Bit Discussion

my husband uses an o ring snaffle and I use a lindell.

my name is faith too and i love iclandic horses!

Will be you interested in come to Mexico to help us as speaker in conference?? We have organized a SEMINAR FOR HORSE OWNERS and in general for horse lovers. This will be a three days of conferences event, May 6-7 and 8. The speakers are very qualified and well known and respected persons in their field, mostly equine practitioners, but we think it is very important for horse owners to know about bits. If you will be able to help us, let me know and tell me about your required conditions.

I´ve never met a breed with such a variety of special bits as the icelandic horse.
I like the 2- or 3-jointed snaffle bit. For the most part of horses it´s all that´s needed.
The traditional Icelandic curb bit (sutch as this: http://www.astund.is/product_img/4038ef908ab87.jpg ) can on the sertain horses be a tremendous help to get the last part of the collection and position of the poll.
But in the wrong hands or on a horse with mouthproblems this bit can be plain torture!
The 3-jointed correction bit för horses with troubles to keep their tonuge on the right side of the bit (this: http://www.astund.is/product_img/3fb1778dd85ce.jpg ) can be a very good help when educating or training horses with this problem. But if the horse is correctly riden with a soft hand and its mouth is checked this bit should not be used. I´ve seen way too many who ride with the same correction bit just out of habit and don´t know if it´s really needed. "It came with the horse" or "I´ve started when the horse started putting his tounge on the wrong side of the bit" are the usual answers if one asks...

Well, these were a few of my thoughts on bits.

/Freyr

I start all my horses in a rope halter, move on to a bosal or the Branderup cavesson... I don't think a bit is needed until they are very collected and highly schooled, and it depends on the horse whether or not I would go to the curb directly or use a snaffle first. I used to always go to the snaffle first, but the more I learn about snaffles, the more I am thinking to avoid them, completely train the horse into collection (I train in classical dressage, using Branderup methods, also well known through Sylvia Loch, Charles de Kunffy, Paul Belasik... not training for dressage shows!!), then go right to the 'finishing' bit (curb).
Choosing a harsh bit due to lack of control is never a solution to a problem. Generally all our problems in our horses lays in the foundation of the horse's training...best to go all the way back to correctly leading the horse, go forward from there until you find the 'hole' (problem), and teach the horse what it is he is expected to do, instead of forcing the horse into a position or situation.
Bits, a very deep subject, and one I do not know near enough about