From a hanging cheek to a kimblewick?

J

Joyous70

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 August 2010
Messages
1,953
Visit site
Hi im after a little advice please, my instructor has suggested that i may benefit from changing my girls current bit (Hanging Cheek Jefferies revolver) to a kimblewick for when we jump as my girl gets very strong and i struggle to hold/contain her after a fence, she loves to jump and gets so excited and then gets incredibly strong and forward, I am aware of my faults and i need to sit up quicker after but she is quite a handful.

Hopefully, with more work i may be able to revert back to my hanging cheek for flat and jumping, but was just wondering what or how much difference is there between the two bits??? I didn't have chance to ask her last night, as she was teaching another lesson straight after me, so not much time for discussion.

Thanks in advance :)
 
Well quite a bit!

Kimberwick have a curb chain so thats a different action, Plus if you go slotted then you have added poll pressure.

I would try and stick with the same type of mouth piece, although not sure that would work in your situation.

Personally I am a great fan of them! and i ride on the flat in a drop and then kimberwick for jump!
 
I recently changed my mare to a kimblewick and it's really worked well. She had a horrid habit of throwing her head up and tanking off when I asked for trot out hacking. I was having to use far more rein than i was comfortable with in her snaffle but I'm able to be much softer with the kimblewick and we rarely need the back up of the curb these days.
 
There is a big difference, a Kimberwick is much stronger. I jump my bolshy enthusiastic jumping horse in one and we love it, it enables me to ride with a very soft hand. I don't use it all the time but swap with the hanging cheek to jump at home. That way I can keep him travelling forward up into the bit with the snaffle doing pole work and grids and then put the kimberwick in for courses, jump off practice and shows.
 
There is quite a big difference, I use a snaffle to school/jump my horse at home but she wears a slotted kimblewick (top slot) to hack and compete. I really like the kimblewick and it suits her really well, I always use a curb chain guard with it though otherwise she hates it.
 
The difference is that one has a snaffle/scissor action on the bars, tongue, pallet and lips and the other has a curb/leverage action on the jaw, chin and poll. Bits, BTW, are not "gentle" or "severe" - it is the rider who makes the bit more, or less, harsh by how much pulling on the reins is resorted to.
 
Thanks to you all for your replies. I have managed to borrow a mullen mouth Kimblewick, and will try it out on her when i have my next lesson and see how we get on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top