What kind of horse would i use a curb bit on? ?

Question

one in training, older horse, younger?

What does a curb bit do?

Answer 1

a curb bit on it's own is a severe bit and shouldn't be used by inexperienced riders.  a curb bit is usually used with a bradoon  (looks like a snaffle bit ) at the same time  you will have two pairs of reins for this.  these bits are now known as a double bridle.  this is usually used for advanced training when a more accurate aid is required. can also be used for schooling and is used in show classes.

get advice if you've never used this before.  there are various different bits if your horse is strong to hold.

good luck

Answer 2

A curb bit uses leverage. You'd probably want to use a curb bit on a horse that is already fulled trained (use a hackamore, then a snaffle on horses in training), thought age doesn't really matter. Some horses work well in curb bits, others don't. It all depends on the horse. A curb bit has shanks unlike a snaffle. It gives you more power over the horse's mouth.

Check this out for more info on bits: http://ridethebrand.com/bitology.php

Answer 3

a curb bit should only be used on a finished horse, or in the final stages of finishing.

A curb bit acts as a lever.  The top of the bit is attached to the bridle, and the bottom is attached to the reins.  The piece from the mouth piece to where the bridle is attached is called the purchase, and the piece from the mouthpiece to the reins is called the shank.  There is a mechanical advantage to a curb bit that is in proportion to the relation of the purchase length to the shank length.  If a bit has a 1" purchase and a 3" shank, the advantage is 1 to 3, so one ounce of pressure on the reins is 3 oz on the horse's mouth.

There is a wonderful book, written in the mid 1800's, by Colonel Francis Dwyer called On Seats and Saddles, Bits and Bitting, and the Cure of Restiveness in Horses.  The section on Bits is great and really explains how bits function and how to fit them to a horse.  According to him, no bit should ever be more than 5.25 inches from the top of the purchase to the bottom of the shank.  The book can be found on-line at http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=l...