SPINOFF - Bits That Are No Longer Legal

[Velvet]

I’m at a loss as to why some bits that were legal since the beginning of judged dressage are no longer allowed. Being around dressage for a long time I can absolutely attest to the fact that bit is only as harsh as the hands that hold it. And having judged, you can see when a bit is overused. The other saying about a bit sometimes being like putting a razor in the hands of a monkey can be true of nearly any and every bit out on the market.

Horse’s have different likes. And many that are now off the list were never anything crazy like a double twisted wire, for crying out loud. I just have to wonder what the true deciding factors/criteria are when they rewrite the rules.

[mjhco]

Please list specific bits that were legal and now are now.

Dr. Bristol a million years ago was illegal. Then it was legal for about 20 years. Now it is not.

Anything else?

[CFFarm]

There’s so many bits out there now I don’t know how a steward could know them all?

[MysticOakRanch]

I can’t think of anything OTHER then, for a while it was illegal to have different types of metal in a single bit. That rule has changed. OP - could you give us an example?

[Velvet]

One is the recently removed the Dr Bristol. Another was the Kimberwick.

[hoopoe]

most USA rules fall in to line with FEI changes.

I dont know how or where one would find report as to the whys and hows of change decisions.

I dont recall Kimberwicke ever being legal.

[Sticky_Situation]

I don’t remember the kimberwicke ever being dressage legal in semi-recent history??

[Velvet]

I was sure it, or a close variation, was allowed in the 70s. Then again, I could be confusing my sports. I was more into eventing back then.

[csaper58]

I believe in this latest copy of the rule book a change in the language makes Leather Mouth Piece bits illegal now. That’s a very recent change.

I seem to remember language regarding bit thickness that made some of the thin bits okay now illegal then.

Same with some of the Mylar type bits,

I think most of the changes are due to greater knowledge of how the horse’s mouth works with the bit.

[Highflyer]

Kimberwickes definitely weren’t eventing legal by the 80s. And I can’t imagine really wanting to use one for dressage anyway unless you were just trying to avoid being run away with.

[Sticky_Situation]

Yes, the only place I can recall kimberwicke bits being dressage legal was in Pony Club, but only for the D-level kids … And that was purely a safety thing, to keep the little kids’ ponies from taking them for a ride!

[Janet]

I am looking at the 1990-91 rule book.

The only things I find legal there that are not legal now are
-Dr. Bristols.

I find several things that were illegal then that are legal now
-Bits combining copper with other metals
-Roller bits of any kind

Then, the Eventing rules simply referenced the Dressage rules for bits.

[MysticOakRanch]

[QUOTE=csaper58;8772314]
I believe in this latest copy of the rule book a change in the language makes Leather Mouth Piece bits illegal now. That’s a very recent change.

I seem to remember language regarding bit thickness that made some of the thin bits okay now illegal then.

Same with some of the Mylar type bits,

I think most of the changes are due to greater knowledge of how the horse’s mouth works with the bit.[/QUOTE]

Actually, there were NO thickness rules back in the 80s - I saw people showing in straight wire loose ring bits! As long as smooth (not twisted), they were legal. The current rules set a minimum width that makes those wire bits illegal.

I agree, I think more recent rules are “horse friendly” changes - allowing some of the Myler bits, allowing the different types of metal, etc.