....and this is why bitless isn't taken seriously

[Belbe]

Belbe,
Why do you want to use a curb? why not use normal reins on a snaffle where there is no amplified lever action to deal with?

cos I usually only make use of the lever action. Neck position I can usually ask by seat aids and neck rein or from a halter. Adding to that my mare hates snaffles, don ask me why. True she has a low palate and very thick tongue so I ordered a nice anatomic neue schule 3 part snaffle but she complained exactly the same as with a plain single joint. Maybe it's my hands that can't handle a snaffle, I dunno, but I never rode a horse that enjoyed the snaffle, that's why I decided to try a plain halter. It worked! steady head, active mouth (don ask me why if they have nothing in their mouth), compliant happy horse, so I stuck to it... Truth be told my curbs are full of rust cos I haven't used them in ages. I think I'm gonna clean and condition them to set as wall decoration instead... they are beautiful!! 

[ukica]

Just like my snaffle works and sooooooo much better that a bitless bridle 

[Emma]

To add an interesting dimension - if you are interested of course as it may not be everyone's cup of tea - I have some dissection photos showing the nerve endings under the skin on the horse's face. Jus thought it may be interesting to see what you are actually acting upon ....

[ash]

I'd be interested. 

[catkin]

To add an interesting dimension - if you are interested of course as it may not be everyone's cup of tea - I have some dissection photos showing the nerve endings under the skin on the horse's face. Jus thought it may be interesting to see what you are actually acting upon ....

and me...

[thegaffer]

And me 

[ukica]

Me too!

[Trudi]

  yes please, I like a good dissection pic, second only of course to oozing puss pics 

[renta]

It would be very intresting to see the dissection photos

[Belbe]

hehehe! good idea!
In the meantime I just found a drawing, drawings are always more pubicly acceptable! LOLOL! (you should see people's vomit faces around our table at the mall when we were discussing necropsy findings...)



I'm guessing this preety much explains why, if you whant to tighten a noseband somewhat, you have a very small area to do it, too high and you compress nerves, too low and you risk compressing the airways and long term damage to the bone. This is why I stick to the loose rein on a mildly snug thick halter... "Ecole de Légèreté" isn't that Philippe's moto? I think it aplies to all fields, even more to those of health than of the art. Whatever the poison, if in small enough quantity, it won't do harm! I call it the principle of dilution cos I've always been more to chemistry than arts, LOL!

PS.: wanna hear a funny example? no? heck i'll tell it anyway. you know why we cry when chopping onions? cos they release propanethiol S-oxide in vapours into your eyes that mixed with the water from your tears forms sulphuric acid!! by this time everyone gasps! cos everyone knows sulphuric acid burns holes into your skin! but in small enough quantities, just makes you cry, LOL!