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 I'm Here!!
Posts: 4583
  
Location: Is it Summer Yet? | What's you opinion on them. Do you like them tight or loose? My son was at "rodeo" practice last night and one of the instructors wanted it tightened, said he'd have more control. The horse is laid back (she doesn't get off a walk), I'm laid back; figured we'd do what he wanted while we were there and then do what I wanted when we got home so we tightened it. I didn't notice more control, the only thing I noticed she couldn't spit the bit out afterwards. I had to kinda kookz (hope you guys can read my mind with that spelling) the bit out of her mouth. I've always rode with a really loose chin strap. |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
 
| A clinician had me tighten my chin strap among other things and it improved my time between four tenths and a half a second. My mare needs just a light check at the first barrel and nothing on the second or third. Now when I check her she doesn't lift her head as I don't have to check as hard. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I always used 2 fingers' worth of spacing. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Lana - 2014-03-25 8:19 PM What's you opinion on them. Do you like them tight or loose? My son was at "rodeo" practice last night and one of the instructors wanted it tightened, said he'd have more control. The horse is laid back (she doesn't get off a walk), I'm laid back; figured we'd do what he wanted while we were there and then do what I wanted when we got home so we tightened it. I didn't notice more control, the only thing I noticed she couldn't spit the bit out afterwards. I had to kinda kookz (hope you guys can read my mind with that spelling) the bit out of her mouth. I've always rode with a really loose chin strap.
Coax? Is that the word you were thinking of? |
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 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
Location: southeast Texas | I use a LOOSE string chin strap when running barrels. That is our compromise, between horse and I, for my hands.
Normal riding, fairly loose. Works for me. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | I always go with the 2 finger rule also. The tighter the chin strap the faster it is going to apply pressure when you lift your hands. So really it is all going to depend on the horse, the bit, the rider, and what affect you are looking for. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 387
| Depends on the horse for me! a chin strap can really change the feel of a bit on how you have it adjusted. The looser the chin strap the more bend it adds to a bit (you get more action out of the shanks before the chin strap comes in contact) and the tighter the more it will square up a bit (less shank action out of a bit)
I adjust my chin strap just about every ride on everyhorse to get the right feel from them, If im getting to much bend from them I'm going to tighten up the chin strap. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Griz - 2014-03-26 5:57 AM I always used 2 fingers' worth of spacing.
Agree.....I run with a chain chin strap....I do not want that thing clamped onto my horses chin (she WILL flip over on me.) |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Depends on the bit and depends on the horse.
But in general, I tend to have pretty loose chin straps on my horses. |
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Location: Beneath the Cypress trees | It should be loose enough that it doesn't put pressure on the chin (it can rest lightly against the chin) unless the bit is engaged. The two finger rule usually works, although with so many different bit designs nowadays, you may have to adjust that.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 956
Location: Washington | I use the 2 finger rule also, but it does depend on the horse and the bit. I normally don't go much tighter than 2 fingers, but will lengthen it longer. |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | 2 finger rule sounds kinda kinky.
I run with a loose chain. |
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I'm Here!!
Posts: 4583
Location: Is it Summer Yet? | Griz - 2014-03-26 3:57 AM Lana - 2014-03-25 8:19 PM What's you opinion on them. Do you like them tight or loose? My son was at "rodeo" practice last night and one of the instructors wanted it tightened, said he'd have more control. The horse is laid back (she doesn't get off a walk), I'm laid back; figured we'd do what he wanted while we were there and then do what I wanted when we got home so we tightened it. I didn't notice more control, the only thing I noticed she couldn't spit the bit out afterwards. I had to kinda kookz (hope you guys can read my mind with that spelling) the bit out of her mouth. I've always rode with a really loose chin strap. Coax? Is that the word you were thinking of?
That is the word I was attempting to spell. I failed spelling in school all the way through, it is so obvious.
2 fingers is what we always do to. Night number 2 of the really tight chin strap. She is way more collected. As far as more control/ whoa. Never noticed a change. But honestly a horse he has to work to get off a walk, whoa is not a huge issue. |
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I'm Here!!
Posts: 4583
Location: Is it Summer Yet? | This is not a barrel horse, just riding down the road horse. They're attempting to teach these kids horsemanship. So they're riding in an indoor arena, no barrels or tight turns involved.
Bit is a broken curb. I'm going to have to ride her with the tighter chin strap to see what my final opinion is on this. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | It varies from horse to horse and bit to bit. A lot of the reiners I've been on we've used a tighter chin strap to refine control especially in training and it definitely makes a difference. On my barrel horses it varies but the boys I run right now are all really light so I generally have a pretty loose chin strap. Exception is my good guy, I run him in a Stiver hack and have the chin strap slightly tighter.
Well and my colt I have in a loose ring snaffle with a piece of twine as a "chin strap"  |
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Chin Straps