Hello COTHers.
Could somebody tell me what the hole between the snaffle and curb rein attachment areas is used for? What do you put there?
It’s for the lip strap that keeps the curb chain in the correct place. Some people don’t like to use a lip strap but I love it on my double bridle.
Actually, I was taught that the lip strap on an English bit was to prevent horse grabbing the shank. Ring on the curb chain holds the lip strap so horse can’t grab the strap.
You don’t see many lip straps around here anymore. And almost no one knows why the loose ring is on the curb chain! Just one of those “eternal mysteries” for many horse users.
We have to cut off the loose ring to use the curb chains on Driving bits, since the ring shows THAT curb chain is “incorrect tack” for Driving. Evidently back in the day, they had specific Driving and Riding curb chains. They were NOT interchangeable to the folks who “knew horse equipment” rules.
A Driving Judge can still gig you for the loose ring, if they see a ring hanging on the curb chain in Pleasure Driving classes or Turnout class. Sometimes that picky detail will win or lose the Class if things are tight.
