Never Try Anything
You would think after the whole 'Micklem' incident I'd be wary of trying things 'just to see what would happen'. I put the stupid thing on my contact-reluctant horse 'just to see'. And we know how that ended.
You think I would learn my lesson, but apparently I don't.
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| The prince wants what the prince wants. |
Runkle is back in full work (AND TURNOUT!!!) so things are kinda back to normal on the riding front. We're having jump and flat lessons, my dressage saddle has seen the light of day recently, and I've even ridden outside a couple times!
And with the return to normality we return to one of Runkle's favorite habits: tucking behind the bridle.
He loves going behind the vertical. Loves it. He would live his life overbent to shit if I left him to it. The annoying part is being overbent doesn't really get you penalized in eventing dressage at the lower levels, even though I think it should. He scores very well because look at him, his head is down. Mission accomplished.
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| Most people aim for blue. I am for green. |
Not.
So every ride, whether we're having a jump lesson or just bumming around, I work on kicking him up above the bridle. I'm probably the only rider in the world who rewards her horse for popping his nose up in front of him. Our whole warm-up he sticks his nose straight in the air and any time he tries to tuck into his happy place I flail and get after him until he comes back up again.
Yesterday I innocently walked into the barn and a few of the other boarders were talking about bits. One boarder focuses primarily on dressage and was touting the Neue Schule bits, that are like $200 freakin' dollars (You can probably see where this is going...).
We discussed different kinds of metals and KK bits and whatnot and then she said "Megan I'm not using this eggbutt, so you can try it if you'd like." I tried to save myself by saying it was probably too big but everyone (including a traitorous part of me) insisted it was fine to try it. I was only trying it to 'see what would happen'.
So I put it on the PS of Sweden bridle and hopped on. I told Runkle, "Please don't like this bit, I really do not want to buy it for you."
And what do you think he did? We had the best ride we've had in ages. I could actually ride him up into the contact. Every time I put my leg on he came up in the bridle. He never (NEVER, not ONCE) dropped behind the vertical. Even when I did long and low stretching. I turned to one of my barn buddies and said "please, tell me he looks like shit. please." She wouldn't lie to me. I just had to accept the fact that he loves it.
The prince wants what the prince wants. lol horses, amirite? (And if anyone asks, this is totally Kathy's fault).
Oh Runkle.
ReplyDelete^ me, every day.
DeleteYour horse clearly has champagne tastes! At least he lets you know what he likes and doesn't like. Duke will like something for the first ride, I'll think it's a wonderful new answer to something and 3 rides later he is protesting the change. Horses.
ReplyDeleteTip for you. If you are ordering a Neue Schule bit, try Horse Bit Bank in the UK. www.horsebitbank.com/ Quick and reasonable shipping and much, much better prices. They have some Sprengers too. For those I also tend to check Calevo.com, Divoza.com or AmiraEqui.com.
yeah well luckily she's not using the bit so I can leave it on him for a week or two, including having a lesson and jumping. So he'll get a thorough inspection of the situation.
DeleteI freakin love horse bit bank, and I actually emailed them this morning about their shipping prices/return policies. And I did find a knock off version. mostly I'm hawking all the medias looking for a used option.
HORSES *flips table*
Horses indeed. Sometimes I wish they could talk to just tell us what is going on, most other times I'm grateful they can't! :D
DeleteCotswold Sports is a great place for cheaper 'knockoffs' of more expensive bits. I've looked there for myself as my pony can't decide which $150+ bit he likes. Sigh.
its funny you say that, because that is EXACTLY where I was this morning, looking at this bad boy: http://cotswoldsport.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_66&products_id=671
Deleteso... yeah. MAY BE.
It's a shame that you aren't looking for a loose ring version. I have a NS Verbindend just sitting in my tack trunk collecting dust as himself has decided that bits can't move and likes a full cheek now.
Deleteit wants its precious!!!!!!! ;)
ReplyDeletelol good luck (and maybe a reasonably priced used version will turn up??)
stupid precious. I actually saw one for sale this AM for ~$50 USD but it had sold already, soooo i just need to be on fbook all day to find more. All day. Need.
Deletepatience will win that war!!! ebay has been my go-to for finding expensive bits used on the cheap (i happen to have a herm sprenger addiction. like, the same exact bit. sometimes difference sizes, widths and metals.... but the same fucking thing. i've bought and sold TONS of this bit on ebay.... the nice thing tho is that if you're patient enough for the right deal, you can almost ALWAYS sell it for more than you bought it if it doesn't work out!)
DeleteBahahaha. My trainer went to a 'clinic' to test out a bunch of those bits with her weirdo horse earlier last year, and yeah she said they are basically magic. But still way too effing expensive!
ReplyDeleteyou know i thought that too (way too expensive) until last night and then I was like "I would pay all the money I have for one of these" (too bad that amounts to like, $40...
DeleteI was going to suggest finding a knock off but sometimes those don't work out. However, if it keeps him from tucking behind the vertical it will be totally worth it....(yes I can enable).
ReplyDeleteBut could it be the egg butt feature vs the loose ring? Maybe it's more stable? I dunno, can you borrow a lot of bits to try?
hm that's a good point I never posted what he's in now - he's in a french link eggbutt currently but I've ridden him in MANY things and he likes the mildness and stability of the eggbutt the most. so pretty much the only change between the two is one is a fancy pants bit and one is a korsteel hunk of metal ;)
DeleteShow us pictures! I don't ENTIRELY buy the "special unicorn metal" thing because... like really? But I do accept that weight, width, diameter, size of the link etc. etc. would affect things. I got SUPER LUCKY when I was this close to trying a neue schule that I found a $10 used bit that worked perfectly for us instead.
DeleteIve been wanting to try one of these but also not wanting to try one of these.
ReplyDeleteyeah id advise extreme caution, bank account threat level orange.
DeleteHahaha yeah saaaaaame. They look sexy but the horse wants what the horse wants and if it's expensive, he definitely wants it.
ReplyDeleteSo he doesn't know they exist and I try not to make goo goo eyes at them too often.
this is why i shouldn't try things!! of COURSE he's going to love it. OF COURSE.
DeleteFigures. Horses, man...
ReplyDeleteIf it's possible to borrow for a bit, I'd use it a few times before dropping all the money. I've had horses LOVE something or other SO MUCH only to hate it after a few rides.
yeah luckily kathy is a lovely human and said she's not using it so I can borrow it for several rides, including a jump clinic i've got on this weekend! so it will be thoroughly vetted -_-
DeleteLalalalalalala I don't see anything because I have a horse that lives behind the vertical and loves to make me spend my money.
ReplyDeleteooo yes. be very VERY careful...
DeleteI'm just glad you recognized that being curled BTV is *not* correct, even if it gets rewarded at the lower levels, and that you know that the correction for it is *more leg*. Of COURSE he loved the ridiculously expensive bit. Of course! I think that might be the answer for Slang, too. Sad news for Cam's wallet!
ReplyDelete