Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Ich liebe dich, neue Stübben trense!

I love you, new Stübben bit!

So, today I invested in a new bit for Pretty Pony. I realized that she needs more room for salivation, and her eggbutt just wasn't cutting it for her tiny more-thoroughbred-than-warmblood mouth. So when Grampy and I went online to order a Hunter Dee for Choco, I went ahead and ordered a Metalab loose-ring snaffle with a French Link, 5". I thought it would work. But it didn't, bummer. It would be wonderful for a large horse's mouth, but not Greta's. It was seriously thicker than my original eggbutt, and it was just short enough on wither side that the poor girl was pinched three times during our first and only ride in it! I was really bummed out.

So... rather than hit the internet guesstimating out the yin-yang, I thought it would be best to go to the local tack shop (which I seriously have not gone to for over a year now, because I can usually find better deals online haha) where I know they have a large selection, and be able to physically feel and see and compare the bits first-hand. I didn't go as in-depth as I thought I would.

I walked in, told the owner (whom I had forgotten how much I liked, as she's always incredibly helpful, and she actually remembered me... don't think THAT didn't make me feel guilty for not coming in for over a year... I know business is business and all, but that's just how I am) what I was looking for, and she immediately went over to the bit wall and pulled off a Stübben loose-ring snaffle with a copper link, 5 1/4", and said "Like this?"

Exactly what I was looking for.

When I tried it on tonight, it was the perfect size, perfect thickness - 14 mm, I measured :) - and Greta Golightly salivated tons more than I have ever seen her do before. I don't know if it's the copper link or the reduced thickness, but it works. I didn't get this bit to magically improve her frame or make up for any rider connection flaws or any of that nonsense, I got it to allow her to salivate more, and it has done just that, and I'm sure the increased softness in her mouth will help with other things. I'm feeling pretty self-satisfied right now :)

Greta's still gorgeous and sweet, even going as far as muss up my hair when I bent over into her stall trunk to get out apples tonight. J'adore!

BTW I am starting a winter Greta Golightly sweatshirt tradition. It shall be amazing.

2 comments:

  1. Glad to hear that the new bit is working out! However, dual-metal bits are not allowed in competition. And the copper makes them salivate more because the acidity of their saliva makes a slight electrical current with the copper (electrolysis) - and for no other reason. Salivation is no indication of how soft your horse.

    Horses salivate because there's action going on with the tongue/jaw/lips, or because of what the bit's made of. None of my horses have ever salivated much at all, but they also carry the bit quietly - no chomping or tongue-flipping.

    And those GP horses with foam everywhere? Watch how active their mouths are and how cranked down they are with their tack. Half of them can't swallow because they're being rollkured, and the saliva has to go somewhere.

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  2. Well... bummer, wish I had known that! Her other eggbutt bit WAS fine then. She always holds the bit nice and quietly (I noticed she started doing that once I stopped doing the sea-saw thing I was once taught to do... yikes) which is why I never needed to get her a flash or any of that nonsense.

    And I must say that, now when I think about it, when I see the "old masters" doing their GP thing on their GP ponies, I DON'T see a lot of foam. I have a picture of a Spanish RS rider on a Lippizaner on my desk doing the levade, and I don't see hardly any foam. Gee whiz!

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