No changing out the curb chain on kimberwick bits. Ever.
A few years ago, I got the bright idea of swapping out the curb chain on the kimberwick I was using for a beta-ended, Western-style curb chain, the theory being that I wouldn't have to undo it all the time.
Great in theory...doesn't work for Princess Pea-Head in practice, since I only recently figured out I couldn't actually get the curb chain properly tight enough under her cute lil' muzzle.
How long have you been riding?!?
If you've ever tried to remove a curb chain, you know that wrenching apart the J-hooks with pliers twists them out of shape and renders them really hard to use in the future.
But did you also know there's a certain way to put new ones on? As in, there's a right one and a left one, and when hung right, won't poke the horse's jaw with the open ends of the hooks?
I learned these things this afternoon.
This curb chain is never leaving this bit again.
I've just started using a Kimberwick on Desire in the last few months. Good to know!!
ReplyDeleteIf I'm going to use a bit, I love using a kimberwick for endurance...lots of control options and enough authority to break through the "race brain."
DeleteMy gigantic TWH has a gigantic beautiful head, and HER snazzy biothane curb chain is way too big for her. Like, it's one of those deals with a chain in the middle and biothane straps on either end, and JUST THE CHAIN would be plenty big. I guess I can't complain, because I could just unbuckle the biothane bits and swap in something else... but I want her biothane to work. Wahh. I feel your pain. Why can't curb chain manufacturers make curb chains that fit, oh, you know, NON DRAFT HORSES?!
ReplyDeleteThe only way the biothane curb chains end up working for me is attached to an s-hack...y'know, halfway up the chin!
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