Two Creaky Old Ladies

Yesterday I got to ride Mia. When I got to the stable the stable hands told me the Mia had hung around the barn UNTIL someone asked if I, Jackie, was coming. Mia immediately headed out to the furthest part of the pen she was in, out to the other side of the riding ring. Then they told me she had done the same thing earlier, hanging around the barn until someone mentions my…

I Feel Secure While Trotting

I know that this is an unusual new event for a rider with 45 years of riding. When I learned to post the trot at age 6 I had no problems and until my MS ruined my balance, proprioceptive sense, coordination, etc., I always felt secure trotting. However, for the last 5 years or so I started to feel like my breeches had a surface of slick glass as I started shifting…

Some Added Security in the Saddle

This week I tried something new.

Several weeks ago, on the COTH Forum, when I asked about hip protection, another rider recommended a new product, rubbery pads that self-stick onto the saddle.

Ever since I started riding…

A Change Brings Me Back to Start

Debbie called me earlier in the week asking if I could postpone my lesson until 12:30 P.M. as she wanted to be with her grandson as he got ear-tubes Wednesday morning. Since it was going to be cold early in the day, and it was going to be even colder later in the week I agreed. We had never had a lesson where he had been turned out for hours previously so I was…

Finally I am Riding Again

And it is SO GOOD to get back into the saddle!

I have just been walking because I got so weak while my cracked ribs healed. My entire body has to be brought back “on line” so I can ride safely and without irritating the horses. Right now walking the horse is the best thing I can do to get my body…

Dwyer on Curb Chains

This is probably the last blog I write on Francis Dwyer's book, “On Seats and Saddles, Bits and Bitting,” since I am riding again (YEAH!!!). Since the curb bit, in the past, was named after the curb chain, I will give you what Dwyer wrote about the curb chain so that there are seven blogs I've written about this book. I am sorry if there is some repetition from previous…

Dwyer on Curb Bits—Part III

Now we get to the outside of the curb bit, the upper and lower bars of the curb bit cheek-pieces. Again all quotes come from “Seats and Saddles, Bits and Bitting” by Francis Dwyer, all caps are my emphasis and all parentheses include my clarifications when the meaning is unclear.

From page…

Dwyer on Curb Bits—Part II

This week I quote Dwyer on the inside of the horse's mouth and how that can affect the selection of a proper curb bit. All quotes are from “Seats and Saddles, Bits and Bitting” by Francis Dwyer. Everything in parentheses is my additions, and I put really important things in capital letters.

On…

Dwyer on Curb Bits, Part I

Dwyer writes a lot on curb bits because back then the cavalries used a lot of curbs, either by themselves or as part of the double bridle.  From his experiences with 400 light cavalry horses in the Austrian Imperial cavalry he determined that many, if not most, of the problems that the cavalry troopers had with their horses came from improperly fitted and sited curb bits.

Dwyer (and Oeynhausen) found certain ratios in the horses' heads…

Dwyer on Snaffle and Bridoon Bits

Most of Dwyer's writings on bits concentrate on the curb bit, but he does have some words to say about snaffle bits, fortunately. As before all the quotes are from “On Seats and Saddles, Bits and Bitting” by Francis Dwyer. All the underlining and parentheses are mine.

On page 140 Dwyer lets…

Dwyer's Philosophy of Bitting

The last two weeks, stuck at home, I have been reading, re-reading and digesting the bitting information in Francis Dwyer's “On Seats and Saddles, Bits and Bitting.” I have been questioning all of my old assumptions about bits and riding with bits. While reading and thinking about this information I have wondered if many of the modern fads in riding, which many of…

What I've Learned About Curb Bits

After hurting all weekend I went to my MD on Monday. He ordered X-rays and found two cracked ribs. I am also bruised from my left hip down my thigh, my lower back from the edges of the protective vest, and my left rib cage hurts. I asked the doctor about riding and he said 6 WEEKS not riding, I told him about Mia (32-33, arthritic, freezes instead of bolting so…

I Don't Bounce Like I Used To

I fell off Coach.

It was in the 30's F when we got out to the stable. For some reason Coach had not been turned out at all that morning in spite of 2 days inside because of the cold rain. When Debbie brought him to the wash stall he was pissed off, he was more reactive to his grooming and he…

The Thick Flexible Mullen Mouth Snaffle Got a No

I had found a $20.00 USD thick flexible black rubber Mullen mouth snaffle on Ebay. I bought it to try on Coach because it was cheap enough that I would not be out much money if Coach gnawed it to pieces. I also liked that it had a thick, gentle mouthpiece and that it did not taste HORRIBLE to me. Trotting is coming up and I worry that with…

Both Mares Like My Bombers Bit More Than Coach Does

This week I got to try my new Bombers Titanium Happy Tongue bit on Cider and Mia. After Coach's reactions I was not very hopeful, particularly with Mia. When I asked Shannon if I could switch Cider's bit from the titanium coated rainbow Kimberwick to the Bombers bit she was quite interested.…

Coach Did NOT Like His New Bit!

I was SO EAGER to try my new bit when it arrived! It is a Bombers Titanium Happy Tongue non-jointed snaffle. Coach has clearly indicated a preference for titanium bits over stainless steel bits, and he also has firmly “told” me that the more joints the bit has the more the bit irritates him. This bit is “anatomic” in shape, with a generous port and it is Bomber's…

Coach Adjusts to Big Changes

Debbie's stable changed from night turnout to day turnout Tuesday this week. Coach was NOT pleased by the change in his routine. Debbie's workers had tried to keep Coach in his stall so he would be there and nice and clean for his lesson, but when Coach realized that all his buddies got to go out while he stayed stuck in his stall, well he started protesting with…

As Michael Approached

I just got to ride on Wednesday this week. There was off and on rain, and a pretty persistent drizzle while we drove to the stable. Debbie had called me to make sure I was still coming out, but when I told her that this would be my only chance to ride this week and I was willing to dodge the raindrops she told me to come on out.…

All Three Horses Point to my Right Hand

Last Sunday I rode a still sore Cider. When I went to buy the supplement that worked somewhat on Cider's arthritis the feed store was out, so I got the “Stop the Pain” supplement after consulting with Shannon. By Sunday Cider had been on the new supplement (AND a feed that included some supplements that help arthritis) for a week. Shannon was happy that…

Finally, an Acceptable Bit

This week, after the promised three weeks in the 23mm egg-butt stainless steel snaffle, I went back to experimenting with my new collection of titanium coated snaffle bits with Coach. Debbie and I both decided that, due to Coach's extreme fussiness with bits off contact, we should next try the titanium coated Mullen mouth snaffle. This bit addresses two of Coach's…