So I've naively thought for a while that less bit = better for the horse. Thinking back on it, a majority of the horses I've ridden have been in snaffle bits. I encountered a few stronger bits (a double-twisted wire, for example) in college at the hunter barn I rode at, but I think those were mainly for the benefit of the tiny lesson kids. But snaffles have been the default bit overall.
This is changing. Indy likes to brace and hollow. And got forbid you get him long and low with a snaffle. But for some reason, using the curb bit... he figures out that he can actually stretch and everything changes. It's funny to think that I at least need a slightly stronger bit to achieve more relaxation... but it is what it is. And everything changes once he gets his head down! Wasn't even the same trot at all. So that was an interesting revelation for the week and made me think about the expectations we have of what is "best" for individual horses.
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