Western Riders: Spade Bit?

For all of you western riders out there - what is your take on the spade bit? Do you like it? Do you hate it? What is the purpose of it, in your mind? Pros/Cons, etc.

Personally, I've yet to form an opinion. I'm a "ride in a snaffle/halter/hackamore or don't ride at all" type person, but I've been reading up on the spade and the use of it in western disciplines, and now I am interested in your thoughts.

So, anyone who has used a spade, or knows what it's all about, what's your opinion?

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Permalink Reply by A_Sassy_Temptation on June 29, 2010 at 11:14am

okay, so this is kind of like a cathedral. For me these bits are made as correctionals, many or most correctional bits have the high port, these bits are used on horses that are broke broke broke, who do not need any or very little rein. I ride in a high port bit, but my horse knows to keep his frame and is WP broke broke broke.

so the bit your looking at probably aids a little bit in tongue relief but when the reins are pulled it will put pressure on the palate on the horses mouth which can cause pain, and in many aspects this type of bit is used for horses who tend to lean on a riders hands, need to be "lifted" in the shoulder and head area with out much contact and in many aspects be put back in the bridle, since its a leverage bit (has shanks) it will also but pressure on the poll so for a horse that has issues breaking at the poll a soft leverage bit is nice.

I would not ride in it after moving from a hackmore, or snaffle. In the right hands this bit is fine, in the wrong its a dangerous tool

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Permalink Reply by Ashley on June 29, 2010 at 11:40am

From what I have heard now from several sources, I would have to say I agree with both of you. It is to be used with very light hands on a very 'broke' horse. I've also heard that it can be a self-correcting bit in that given the construction of the bit, the horse learns to pick the bit up in his mouth, and also, if he raises his head, the bit will lean forward to stay balanced, and apply pressure to the palate, and the opposite if his head is too low. I think I agree with this method of self correction, as it causes the horse to learn a natural headset and figure out what's right for him as far as carrying the bit goes. No gimmicks needed! Though, a "spade horse" as I've heard them called, should already know all of these things, as Nicole mentioned. So I guess the point here is that a spade bit looks scary, but in all reality, when used on the right horse, with the right rider, it's as harmless as a fly on the wall. True?

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Permalink Reply by A_Sassy_Temptation on June 29, 2010 at 1:00pm

it is harmfull, never think it isn't. If it was a self correcting, everyone would ride in one. It helps correct when the reins are bumped up, with then pushes the roof of the mouth, horse moves away from pressure, head moves up. The rider must always ride. A well broke western pleasure horse (I am most used to these bits with these horses) should be dumb, I can tell my horse to lope right into a fence, so I need to tell him lift his shoulder, lift his face, move his hip, lope, jog etc etc, a bit like this helps due to its severity so I only have to move my rein a tad to make a big difference, which is ideal in the showpen.

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Permalink Reply by Ashley on June 29, 2010 at 1:03pm

I think I may have given the wrong impression when I meant self-correcting. I meant that without having to touch the reins at all, this bit will teach a horse where to carry his head (even though he should already know). Moving his head up pushes the spade into his palate, moving his head too far down pushes it onto the back of his tongue. I didn't mean that it's a solve-all bit, sorry ;-)

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Permalink Reply by A_Sassy_Temptation on June 29, 2010 at 1:27pm

I believe him moving his head down would cause the port to hit his palate (roof of mouth) with rein contact not the other way around, the bit would sit there if no rein contact was given and the horse would be able to move his head up or down. In a well broke western show horse most of them are taught to lower there head with spur pressure. But I could be wrong, I just know with my DM Lifter the high port withr ein pressure moves the horses head up, not down as you said.

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Permalink Reply by Jackie Cochran on June 29, 2010 at 12:45pm

I have never ridden in a spade bit. EVERYTHING I've read has the introduction of the spade coming only after you have trained the horse using 2-3 different bosals, in decreasing diameter. Only after the horse is very, very good at obeying hand aids in the bosal is the spade bit introduced--ie. after 2-3 years work after starting under saddle. At this point the horse thoroughly understands the hand aids AND has developed the necessary muscles for correct reaction to the spade.
I think that a lot of the communication of the spade bit is 2-way. IF the horse trusts the rider's hands, the spade and the other adjucts to the mouthpiece enable the horse to use its tongue to "talk" with the rider.
Even if my hands were good enough to ride on a spade (they are not), it would be abusive to put it in the horse's mouth if I did not do the preparatory 2-3 yrs. work in the bosal. The spade bit is meant to be the final stage of a loooong process.

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Permalink Reply by Cheryl A. Harless on July 23, 2010 at 8:08pm

I used to ride in a spade bit, and it can be wonderful with a well trained horse. However it can be cruel in the hands of an unskilled writer. Having said that, I've never read a better article then this one, The Vaquero Way. You can find it here as a PDF: http://www.horsechannel.com/media/western-horse-training/vaquero-wa... Sheila Varian discusses the entire process of training with this method. Written by Kara L. Stewart.