plate puts pressure on the tongue, but I did a search and it said the amount of pressure bepends on the hight of the hands. What type of horse would a Dr Bristol be used on?
Dr Bristol
- Thread starter Irishcobs
- Start date
Super_Kat
Well-Known Member
I assume it aids breaks. Less of the nutcracker action like on the jointed bits but the D.B acts on the tongue more.
I may be way off the mark there though.
I may be way off the mark there though.
Irishcobs
Well-Known Member
Thanks hun. I'm going to try one on Gyp tomorrow, but wanted to make sure it wouldn't make him worse, I just need a little extra breaks.
EMZ
Well-Known Member
think it is ofetn used on cobby types with large tongues just doesnt have a nut crackers actions just works on the tongue. can be quite servers.
Irishcobs
Well-Known Member
Thanks. He is a cob that can be very strong going home, he doesn't like anything with a poll action so I thought I'd try a Dr Bristol, shall see what he thinks tomorrow.
teapot
Well-Known Member
Never used one but just be aware that they're not BD legal incase you're doing any stressage
Irishcobs
Well-Known Member
Oh no, just for hacking, he's good as gold in a snaffle in the school.
samsaccount
Well-Known Member
As far as i understand, they have less of a nutcracker action, can be very sever due to the angle of the mouthpiece.
piebaldsparkle
Well-Known Member
Good luck, if that doesn't work, it might be worth trying a Waterford.
Irishcobs
Well-Known Member
He went fine in it today, very quiet no rushing or being strong but he was out with Hattie. Shall try him tomorrow by himself.
Hattie is ridden in a waterford so will try that next if the DB doesn't work.
Thanks everyone.
Hattie is ridden in a waterford so will try that next if the DB doesn't work.
Thanks everyone.
puddicat
Well-Known Member
How do they work?
That's a good question. Adding a centre link reduces the nutcracker action of a single joint and adds a 'degree of freedom' which means the mouthpiece is more mobile. The extra mobility is considered helpful for encouraging esp. young horses to take the bit, its the same argument as loos rings v egg-butting. So generally its a milder bit than a jointed snaffle but there is one aspect in where is *can* be more severe and that is inthe pressure applied directly to the tounge. This depends on the angle of the plate to the tounge; if its edgeways-on then the pressure is high, if its flat, the pressure is low. If you think about it this will depend on 3 things, the angle the plate is mounted in the bit, the position of the hands and the position of the horses head.
The first plate-linked bits ('French links' or 'french bridoons' if indeed they were being used as a bridoon) had the plate mounted vertical which means it would least severe when the axis of the horses head was vertical, ie very much on the bit and not travelling very fast. The Dr Bristol mounts the plate at an angle which means the plate is flat (mildest) with the head in the sort of position when out hacking, galloping, and long-low-outline. Hand position has less effect than head position (this is mostly because the length of the head is much less than the length of rein between the bit and the hands). If you raise your hands you will in principle increase the severity of the bit action but not very much. If the horse sticks its head in the air it will increase the severity of the bit action more BUT when the horse sticks it head in the air you tend not to stick your hands in the air but keep them down (which reduces the severity of the bit remember) so the two effects will act to cancel each other out.
what would yu use them for?
I'm sure there are lots of good answers for this but fundamentally they emerged as a way of removing nutcracker action while retaining a toungue pressure aid. If you have a situation where this might be useful they try it.
That's a good question. Adding a centre link reduces the nutcracker action of a single joint and adds a 'degree of freedom' which means the mouthpiece is more mobile. The extra mobility is considered helpful for encouraging esp. young horses to take the bit, its the same argument as loos rings v egg-butting. So generally its a milder bit than a jointed snaffle but there is one aspect in where is *can* be more severe and that is inthe pressure applied directly to the tounge. This depends on the angle of the plate to the tounge; if its edgeways-on then the pressure is high, if its flat, the pressure is low. If you think about it this will depend on 3 things, the angle the plate is mounted in the bit, the position of the hands and the position of the horses head.
The first plate-linked bits ('French links' or 'french bridoons' if indeed they were being used as a bridoon) had the plate mounted vertical which means it would least severe when the axis of the horses head was vertical, ie very much on the bit and not travelling very fast. The Dr Bristol mounts the plate at an angle which means the plate is flat (mildest) with the head in the sort of position when out hacking, galloping, and long-low-outline. Hand position has less effect than head position (this is mostly because the length of the head is much less than the length of rein between the bit and the hands). If you raise your hands you will in principle increase the severity of the bit action but not very much. If the horse sticks its head in the air it will increase the severity of the bit action more BUT when the horse sticks it head in the air you tend not to stick your hands in the air but keep them down (which reduces the severity of the bit remember) so the two effects will act to cancel each other out.
what would yu use them for?
I'm sure there are lots of good answers for this but fundamentally they emerged as a way of removing nutcracker action while retaining a toungue pressure aid. If you have a situation where this might be useful they try it.