# Drill team bit requirements...?



## PandaJinxes (Mar 4, 2014)

I recently went to my friend's drill team practice (I have videos! Might upload to YouTube and link to them.) and they want me on their team next year! It's fun and I'm super excited but I have a question about their tack requirements...

They do western drill, and require a curb bit or something like it. My boys go fine with just a halter and leadrope, but other than that I use a d ring snaffle... (I want a French link eggbutt but I apparently have a saddle to replace or fix now...) Is there a way around this? Or a bit that is really mild, but has shanks? I don't want to put my guys in a ridiculous bit if they don't need it, but I don't want to pass up an opportunity to have a bit of fun with them!


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

As long as your horse responds well, I don't think it matters what you ride in. Your going to be using your seat and leg for most your cues anyway, but a lot of the teams want uniformity. 
I would talk to whoever is in charge of the drill team and ask if there is alternative they can recommend.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Does he neck rein? The reason they probably want curbs, is because the horses will need to neck rein if your other hand is occupied with a flag or something. If they won't let you neck rein in his snaffle, something like this: Saddles Tack Horse Supplies - ChickSaddlery.com Jr. Cow Horse Bit With Sweet Iron Mouth might be an ok step-up with its short shanks. I personally prefer no joint though.


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## PandaJinxes (Mar 4, 2014)

Endiku said:


> Does he neck rein? The reason they probably want curbs, is because the horses will need to neck rein if your other hand is occupied with a flag or something. If they won't let you neck rein in his snaffle, something like this: Saddles Tack Horse Supplies - ChickSaddlery.com Jr. Cow Horse Bit With Sweet Iron Mouth might be an ok step-up with its short shanks. I personally prefer no joint though.


He does to an extent, but not near as well as my quarab. We're definitely already working on his responsiveness.  I'm just worried about if I ask him to stop or whatnot and the pressure is different than what he's used to, he might freak out? He does well with leg and seat cues, but I still have to use the bit on top of that. Do you have any ideas on getting him more responsive etc. like I was talking about? I'm always open to alternative methods! 

A local reining ranch wants me to be a sort of intern this summer, so if I can't get him going better in spring, I'll definitely have help later on.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Hmmm. Maybe you can ask the drill team instructors (or...directors? Not sure what they're called) if you would be allowed to use a curb but that also has a snaffle attachment, and you could just use the snaffle part (so it would work as a snaffle) but it might have the 'look' of a curb.


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## PandaJinxes (Mar 4, 2014)

Endiku said:


> Hmmm. Maybe you can ask the drill team instructors (or...directors? Not sure what they're called) if you would be allowed to use a curb but that also has a snaffle attachment, and you could just use the snaffle part (so it would work as a snaffle) but it might have the 'look' of a curb.


I'll see. Maybe I should just get a mild curb and slowly introduce him to it? I want to make sure he's really responsive first, though. No need in putting him through crud if he doesn't need it..  I think it's pretty ridiculous of them to tell you what bit you need to use though.. I understand their regulations as to color of saddle pad and bell boots and stuff, but dang...


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

I find curb bits and drill, from my personal experience, don't go so well. Lots of fast paced moves and sometimes you accidentally jerk, then their are heads flying and just...UGH. It looks bad on the whole teams part. I've seen some good drill teams with horses that all rode in Arabian show bits, but you could tell half of those horses despised it and would probably go fine in something softer.

I like a bit with a broken mouthpiece like the Jr. cow horse. If a drill team has a bit requirement, Id steer away, that shows badly on their part. Every horse is different. I rode my mare in a snaffle and my older mare in a Martha Josey Million Dollar bit.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

My drill team did not have a bit requirement. I rode my english horse one handed with a flag, in a regular french link snaffle, and she was fine with it.

Since I was one of the better riders, I was the bouncer- I rode in a different spot each week for anyone who didn't show up. 

My horse only made a mistake once, as she had memorized the drill. We were in the line that was supposed to ride straight, while the other group turned... Instead she turned (as that is what we did on the other side)... and I rammed my knee into my friend's horse. A few bruises but no big deal.

I really don't think bits are that important. Your horse will memorize the drill before you will. We always walked our horses through it first...

I've found other teams that don't walk out the drill, generally have more issues, as someone forgets where they should be, and ends up yanking on their horse.

I tried taking my young horse to a different drillteam and was kicked off the team. My horse was very hyper starting out so I pulled her out of the ring, and a few minutes later someone was bucked off and injured. They blamed it on my horse, even though she was just standing there. :-(

I think the real problem was that they didn't know where they were going and were pulling on the horses, as all the horses looked annoyed. It just further supports my idea that you need to walk the drill first (and more than once). 

My pet peeve is if someone has a kicky horse. Kicking horses do not belong on drill team. I was twice teamed up next to the "kicking horse", and my horse was not going to get near that other horse, nor was I going to ask her too!


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