Question about BD legal bits

J

Janette

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 January 2002
Messages
2,294
Location
West Yorks
Visit site
Considering the range of bits available for horses, and also including here bitless bridles, is the range of BD legal bits rather restrictive?

I understand that the horse whould be submissive and obedient to the rider, but asking a horse to be obedient and submissive in a bit which doesn't suit it seems a bit strange. It seems to be the same as saying horses can only compete in medium width saddles - they will suit some, but not all.

I have finally found a bit which Star seems to actually like. But it has a forward tilted port on a mullen mouth, and slots/hooks on the bit rings. (It's a Myler and not BD legal). Surely having the cheekpieces in the top slots is just like a hanging snaffle which is BD legal? She s relaxed, submissive and a joy to ride. Put her back in her Neue Schule training bit - she leans, becomes stiff through the neck and poll, crosses her jaw.................
confused.gif


So can anybody explain why the list of bits is as it is?
 
I couldn't agree with you more and will watch the progress of this post with bated breath. My horse goes really well in any bit with a port, none of which are dressage legal. Put him in anything else and he goes round like a giraffe and shakes his head, even on a really soft contact. Grrr it's so annoying because I want to do dressage in prep for BE!
 
Maybe when they drew up the list of 'legal' bits there weren't as many on the market as there are now?

Have no idea really but its the only thing I can think of
 
I personally think that the list of BD legal bits is rather old and out of date - it makes no allowance for the progress of the industry in finding new ways to help horse and rider. However, the flip side of that is that top level dressage riders agree in the main with the BD on this. There was a post in competition riders (I think) recently which stated roughly that when both Carl Hester and Pammy Hutton saw a horse in a hanging snaffle they wondered what the problem was (sorry, not an exact quote!). That said, I think Myler etc could do more to work with BD et al to develop a range of BD legal bits....
 
Haven't Myler got a BD legal range, a limited range but they are trying.

I'm with scotsmare, the list of BD legal bits is dated, they surely ignore the advances that have been happening in recent times?
 
On the flip side... I personally don't think the hanging cheek snaffle should be BD legal. It has it's place, like all bits, but recently I have been a spectator at unaff dressage and the majority now ride in them. From what I have seen they generally are used to help 'get the horse on the bit' ie. tuck it's head in.
This isn't what it is about. The horse should be forward and working from behind, over it's back into a relaxed elastic contact. This should be achievable with most horses in the range of bits that are currently BD legal.
 
Totally agree with Ifield, a hanging cheek or myler with hooks works on poll pressure which encourages the horse to lower its head into an outline, this is done with artificial but a more gentle force than other gadgets. Dressage is all about correct training and correct riding, it doesn't happen over night as we all know its done with patience, blood, (usually ours!!) sweat & tears. In the long run correct riding and training creates a free, loose, fluent flowing horse that is able to go along in self carriage making our job much easier. It will inevitably gain more points and better judges comments than one that has been produced in a different manner.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top