08/15/2024
𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬
𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
The Spade bit is not a harsh tool nor a cruel one. It is a grossly misunderstood bit that works by conferring subtle signals to the horse rather than working off force and leverage. The Spade bit is actually lighter than most bits on the horse. Though it may look like a pretty leverage bit, even having the same shank design more often than not…it is VASTLY different. It should be established that when I refer to spade bits within this article I refer to Spades of either a 3.5 inch height or higher. These bits do not work off leverage….they actually take leverage away from the rider! Furthermore, these bits work off the hardy thick upper palate in the horse’s mouth. Half breeds and many other “cow horse” bits of a shorter height (generally 2-3 inches) hit sensitive soft palate and can even break the paper thin nasal bone and bleed through the nose. These bits work way different than y’all think!
Spade bits work on a whole plethora of signals…that's why they look so big and daunting. The first signal to address is the loose jaw. Most good spade bits are attached to the cheeks of the bit with a J box which is a loose connection. Over time this connection gets a bit looser and jiggles. This makes it so that the rider can pick up the reins and jiggle the bit before any real contact is made. Having a loosely done slobber bar or chains also helps to facilitate the movement better. The mouthpiece has a lot as far as signals. The straight bar of the bit means the iron rests lower on the horse’s more dextrous section of the tongue. This entices the horse to pick up the bit with their tongue and better receive all the signals of the mouthpiece. The cricket or roller in the bit also plays a huge part in making the horse pick up on signals, it helps calm them when not working, but also strengthen their tongue to help them hold the bit. Holding the bit does not merely mean holding the bit with their tongue…the horse is sucking the bit in and really holding it tightly. A good bridle horse will hold his bit without a bridle over the ears, 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 is what makes a horse pick up on signals.
𝐌𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞
The tip top of the spade bit is called the spade. It comes in a few different shapes with and without rollers. The more surface area, the lighter it is on the horse….although making it too big risks hitting the back teeth. The Spade (top of the mouthpiece) is held by the horse’s tongue and is the first signal, with spade heights that exceed purchase height, the spade may move a hair before the bit itself, further lending to the signals. Below the spade are copper wrapped braces. These are independent to the spade and should not be welded anywhere, they are meant to move and be loose. After the spade moves, the braces move at the same time if not shortly after as another signal. They work on the tongue by the spade as well as by the lips as they touch the corners of the mouth. After this, the bit actually moves and the rest of the halfbreed and cricket move. Right after this, the curb strap should start to be enacted so as to limit the movement of the spade, so it stays where it belongs. Generally the curb strap should start to make contact on the chin if the Spade is touching the hard palate. If a further pull is enacted, palate pressure increases, poll pressure from the headstall is enacted, and pressure on the tongue and bars backwards towards the rider is enacted. These bits have so many signals to them to prevent the final pull.
𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐭
Center set mouthpieces like Las Cruces or Crescent Moon put pressure on the tongue and constantly ask for a spanish headset. They are also rather quick in their signals. Bits like this should be reserved for very touchy collected horses..the everyday downward built ranchy quarter horse is not made to get along with them. Santa Barbara bits (or bits with a similar shape such as a kissing bird or Santa Paula) have a forward set mouthpiece and will likely be the best for the everyday ranch horse. They accommodate the fatter tongue, they do not ask for a headset nearly as much, they have a slightly slower signal for the horse to follow, and they do not excessively move with the action of the horse, at least not nearly as much as the other bits mentioned.
𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐭
As far as “liking” the Salinas (or any other short mouthpiece) vs the Spade...horses will like the bit they can most easily disregard. This is not to say the bike chain wire bit from hell is what your horse likes…it is merely to point out that the owner's interpretation is often made in tunnel vision. Evaluate the horse’s body language, their eyes, their slobber, if they play with the bit, etc. Horses are also lazy, so it only makes sense that bits that require the horse to hold may not be liked from the get go. Holding the bit is difficult for the horse, it takes time and muscle development. This is one of the many purposes for the cricket, to help strengthen the tongue to make it easier for the horse to pick up their bit. Some horses may just need to get used to a bit at first and that alone can be interpreted as the horse “disliking” the bit. It is important to try and work with the bit you have for more than one ride before buying another because your horse “doesn't like” it.
𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬
Regarding reins, I have read that some sort of shorter (6-11 inch) rein chains are used to help the bit move more in rhythm with the horse. I say shorter because the chains of the Old Time Californios were around 16 inches…but their horses were longer necked and just built differently from today's compact horses. The chains are meant for signals (as we all know) but they are also meant to swing in rhythm with the horse and help the horse calm down with the bit. They help the horse relax with the bit and learn to move their head naturally and find the release. They also help to let the bit hang more naturally since rawhide reins will likely be pushing down trying to be straight. With chains, the push of the rawhide can be downward, the chain will allow this and swing in harmony with the horse.
Getting the horse used to rein chains can be a chore. Some horses can't or won't find their rhythm in the chains. With horses like this, take a little piece of leather and tie the chains together under their neck with 6 inches in between the chains. The point where the leather ties the rein chains together should be the middle of the length of the chain. Doing this will force the rein chains to swing in better harmony and essentially dumb it down for the horse. I have heard this called “Portegeeing” although I don’t know of a legitimate name.
𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
I think introducing the spade should be simple. Put it in WITHOUT chains or rein....JUST the bit and curb. And ride the horse out on a long trail trotting and loping with a bosalita. Ideally the bit becomes secondary to the trail and other stimuli. Doing this helps the horse not overthink and allocate their focus elsewhere while also helping break the horse to the idea of holding the bit. After a few long trails like this, the horse will likely learn to hold the bit, or at the very least keep their mouth shut. Sometimes horses overthink and freak out in a two rein… they may just be too focused on the bit and need the proper time to learn how to hold the thing before adding reins and other things to it. Some vaqueros packed the bit around for a few months…take your time.
𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐛 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭
Adjusting the curb strap snug is a very nice way to help limit the spade's movement and make it simpler for the horse. In addition, putting the spade low enough to graze the canine teeth entices the horse to pick the bit up with the lower, dextrous part of their tongue. Do not put it low enough to straight up hit the teeth, just low enough that a slight tug on the slobber bar can tap the teeth. We don’t want to hit teeth because it hurts, but we want the horse to find picking up the bit to be a much nicer action than letting it hang.
𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
Checking your horse with the Spade is an AMAZING way to help them learn where release is. While holding the horse, drap the rein over the horn…there should hardly be any contact. Position yourself by the side of the saddle and lift the reins, only giving to the horse when he gives to you. After doing this a couple times, it should be safe to check the horse with real contact onto the saddle horn. DO NOT make the contact so much that a vertical head is the release point. Very often the horse may over-collect and put strain on their neck to try and avoid the bit. When riding, this is particularly troublesome given that overcollection limits the action of the pelvis in the horse. This means that they can’t fold their legs under themselves and properly slide or pivot. Never check your horse and leave. Do not tie the horse tightly to a tie rail (unless you have a lunging cavesson, but even then don't). Whenever I do it, my horse’s lead is draped over the tie post and I sit nearby playing guitar.
𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞
Look at your spade. If it is 3.5 + inches then it will not hit the soft palate, if it is a 2-3 inch spade...it likely grazes paper thin bone and nerves. This hurts the horse. Also, the spade’s size determines the severity. If it is an Alligator Spade (much narrower Spade) it is more severe than a Spoon Spade (much wider spade). The angle of the braces also has an effect on hitting teeth and irritating the horse, consider trying lower, closer set braces that follow the cannon bar more. Many old time Vaqueros stand by the idea of a triangular spade bit, that is a bit that has steep braces and forms a triangle in the horse’s mouth. This tends to be an outdated preference with the modern conformation of the horse’s mouth. Some horses may have canines too far up in their mouth that the lower set Spade bit will never fit them properly, in that case…consider purchasing a simpler bit or a spade bit without braces.
Consider that the horse may just prefer his hackamore and needs time (and molasses) to learn to like the bit.
𝐌𝐲 𝐎𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧
I think riding just packing it for a while without reins or anything would be the best option for future Spade bit horses. Then after the horse doesn't seem to care, I check him to his horn a handful of times. After that I introduce the two rein after a long sweaty workout keeping in mind the idea that I don’t want the bit to be so important that the horse can't focus on anything else. A few times I may manually check the horse from a standstill while mounted and make sure the horse knows how to give to the bit. After some long trails, the horse would be ready to begin actually training in the two rein. I figure that once the horse finds the rhythm of the chains, they are no longer afraid of the bit or ignorant to it…they should be able to start learning. Depending on the horse I may Portegee my reins while on trail although it depends on how crazy I intend on going, usually long flat trails do better without. The timeline should be no sooner than 6 months of packing before actually using the two rein. General rule of thumb is a year, I agree in many cases but horse training is not a one-size-fits-all process and some horses may need more or less time.
𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬
I think the best Spades Shanks are Santa Barbara shanks (or something close in shape) instead of a Crescent moon or Nevada. I find the center strung bits like Crescent Moon and Las Cruces to really work poorly for a large majority of horses. These bits tend to move a lot like a pendulum, and to me they diminish the signal...it's almost a static in the lines sort of situation. Nevada bits are a hit or miss but sometimes they move around a lot...and when they do, they do a lot. Nevada bits aren't bad, my champion horse uses one...but in my experience they are a roll of the dice depending on the horse and reins.
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐞
Your horse may never be a spade bit horse…my world champion horse isn’t. Your horse may never hold the bit, one of my best horses never holds his bit. I've tried everything and time but to no avail. Perhaps that is what is meant when the old cowboys say not every horse is a spade bit horse. Ironically though, he rides in a spade! Don't worry too much about holding the bit or making it to the spade; some horses are just not meant for it. It is not a factor of lesser or greater talent, it is a matter of the horse’s individuality and uniqueness. If the horse is reining, sliding, and turning cows....I suppose it doesn't matter if they are in a Spade or holding the bit anyhow!
Good luck with your horse!
Written by: Johnny Flores Johnny Flores Horses
The Old Spanish Trading Co.
