Talk to me about your bitting rigs

[hobbyhorse23]

Okay guys, I've heard you talk sometimes about which bitting rigs you like and have heard some places recommended, but nobody ever posts pictures of the tack in question. I've never been fond of the nylon surcingle I have now but it's getting to the point where it really isn't fitting my needs anymore and I'd prefer to use something separate from my harness saddles for training.

What I want is a wide, comfortable, stable surcingle with plenty of rings along the sides and preferably one on the girth as well. It should be completely padded with a wide gullet at the top and should come with a backstrap and crupper and possibly stabilizer straps. I already have sidereins and an open bridle so I'm not as concerned about accessories, I just want a quality surcingle like they have for big horses. Where can I find one like that?

If you think you have an example of what I'm looking for, can you post a picture of it off the horse so I can see the padding? Thanks!

Leia

 

[Shari]

Have a beautiful one from Chimacum tack. Kind'a hard to see because Maggie is so fuzzy. Really nice leather and very strong.

Mines like the one to the right.

http://horsedriver.com/store/index.php?opt...&Itemid=104

Will get it out tomorrow and take a photo of it off Maggie.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I had one by Chimacum that I bought last year and one from Star Lake Tack, also bought last year. The Star Lake one is MUCH more better built. It has the gullet and padded saddle, the Chim was a flat piece of leather. The SLT has three sets on dee rings on each side, plus large rings that reins can be threaded through. Chim did not have the rein rings. SLT has three dee rings on the girth, the Chim didn't have any. Both have crupper and backstraps with stabilizers.

I sold the Chimacum set. I was rather disappointed when I received it, as it looked nothing like the set pictured on the black mini on their website, which is what I had wanted.

I'd get the Star Lake one. JMHO

Lucy

 

[normajeanbaker]

Mine came from Starlake as well and I really like it. It came complete with sidereins and a bridle. I love it all, except the bridle. The surcingle fits all my Mini's. We use it on everything from a petite build 32" Mini all the way up to a rugged built 37" Mini. It fits them all. The sidereins are super adjustable. Their are only two things I did not like about the set. The first thing is the bridle. All my horses have petite heads, and it didnt fit any of them right. So, I use my Lasalle bridle on them instead. The second dislike is a silly one and it's just the fact that it's light oil colored. I HATE light colored leather. However, even not liking the bridle, I do think the Starlake one is a great deal for the price. It has plenty of rings to attach your sidereins to or run reins through. The leather is nice quality and the whole set up is really adjustable. The surcingle has a good amount of padding(but not so much that it's really bulky). I have found that it's hard finding decent quality leather in Mini stuff. The leather on my bitting rig is nice quality and doesnt feel like paper thats going to rip!

I dont have many good photo's of it. It's hard trying to work them and get photo's at the same time if I am out there on my own The only photo's I have, my horse is super fuzzy, but it'll give you a small idea of it I guess. ~Jen~

 

[Katiean]

The ones you guys have are much nicer than the one I have. mine is nylon and I got it on ebay for like $40. It has all the rings but doesnt have the cruper or any of that. I use an open bridle that was a riding bridle. I have the side reins. I think I did take a cruper from one of the harnesses. Mine isn't so pretty but it works.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Thanks guys! I love my synthetic stuff from Chimacum but haven't been impressed with their leather products and it looks like the rings don't come down very far on the sides. Jen, thanks for the photos! Your horse is adorable. I'm with you on the light-oil and would like to see rings further down on that model as well. How big is the mare it's shown on? Could you get a photo of it off the horse?

I'm looking for a ring arrangement like this: http://www.eurosaddlery.com/moreviews.cfm?id=346

or this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...%3D1&_rdc=1

And I'd like top padding like this: http://www.horsetackco.com/view_img.php?sr...nSurcingle.jpeg

Is anything you LB members have close to that? I have sidereins and a sidecheck from Star Lake and both had to be sent back to be lengthened to fit my horse although Kathy was great to work with and I'd buy from her again.

Leia

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I think you should get the one with the correct amount of padding, as this is essential to fit, and then get a saddler to add rings as required.....

 

[Coventry Lane Farm]

Ours came from Star Lake Tack and works very well and we use it on our 32 inch A sized gelding clear up to our 42 inch Modern shetland. Its very well made leather and thick padding, lots of rings and very adjustable for all our horses to get their heads set properly. We have been told that is where most of the driving judges start looking is the horses headset when they come into the ring and with showing a Modern in halter you do use a bit and bridle showing off the rail in both directions.

 

[~Lisa~]

I have this one nothing fancy but cheap enough. I have a open bridle already and can take a crupper when I need one off a work harness.

It is very adjustable and works well for me

Kay Jay Tack

Not to hijack the thread here but I start my new horses out with a lower ring that is just sort of what we did for riding horses when starting them. Is that not the proper thing to do with a driving horse?

 

[Katiean]

Leia, mine looks like the one that you marked from ebay. Only mine is nylon. I really like that there are rings far enough down on the sides you can put the reins through so the horse can't turn around on you. It also has the rings in the proper spot for the reins. It just doesn't have the crupper. I do remember now that when I used the side reins I had to put a crupper from one of my harnesses. Mine is Nylon so instead of having all the thick padding it has a thick felt pad. Actually I think it came from DoubleTT Tack. They also sell on ebay. Like I said, it isn't pretty. But, it does the job.

I just looked at the one from Kay Jay Tack and it is real close to what I have and the price is real good at Kay Jay.

 

[keely2682]

i am sure you can get a custom one made exactly how you want it

both chimacum tack and miniexpress are great to get items made

diane at miniexpress never charged me extra to make custom items from scratch

not sure about chimacum for a from scratch item

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I think I'll contact Star Lake and Chimacum Tack about getting exactly what I want made before spring and I'll let you guys know how it comes out.

My main problem is that the flat felt-padded nylon one I have now is prone to spinning when I'm long-lining on the higher rings and since Kody and I have started seriously into lateral work I'm spending an awful lot of time with the surcingle spinning around. It works fine for ground-driving through the high rings or long-lining on the low rings, just not long-lining on the high rings.

We need something a bit more stable but easy to attach sidereins to at various heights.

Lisa, I know everyone does it differently but generally speaking, yes, a horse should be started on the lower rings to encourage them to stretch their topline and work long and low. According to Reiner Klimke using the sidereins too tight or too high can cause a young horse to overflex at the poll and brace on the bit rather than learning to move with relaxation and a light mouth. IMO, a lot depends on the horse's conformation and the final product you are trying to produce.

Leia

 

[MiLo Minis]

I have had 2 surcingles custom made. The first I had done with a tree and proper saddle padding like the one you pictured. I took my full size horse surcingle in and had them make me one in miniature with measurements I gave him. I liked it until I put it on a Mini. They just don't on a whole have the withers to support such a saddle and it tipped and dug into their back and I couldn't figure out how to prevent that. I had it made fairly wide to begin (5") with but I don't know if it was wider yet, maybe that would help? The second one I had made is the one I use now. It has no tree but has quite wide, thick felt padding on either side. I got rings all the way down to the buckles on either side as well as some extra rings that I use with my chambon, sliding side reins and false martingale/breast collar that I use to prevent it from sliding around when longing or long lining. I also had 2 different sized girths with rings attached made for it so I can use it on a variety of horse sizes.

 

[shalamara minis]

Leia, have you considered contacting a local saddle shop and having one made the way you want. Most saddle shops have someone who does repairs and would be able to make one.

 

[Minxiesmom]

I just received the one from Star Lake for Christmas. Haven't tried it on yet...it's too cold outside to play! We're stuck in freezing fog.

It looks very well made, but the padding should have been deeper as I can feel the nut on the bottom of the water hook. No gullet to speak of because of lack of padding. I will have to use the waffle pad with it. I wish these harness makers would think about this stuff on these little horses. I have never noticed a problem with this on the big horse rigs. I still like it and it means not having to use the saddle from my harness anymore. I'll report back as soon as I actually try it on one of the boys. We'll see how bad it twists when long lining.

 

[Shari]

Well, I have to say the quality of the one I bought from Chimacum tack is very nice. It is padded quite nicely, can't feel the hardware at all, with the butter soft leather next to the horse.. Edges are even rolled.

The rings are heavy duty and will take abuse.

There is some flash glare and dirt.

If you need more padding.. one of those waffle euro pads would do nicely.

This one doesn't have a big built up padded area but you want to be careful how much padding is used, like with that one link. Serves no purpose and can roll.

Nor would I recommend one with a "Dumb Jocky" on it, as with the other link. To easy to over do it with those and hurt your horse.

 

[Minxiesmom]

Finally the fog lifted and it has been a beautiful day. I was able to play with the boys a little without a coat on!

I tried the new bitting rig from Star Lake on Elvis, who is the long yearling gelding, standing at 35". It fit perfectly. I wouldn't want it any smaller. There is still room to grow a little, but I'm guessing Elvis won't get much taller, just fill out a bit. He and Max, my aged gelding are both 45" around the girth area.

I put a nice little french link snaffle with a bit of copper on the bridle and let Elvis pack it around for about 10 minutes. He mouthed it a little then forgot about it. I added the waffle pad, as I said before, the water hook nut can be felt on the bottom side of the saddle. I adjusted the stablizer straps to the bottom ring and snugged everything up. He just stood there as I was fiddling with all the adjustments. I let him walk around with it all on for a little while, then hooked up the long lines and ran them through the lowest ring on the sides. He went like a champ on the long lines. The rig doesn't twist.

We played for about 20 minutes just walking, trotting, stopping and turning. He is so smart and I love him so much!

I am giving a thumbs up to the bitting rig. If you order one, make sure they understand you will not accept it if the padding is such that you can feel the nut on the bottom of the water hook. I am not sure, because I didn't specify that, that I could return it for a better padded one. What do you think?

 

[hobbyhorse23]

This one doesn't have a big built up padded area but you want to be careful how much padding is used, like with that one link. Serves no purpose and can roll. Nor would I recommend one with a "Dumb Jocky" on it, as with the other link. To easy to over do it with those and hurt your horse.

First of all, thanks for the photos Shari! I really appreciate it.

I disagree strongly that more padding serves no purpose- the entire purpose from my perspective is to create a gullet in the middle so the surcingle won't roll, not to keep the hardware from being felt. More padding without a gullet would definitely serve no purpose...I agree with you there. My current nylon one is padded like the one you show and it rolls far too easily. My Sport Harness saddle with shaped padding and a gullet stays in place.

As for the other photo, I don't want a dumb jockey, I only wanted to show the position of the rings on that one.

I am giving a thumbs up to the bitting rig. If you order one, make sure they understand you will not accept it if the padding is such that you can feel the nut on the bottom of the water hook. I am not sure, because I didn't specify that, that I could return it for a better padded one. What do you think?

I'd call and ask! Kathy is very nice.

Leia

 

[Shari]

You are welcome for the photos Leia.

You only need lots of padding if you are going to have weight on the surcingle. When I was working with the Andy's.. I used a outstanding quality surcingle but the only draw back... was the padding.. two very large padded area's on either side. Kind'a like that one photo. Thing was annoying... when I was exercising the main stallion with his High School work on the ground..bloomin thing always rolled.

I like my Surcingle to be nicely padded, like the one I have,, not to little or too much, specially since I never put any weight on it. While I want a clear spinal channel with a driving saddle because there will be some weight applied, it is not needed with a surcingle IMHO. Just the perfect thickness of padding. Unless you want it to double as a training harness?

Sure the folks I bought mine from.. if you send them measurements and or a drawing.. they can make you up what ever you want.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

So a question for you Shari, and for the others out there: How do you keep the pad from rolling against lateral pressure on the terrets if a gullet doesn't do it?

I don't like to cinch my horse up so tight he can't breathe and right now that's what I'd have to do.

It won't be a problem with the yearling but Kody has pretty prominent withers and doesn't like pressure in that area.

I do plan to attach things to this surcingle in the course of some groundwork so want to be on the safe side and have it set up for a little weight-bearing just in case.

Leia