Spade Bits

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

Spade Bits

Barnmouser Ash · Grand Prix

I've never ridden with a spade, but I am an absolutely huge fan of them. Through and through, it is my favourite way to train a horse. A spade horse is a work of art that takes nothing more than time and patience, as well as a steady, quiet hand. The "vaquero" way is very much the way I aspire to teach horses, and try to reflect that horsemanship in myself.

:) I could ramble and rant forever about the spade bit and how wonderful it is when used and taught properly.

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

I saw the video, and dug out my copy of Louis Taylor's "Ride American" which has a chapter on spade bit riding. I guess I will have to find his "Out of the West" which is about Western riding, with more on the bosal and spade.

When I first heard about the spade bit my reaction was that it could not be anything but cruel. I was ignorant. I then read about the old Californio system and thought that I would never be able to get that good. This was before I learned how seats operate.

Gradually over the past 5 years I have been working on contact with super relaxed fingers (when my hands are good enough, MS messes them up) using a Dr. Bristol snaffle and learning to appreciate that the horse can talk to me through his tongue. I wrote a blog about it, Communication--From Tongue to Finger (http://www.barnmice.com/profiles/blogs/communicationfrom-tongue-to) and remembered what Louis Taylor had written about the spade. I know the effect is not the same (Dr. Bristol to spade), but it is related.

Seeing this video was the first time I'd seen someone handle a spade and I was entranced. Though the shanks are MUCH shorter than the bits used by Pluvinel/Newcastle/de la Gueriniere the mouth pieces are soooo similar. All of a sudden some of the passages of these authors became a lot clearer! And the spade has the same mobility in the mouthpiece as the Dr. Bristol snaffle.

I wish my hands were more reliable and that I had the energy to train a horse with this bit. I guess it would look funny though, me riding Forward Seat with a spade! It just looks like a bit I could communicate with the horse gently if I could just trust my hands completely. I'd pick the one with the open port and high placed mouthpiece, that's my bit! But soooooo expensive. A high tech interspecies communication device for sure!

-- Edited by Jackie Cochran on Friday 22nd of April 2011 08:11:27 PM

Barnmouser Ash · Grand Prix

The spade takes many many years of practice and refining the horse to master. The spade horse shouldn't even touch a spade bit until it's had 5-6 years in the hackamore, bosal, and curb. Only then can the spade horse take on the spade bit, and in such case the bit is essentially a last resort for communication (not a "if all else fails" but more like not the primary communication device). I am extremely envious of anyone who has had the opportunity to ride or train a spade horse, though I think unless the horse was trained by that person themselves, there's a slim chance they've ridden a spade horse (if that makes sense). They are such a piece of art... if I put that much time and effort into building a relationship with my spade horse, you can bet your boots I wouldn't be putting the reins into just anyone's hands. :)

Les Vogt is a wonderful resource (the video is by him) for spades. I will have to check out the other sources you listed :)

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

Yeah, the LOOOONG training that is necessary for both horse and rider is the biggest reason that I will never ride with one. One of the mares I ride is 30, the other in her 20s. Ah, but a girl can dream, can't she?

At least I won't have to come up with over a thousand or two US$ to pay for the bosals, fiadors, reins, chains and spade, though I am sure it can be more. I do have an over century old bench made A fork saddle I could use. Pity.

Barnmouser Ash · Grand Prix

Wow! :) Pictures of your saddle are in order!

Unfortunately with tack selling the way it is now, it is very expensive. Many a vaquero or spade rider makes his/her own tack, though. I remember reading Bill Dorrance's "True Horsemanship Through Feel" and though he wasn't a vaquero necessarily, he did do a lot of his own leatherwork. The same can be said for many great horsemen today. Roy Ionson (who owned King Clipper Joe) is an exceptional leather worker. I fear, though, that it may be a trade going out of business shortly. There seem to be a lot more commercial branded products (Weaver, Wintec, etc etc) than individual saddle/tack makers these days.

But alas, I'm getting off topic :)

sab · Foal

i have a spade bit. (I also ride cowhorses jackie). its one of my most prized posseions. Good ones are hard to find and most horses that are broke in the face can pack one just fine. CAUTION!! Experts only.

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

I agree experts only!!! (And I am not an expert.)

barnfrog · Advanced

I grew up in the vaquero style and showed the top horses in the country western eq. For sure there was progressive education (hackamore/snaffle/and arriving at spade at about six) and the bit was really 'suggestive' certainly NOT the $#*&$(& we saw for the world cup reining. And just as with dressage the bits were very limited in choices (not wire wrapped #$*( we see on the video). Also those progressively trained (western) horses would have easily transformed to (about) second level horse. The entire equitation and tact were at such a higher level imho.