Kimblewick Bits

HighlandCows+Chesnuts said:
Hi all! Whats your opinions on Kimblewick Bits? If you use one - what are the pros and cons?
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Can be very useful with fleshy, low-roofed mouths, and where a rider doesn’t want the two reins of a traditional Pelham. Often used with cob types, often very successfully asking for a lowered head and brakes, where they just ‘ run through’ a snaffle, and where strapping mouth shut with nose bands only means that horse is jabbed in roof of its mouth.
If you’re buying a Kimblewick, make sure it has the ‘square’ eye for the cheek piece (for a clearer signal on the poll), and ideally the slotted Kimblewick (Uttexer, Uxeter?), so you have 3 choices, from negligible curb pressure through to something more definite.
Various mouthpieces available, or you could even ask a loriner to customise this.
 
Useful if you need a mild curb, particularly if you don't want to 'drop the knitting' with two reins.
Not one for horses that tend to drop the head and charge off, but ideal if they tend to run off head up.
As above, slotted cheeks will give you a more definite curb action, although with a plain ring you can influence the degree of curb to some extent with the placement of your hands.
Downsides are that it will always have some curb action, so it doesn't offer the finesse of a double bridle, but if you're out hacking/hunting/jumping you probably aren't looking for fine tuning!
 
I often used a port mouth Pelham on my late cob. Sometimes I’d use roundings, and sometimes two reins which gave better handling - I would sometimes drop the snaffle rein briefly and ride solely on the curb, he was sensitive and would flex and lift his shoulders, whereas the roundings didn’t give the option of the delicacy.

I’d also use the Pelham for showing.
 
Thankyou all this has been very helpful! My cob is extremely sensitive to bits (in the past having bolted, reared, bucked and spun with one she wasnt comfortable with) however is also very strong. Dont need something as harsh as a pelham as she can work very nicely. Just need something a bit more similar to the strength of a pelham when it comes to poles, hacking and jumping as these are apparently very exciting 😂 as its not the most common bit google wasnt much use!
 
HighlandCows+Chesnuts said:
Thankyou all this has been very helpful! My cob is extremely sensitive to bits (in the past having bolted, reared, bucked and spun with one she wasnt comfortable with) however is also very strong. Dont need something as harsh as a pelham as she can work very nicely. Just need something a bit more similar to the strength of a pelham when it comes to poles, hacking and jumping as these are apparently very exciting 😂 as its not the most common bit google wasnt much use!
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It was a very popular bit in the early 90s and a lot of JA ponies on the circuit were in one. It seemed to fall out of fashion in the 00’s.
 
scats said:
It was a very popular bit in the early 90s and a lot of JA ponies on the circuit were in one. It seemed to fall out of fashion in the 00’s.
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I agree, I came back to horses after a decade break and nobody seems to know what a kimblewick is. I’ve got a lovely welsh mare who goes beautifully in a snaffle but would prefer something a little stronger for more speedy situations. I tried to buy one at the local tack shop and was met with a blank stare and recommended a Dutch gag.
 
Babypony said:
I agree, I came back to horses after a decade break and nobody seems to know what a kimblewick is. I’ve got a lovely welsh mare who goes beautifully in a snaffle but would prefer something a little stronger for more speedy situations. I tried to buy one at the local tack shop and was met with a blank stare and recommended a Dutch gag.
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This! In the 80’s keen ponies had kimblewicks - mine always had it in the autumn as he would be a bit wild! Much prefer it to a 3 ring gag and lots of ponies like it. Always useacurb chain guard though.
 
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