> >>>Ideally, you want the horse to pick up and carry the bit himself. > > I would agree to a point but if the horse has to hold the bit up then there > has to be some tension in the mouth to do this or it would hit their teeth. > I think there can be extremes in both directions. > > Robyn
thats a thought. I think where Dorrance was going with it tho is that its wrong for us to think a general standard "three wrinkles at the corner of the mouth" should be taught to new people to horses. For one thing that many wrinkles means no release ever, and a horse learns from the release. Even two wrinkles is no release ever. Maybe even one. So maybe a good way to think of it is to allow the horse no wrinkles and then he can "seat" the bit himself in a place that is comfortable. Their mouths change on any given day too,. maybe a tooth thing going on, maybe cut their tongue chewing or bit some sharp forage etc, so its nice to give them a little choice in the matter while not sacrificing "control" as needed, the smallest amount of control that works. Janice-- yipie tie yie yo
