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Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Princess Horse Goes Pauper?

western bit, knockoff bit, sprenger bit
I thought I'd blogged about this, but maybe I didn't. Anyways. In the past year, Courage has decided that he will ALWAYS ONLY EVER go in his one true love bit--a $225 sprenger that I happened to get on a great consignment sale price for $40. That was a great bargain, but I'm not paying $225 for ANOTHER bit and I'm not changing the bit back and forth every time I change bridles.

It took me six months of searching, but I finally found an appropriate knock off this summer (for like $15), and it's been great.

Until now.

Courage had an easy week due to needing some downtime/bodywork and I was online shopping for some stuff for my trainer. One of her requests was a giant, old, heavy single-jointed snaffle. She has one that she uses for starting colts, but she's working with a horse now that is HUGE and won't fit in the normal colt bridle and really needed a 6" version of her favorite bit.

So I found it for $10 shipped online and bought it for her. The only problem was that I also found a 5" version that was also $10 shipped.

And I like bits.

And hey, who doesn't need a colt starting bit for $10?

So I bought it and chucked it on a bridle. I hacked on the buckle in it one day and that was fine, but that proves nothing.

Then the day of our ribbon photo shoot (which was also our first post-bodywork ride), I rode in it.

And omg. I think we have a new bit. Courage has a long history of being weird about contact, opinionated about bits and nosebands, and gaping his mouth open for giggles. Or gnashing his teeth--whichever sounds fun on any given day. He has one of the driest mouths I've ever been around. It's not optimal.

Sprenger left, $10 bit right. IT"S SO FAT.
I rode Courage in his usual loose cavesson with the new bit, and he trotted around sucking on that bit like it was candy. Foam flecks came out of his mouth and some even stayed on his lips.

Can it be? A $10 solution to a $225 problem?
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14 comments:

  1. AustenNovember 11, 2015 at 7:22 AM

    Hahaha. Yay $10 equipment! Wonder why he likes it. Maybe the thickness? What's it made of?

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    Replies
    1. SprinklerBanditNovember 11, 2015 at 1:34 PM

      I'm guessing some of both? My trainer said she was told it was this really old metal that isn't made any more, but she didn't know a ton about it other than that horses loved it. Also it's enormously fat.

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  2. redheadlinsNovember 11, 2015 at 8:31 AM

    Still giggling about this!

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  3. CareyNovember 11, 2015 at 9:07 AM

    Score!

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  4. Lauren @ She Moved to TexasNovember 11, 2015 at 9:26 AM

    Hey, don't judge a $10 bit solution in the mouth ;)

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  5. UnknownNovember 11, 2015 at 9:28 AM

    Hah! That's funny. OF COURSE HE WOULD.

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  6. Calm, Forward, StraightNovember 11, 2015 at 11:36 AM

    Can I ask where you found the bargain bit?! Val takes a 6" and they are not that easy to find... lots of times have to be special ordered which I am not patient enough for ;D

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    1. AnEnglishRiderNovember 11, 2015 at 11:49 AM

      Also interested - I ride Skye in a 5.5 but I think a 6in snaffle would fit better. They're just harder to find.

      Delete
    2. SprinklerBanditNovember 11, 2015 at 1:35 PM

      I rarely have the patience for special orders, but almost always have the patience to scrub through facebook tack selling groups and ebay. I don't remember which specific site I snagged these on, but it didn't take a ton of looking.

      Delete
  7. The $900 fb ponyNovember 11, 2015 at 12:20 PM

    I wish Henry would do that

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  8. TheFoxRiderNovember 11, 2015 at 12:26 PM

    I have a similar issue - baby horse started life in a Nathe (not Sprenger expensive but still. Ugh.) and now goes in a 14$ thin weighted loose ring snaffle. The same magic snaffle that every horse I've used it on magically likes. It's a mystery. Horses are weird.

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  9. emmaNovember 11, 2015 at 12:52 PM

    lol i thought you werent supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth? haha or 'don't mess with success' or something like that... awesome that he loves it so much!

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  10. ShaunaNovember 11, 2015 at 1:17 PM

    Gotta love that! Boca is now happily going in a $15 snaffle, after wrecking his $50 happy mouth.

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  11. jenjNovember 12, 2015 at 7:19 AM

    Impossible. Next you'll be saying that he doesn't love that new fancy bridle you got him... ;)

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