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The bit is the key to the horse
The bit truly is the key to the horse. A good functional relationship between the rider and the horse requires careful analysis of any problems without a knee jerk reaction to trying to fix them. Horses are personalities in their own right and how you successfully control them, whether in horse racing, show jumping or just a sunday afternoon ride is not just about the bit. It is how you, your horse and the bit work together. Don’t forget it might be you that is the problem and not the horse. In this article we will investigate the ins and outs of what different horse bits bring to this relationship, and how to make that relationship successful.
For a working relationship between the rider and the horse the bit is essential for success, and finding the right bit for the job can be a challenge and often relying on luck in the end.
By associating specific behaviour traits in the horse with features available in the variety of horse bits, one can become more sure about the bit you choose, however neatly categorising different horse bits and their specific function is difficult. Many of the features of horse bits are often mixed together to form new varieties, however for our purposes in this article we will create some broad definitions that will form the basis of future discussion.
What follows is a brief overview of horse bit types.
Snaffles are what are called direct pressure bits. When the rider pulls back on the rein, the same amount of force is transmitted directly to the horse bit. This style of bit is particularly effective when training an inexperienced horse but it can be used at anytime.
Curbs bits are leverage bits. The physical construction of the bit is designed to generate leverage and multiplies the pressure applied by the rider. The longer the bit shank or cheek length the more force will be generated. Compared to Snaffles, Curb bits are more severe so best used in the hands of a more experienced rider whom has developed a controlled touch.
“Combo Bits”. The combination of pressure and leverage is possible with some bits such as Pelhams and Gags.
To complement these basic principles of horse control there are a wide variety of bit attributes giving great flexibility to the knowledgeable rider looking to address particular issues with their horse. As an example the swales 3-in-1 bit offers a number of combinations of features. The swales is popular with riders with strong horses. This controlling force is applied through a curbing action and can be varied by choosing a specific shank length.
One can also choose different materials for the bit, for example copper tends to cause the horse to salivate and may help the horse be more responsive to the bits action. Whereas a rubber bit is a gentler bit and often a good idea for the younger horse as they are learning to correctly respond to the will of the rider and the action of the bit.
A stronger bit might subsequently be necessary if the rubber bit is loosing its effect such as when the horse gets bigger or more canny. However if the horse works well with the soft bit do not feel you must change as the horse gets older. If it works leave it be unless you are a professional looking to gain a specific competitive advantage.
Changing the height of the port in the bit is another variable you might consider. The height of the port can allow more room for the tongue but when the reins are pulled more force is put on the horse’s palate e.g. High Port Pelham. So in this case very careful evaluation of your requirements is recommended so that you do not injure your horse.
To summarise one can physically control the horse with direct or indirect force. Also the bit can be modified to provide more or less force depending on the horse. The behaviour of the horse when on the bit can be mitigated by adjustments to the mouth piece form and even its composition such as copper or rubber.
In coming articles we will look at some typical horse and rider problems that can be addressed by using different bit forms. Your horse deserves love and respect and never simply apply these general rules in a narrow minded way. Your horse cannot talk but he is definitely trying to help you solve your problem.
Music Review of Off With Their Heads by Kaiser Chiefs
“Kaiser Chiefs” are a five-piece indie rock band hailed from Leeds, England. They consist of frontman Ricky Wilson (Vocals), Andrew ‘Whitey’ White (Guitar), Simon Rix (Bass), Nick ‘Peanut’ Baines (Keyboards) and Nick Hodgson (Drums). They are noted for their musical genre in post-punk revival and new wave. Kaiser Chiefs were formed way back in 1996 – 1997. On an interview with BBC, Kaiser Chiefs were named after South African football club Kaizer Chiefs, a club where former Leeds United defender Lucas Radebe played for.
The third album Off With Their Heads kicks off with cheeky “Spanish Metal”. Pay attention to the keyboard, it’s like a modern background music used in a cowboy flick, especially when two cowboys are preparing to draw their pistols for a gun fight. Just cute isn’t it? Spanish Metal is a heavy guitar-based introducing track, in the verse, you’ll find frontman Ricky singing in a somewhat very subtle voice. I find this track kind of cute. Go Kaiser Chiefs!
“Never Miss A Beat” is very funky and catchy. The combination of the singing and the music fit in very well here. Once the first verse comes in, i already knew i’m going to like this track. Check out the lyrics, “What did you learn today? I learned nothing. What did you do today? I did nothing. What did you learn at school? I didn’t go. Why didn’t you go to school? I don’t know…” It’s simple, but yet it ables to make me repeat these phrases over and over again. Starting to stuck in my head. Never Miss A Beat is always building up the tempo and climbing up the stairs, once it reaches the peak, then only Ricky and other featured guests can be heard singing together. The featured guests are Lily Allen and three members of indie band New Young Pony Club, Anne-Marie Chirema, Lou Hayter and Sarah Jones. Nice guests appearances.
“Like It Too Much” has this thing that makes me hopes that this track is never going to stop. When it reaches a certain point like the chorus and once Ricky is almost done singing the chorus, the music and rhythm just gets me hoping for more singing from Ricky. It sounds complicated, but it’s true. Like It Too Much is also the only track that features the phrase “Off With Their Heads” in its lyrics. What makes this track unforgettable is the string arrangements by David Arnold of James Bond fame and the inclusion of a number of instruments such as violin, viola and cello. After a few listens, you would find as if Kaiser Chiefs were performing with the help of a big orchestra. Bravo!
“You Want History” has a strong electronic elements and at times, groovy. Anne-Marie Chirema, Lou Hayter and Sarah Jones of New Young Pony Club again do some backing vocals on this track. The singing by Ricky sounds like a robot to me in his effort to follow the beat and rhythm of the music. The beginning of You Want History is cute with the electronic music going on, as this song goes along, the chorus is catchy as well, as Ricky sings, “It’s a mystery, oh, it’s a mystery, you want history, oh its a mystery…”, the keyboard just comes in. I find it catchy in a faint hilarious way.
In “Can’t Say What I Mean”, you’d find frontman Ricky hardly has time to gasp for air. It’s fast and groovy. The bass especially sounds like a motorcyle’s engine, it just keeps grooving. The keyboard also being played in a way that is so cheeky i would say. It just has the same rhythm all the way, but it blends in just fine. Great and cute stuff again by Kaiser Chiefs!
“Good Days Bad Days” is very cheerful and positive. It starts from a distance before the rest of Kaiser Chiefs just come in and join the fun. The guitar especially is very, very catchy. Amazing riff! With each verse, the guitar just follows, making it unbearable to miss it. When comes the break, the short guitar solo and the djembe playing are really something to be remembered. When you’re feeling down, have a break and listen to Good Days Bad Days, this music is designed to make you feel good. Have a look at their final verse, “If you had a different attitude, instead of take and take and take, you have missed an opportunity, and that’s a really big mistake, if you had a different attitude, you’d still have good days and bad days…” I feel great now!
Kaiser Chiefs slow it down with “Tomato In The Rain”. I would describe this track as soft and infectious. Ricky’s voice is found soft throughout this lovely track and the music in the chorus has a hook that is really infectious. This only part is short, but can cause a stir. “Yes I do know about you, shall I come home…?”, what a lovely and simple phrase, but whenever Ricky sings this phrase, the whole Kaiser Chiefs just let themselves in and provide some backing vocals for Ricky. Lovingly infectious!
“Half The Truth” brings the notches up again! The keyboard on this track is kind of good. Ricky doesn’t really sound like singing, he sounds more like rapping and talking his way through this track. Fast and furious! When the chorus comes, the keyboard is played in a way that you would only hear it in a haunted house. Nice and scary. The lyrics are also written smartly, “I will not lie to you, but i defiantly only gave you half the truth, i wil not lie to you…”. It puts smile on my face after listening to it. Kaiser Chiefs also brought in a special guest, Sway DaSafo (A rapper from UK), to help finish Half The Truth in style! Crunchy!
“Always Happens Like That” is a funky and groovy pop song from Kaiser Chiefs. It has the quality to make one dance. After each verse, Ricky will go, “And it always happens like that…” Lily Allen is also featured on this track, they make a great team singing together. The guitar on Always Happens Like That is also everything but sad. It’ll make you feel better and happier, just like Good Days Bad Days. At times, it reminds me of Nick Valensi of The Strokes with the chirpy guitar sound.
“Addicted To Drugs” awed me at the beginning with the Agogo bells (Courtesy of producer Mark Ronson). It’s very delicious how the Agogo bells fit in so well into this track. It’s very, very groovy here. The music here doesn’t fit the title at all, it sounds more cheerful than it should be if you just look at the title, Addicted To Drugs. This track alone can be the anthem for Off With Their Heads, the part where Kaiser Chiefs go, “Woah… Yeah…” will definitely straighten you up right away. In fact, Kaiser Chiefs make this song sweaty sexy as well.
Wow, after a great deal of some cheeky and catchy tunes, Kaiser Chiefs’ “Remember You’re A Girl” is also not to be taken lightly. Remember You’re A Girl is a lovely indie pop tune that you’d find almost every member of Kaiser Chiefs contributes on the singing part. It’s very soothing to listen to such track after a long hard day at the office or work. Ricky and co. can be heard singing in a softer tone, as if singing to little children who are fast asleep. Just so lovely and sweet!
Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Never Miss A Beat, Like It Too Much, Good Days Bad Days, Tomato In The Rain, Half The Truth, Always Happens Like That, Addicted To Drugs and Remember You’re A Girl.
Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com
Feeding Your Garden With Orchids
In Today\’s exhaust group, there is absolutely no hardship to go out and grasp mulch relevant for your patch, unless it is for the particular aesthetic appearance, \”The Look,\” sake of the mulch relevant.
Were you informed that there are several mulching materials that you can attain from around your own district that are open, and some of which can even be even delivered to you for nothing as well.
Impossible you might say. Well I mulch my gardens fairly sturdily, and I never pay a cent for the mulch facts. As an affair of fact, most of the mulch is willingly delivered to my home for nothing. As the beyond owners are only too delighted to see the back of it, as it would rate them money, time and force to find other customs of getting rid of it.
I also combine these faint sources of mulch with my own muck, weeds and other organic issue varied through to achieve a great effect in my patch, and so all that it expenses me time and work.
So what am I chatting about? While some of the below roll is delivered limitless, other matter I tool up myself, depending on time, circumstances, importance etc.
Grass Clippings from other people in the question or from lawn-mowing contractors.
Wood shavings from resident covert turners and carvers, ( Do not use shavings from treated timber).
Small amounts of firm plug from links who are excavating. This is to help in raising backyard beds, in my inherent dirt soil.
Light prunings from bushes which is tattered by me or put totality into plot
Heavier brushwood and kindling, which are crooked into lattice, plot stakes, patch edges, seats, frames, log planters etc. while they gradually decay.
Newspaper, cardboard, non-rubber carpet underlay, and even carpet and carpet squares. Which is put under other mulch to inhibit grassland and tidy regrowth
Animal manures sometimes assorted with straw from seats like Racetracks and Showgrounds, Pony Clubs, Stables etc. I dealings them well beforehand to see if any is unfilled.
To this I also add my own weeds, throwing away some which can still be a latent question, or burying them below the foot most layer of mulch fabric to prevent them regrowing.
Another piece I add is any old potting mix from deceased plants or, when repotting plants.
Being a fairly lazy gardener, I fling the data around a bit at a time, as they are presented, and let spirit mix them for me. On a link of occasions I have usual a bit too much timber shavings so these became lane gear between some of the backyard beds, with a pouring underlay of newspapers. People even tell me that it looks and feels good underfoot.
Never put a large total of moist animal compost on any plot, as it will burn any deposit around it. Be extremely sparing or let it age first for a few months before applying it to the plot.
I have been living in my new house for about fifteen months, and the mulch layer in all my gardens (there were no gardens originally), is about 10 cm or 4 inches deep. None of which I have rewarded for, and little that I have had to even prize up for myself.
People are even opening to expansion on how quickly the plants in my gardens are upward in the citizen weighty black dirt soils, and they are amazed when I tell them that I have never worried to fertilise the plants. The object for this is that the earliest laid mulch objects, is now damaged down into hide nutrients and is now feeding my plants as the works nutrient soup aided by the soil life which has swiftly happening appearing in my gardens.
Another benefit that has happening to arrive in the last few months is the arrival of insect eating animals into my garden. Predatory insects and birds are now visiting my gardens on a steady heart, where I saw none this time last year. Bees and butterflies are also original to vacation many of the plants, which have come into flower for the first time this year.
So what can you do to outset locating your own equipment of unbound mulch pertinent, well here are several suggestions.
Put a little symptom near your gate, something similarly -OR similar to \’Organic mulch essential\’, or \’Lawn clipping hunted\’. There are trusty to be several limited people who are throwing theirs away in your society or even kinship topic. Never mulch solely with grassland trimmings as they form an impenetrable layer that air and water cannot get through. Always mix it with other things to prohibit it \’thatching\’, just like a roof over the soil.
See if you can get into contact with narrow people who are into woodturning and statue, or even district sawmills. And come to some arrangement about unpreserved wood shavings.
Check the native phonebook for district showgrounds/racetracks/stables etc, to find out if any have constant or dung ravish to give away, for people keen to pluck them up
In other terms, surprise chatting around the place that you are after mulch materials and they will shortly lead eminent to you.
The only caution with using other peoples weaken stuff is the option that you might also import other peoples vermin and weeds. I have seldom found it a dilemma because of gloomy mulch on mulch routines. Nevertheless it is doable.
One stage because when you first establish applying mulch to your garden you may see some nitrogen deficiencies happen in some plants. This is because the organisms that are breech down the mulch material are using up all the offered wealth of it during the initial breakdown. Once you have gotten past this time the old composted material grant more than enough nitrogen for eminent processes. Another thing to be vigilant of is not to conceal or mulch up against the stems of sought plants, as it may root advance problems for your plants in rot problems around the collar of the stems.
So get out there and break around the community, find the contacts, trust it or not they will be as thankful as you to elucidate their particular problems of ravish cutback. As well as that, you may outset making some new friendships out of the agreement; I know I have.
“Ice Cream” – New Young Pony Club
“Ice Cream” – New Young Pony Club. Directed by Saam. On Modular Records
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