Re: What do you call this bit and when would it be appropriate to use it?

Posted by studmuffin on 7/1/2012, 8:47 pm, in reply to "What do you call this bit and when would it be appropriate to use it?"
76.14.25.254

Some type of spade bit looks like. From Wikipedia: The spade bit is a historic vaquero design for a type of curb bit with straight, highly decorated shanks and a mouthpiece that includes a straight bar, a narrow port with a cricket, and a "spoon," a flat, partly rounded plate affixed above the port, supported by braces on either side. Considered a highly technical piece of equipment to be used only on a finished horse, the spade bit is a refined tool that experts compare to driving a sports car in its ability to convey precise commands to the horse. Not all horses have the conformation or temperament to become a finished spade bit horse, a process that takes a number of years and is seldom complete until a horse has at least five years of training under saddle. Damn right I'm good in bed....I can stay there ALL day!

Re: What do you call this bit and when would it be appropriate to use it?

Posted by cjride on 7/1/2012, 8:47 pm, in reply to "What do you call this bit and when would it be appropriate to use it?"
24.2.38.217

Looks like someone modified a half-breed. A half breed is a spade bit without the spoon or braces. Typically, the spade and/or half breed would have a loose shank and this bit appears to be fixed. I prefer a loose shanked bit. I have no idea what it would be used for. But, I'm old school and don't understand many of the bits I see now. I do believe that a lot of people use high port bits to intimidate horses. I have tremendous respect for someone who can properly train a spade bit horse (or any western horse whose nose is not dragging the ground). But, the bit in the photo is not in that category.

Half breed

Posted by Gail Ivey on 7/1/2012, 9:26 pm, in reply to "What do you call this bit and when would it be appropriate to use it?"
66.245.46.208

Kind of an interesting one, too. Looks custom made. Fixed jaw. I'd probably call that a "bear trap." I don't think I'd use one on anything. Not much play on it anywhere, just a solid piece of leverage. No chance of subtlety there. If I liked the cheek pieces, I might stick it on a horse that it could just hang on and never pick up on the reins, but I'd put a nice leather chin strap on it to make it a bit more comfortable. No, I'd rather hang something on my horse that gave him an opportunity to feel something other than leverage. Half breeds have no tongue relief like a frogmouth or spade, so they really need to be loose cheek to allow some signal. This bit cannot be used as a signal bit at all. It's pure leverage. The horse it was made for is probably used for roping or some kind of speed event, and doesn't have much feel back to the rider with some understanding of how the reins should affect his feet. "Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for." - Socrates

Re: Personally

Posted by SH on 7/2/2012, 7:42 am, in reply to "What do you call this bit and when would it be appropriate to use it?"
67.188.126.153

I can't image ever putting something like that in a horse's mouth. The horse is completely trapped and in the wrong hands this would be brutal.

Never put in a horse's mouth cheap bit....

Posted by firejax1 on 7/2/2012, 3:28 pm, in reply to "What do you call this bit and when would it be appropriate to use it?"
107.1.73.130

It is a crappy imitation half-breed with no relief and the mouthpiece is not correct. The cheeks are solid pieces and don't even get me started on the balance of that bit. Material is crap too. It came from south of the border or china most likely. Half-Breed: This old standard features a straight mouth bar that distributes weight pressure evenly across the tongue and bars of the mouth. I bust mine...so I can kick yours!!

Thanks for all the feedback

Posted by Porkbutter on 7/3/2012, 10:07 pm, in reply to "What do you call this bit and when would it be appropriate to use it?"
75.210.159.212

At least now I know what to call that sucker!