15th century bit for a courser (pic added)

[chef de chambre]

Hi All,

Here is a picture of Normandie's new 15th century bit. The mouthpiece itself copies his favourite, most comfortable port.

Those are 11" bars/shanks, so you can only use the lightest touch - hauling on the reins would break a jaw (I neckreign, and only use the lightest touch, as a general rule). A curb (leather). and a pair of bosses will finish the bit itself. Next up is a set of Medieval bridle and reins.

(Image coming, it needs to be re-sized. Too big to attatch)

[Kaos]

Nice! Can't wait to see the completed bridle on Normandy. Looking forward to it. I'm curious to know which style of reigns you'll get. I've always had a soft spot for the Italian models with the big metal bosses.

[chef de chambre]

Well, the bit is copied directly from Pisanello, and a slightly fancier extant example in the MET, but I am of a mind to use the rein arrangement in the Rene tournament books - Pisanello is the same, large reins to the bit directly, small ones to the ends of the shanks.

[Destichado]

Looks outstanding! Wow, yes you would need a *really* light touch -at least on the curb reins, the snaffle reins ought to act like normal. Did you opt for stainless or steel?

I've often wondered if by using the opposite arrangement, with large, plated reins on the curb and the "light" leathers on the snaffle, you wouldn't naturally get more out of the horse. It seems to me that the weight of the heavy reins on the curb would naturally act to keep the horse more collected, something like what english-style riders use draw reigns to accomplish.

[chef de chambre]

I do not know exactly how it would work with reversing the reins.

The bit is merely a broken snaffle - the original is a snaffle - of what form in the Pisanello drawings we can't see. Broken snaffels existed, but the joins between the bit were linked rings, and this uses a more modern solution, although rollers on the bit existed as well, as did a number of 'toys' for the horse to fiddle with. I wanted Norm's mouth to be comfortable.

If the broad reins join to the snaffle, and I use them primarily, it will be no different in operation than a standard snaffle. I and other equestions have speculated that one set of reins may have indded acted as a method of setting the carriage of the mount.

[Jeffrey Hedgecock]

Nice bit Bob.

There is at least some evidence for using the curb rein in hand, with the "snaffle" rein (for lack of a better term) used as a sort of martingale. I call it a "standing rein". It's debatable whether the standing rein should be used to keep the horse in frame. The frame should come from training and fitness, rather than from mechanical aids.

Here's a detail from the Devonshire Hunting Tapestries...


and my take on it can be seen here:
http://www.historicenterprises.com/journal/07/

I think you'll find that the reins were shown being used both ways in paintings. I'm not quite sure how it would work having a bulky rein in hand, and the "armoured" reins perplex me a little. I can see them as standing reins, but in hand on a well trained horse they seem somewhat awkward and clunky. I have tried using the wide standing rein on my bridle, but don't like it as it's not at all flexible and is quite heavy. I prefer the fingertip control afforded by the lighter curb rein.

[Fire Stryker]

Thanks Jeff.

As Bob said, the second rein being used for head carriage is debatable and certainly a well trained horse who bends at the poll would not need such a device.

Normandie's bit design is based on the Italian artist Pisanello (d. 1455). Below are two drawings detailing the bit from the back and the bit from the side. One can also see the curb "chain", one looks to be made of cloth or leather with a simple 'T' connector; the other seems to have leather with chain links at both ends.

[Rittmeister Frye]

Bob;

Nice Bit! Good for you to have such a nifty piece of horse equipment made for Normandie.

From my (admittedly) fairly limited understanding of these sorts of things, it is my impression that such bits were for use with "finished" horses, just as the rather extreme spade bits and such, complete with "slobber chains" are for finished horses of the Spanish/Mexican schools. It's also my impression that the so-called "slobber chains" are part of the entire balance of the complete set, allowing the horseman to conduct his hand to the horse's mouth with very little movement on his part, so it's very much a system, with each piece doing it's part to give signals to the horse (along with the leg aids, of course).

Looking at many of the illustrations of the heavily plated reins, as well as some of the reins with chains on them, it strikes me that they are also part of a similar "system" which we (certainly not I) understand poorly if at all. While such re-enforced reins are probably both defensive in character and decorative as well, I would expect that they also served the purpose of helping the horse "set" himself too.

Anyway, be careful with that bit, for even though it's a low port there's still a LOT of leverage in there, as I know you are well aware. I'd give Norm a LOT of schooling in ever-increasing bits before trying him out in that with anything more than very light work. Train yourself well, too, as it's WAY too easy for us to haul away on the reins without thinking about it when under the stress of the moment (like being unseated in a joust!) The absolute worst thing you can do is to yank on the reins and hurt the poor beast, as he won't enjoy the jousting (or whatever it was you were doing at the time) any more at all, and it may turn him off from it completely. It will take work and time before he's really ready for heavy work in that bit, I would expect.

Good luck, it's a good looking piece of work, and will really make Norm's kit stand out!

Cheers!

Gordon