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  Discussion on Scrawbrig
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Posted on Tuesday, May 2, 2000 - 4:45 pm:

Hello, I am getting on loan an old pony that has never been ridden in a bitted bridle as she never settled with a bit. As she is to be ridden by a 7 year old I don't want to let her be ridden in her normal hackamore as it is too severe. It has been suggested I try a 'scrawbrig' which, I was told, is a mild bitless bridle. Does anybody know anything about these or has anybody used one. Thanks

Posted on Wednesday, May 3, 2000 - 12:49 pm:

Hi Claire--Just a guess, but I think that a "scrawbrig" is called a side-pull over on our side of the Atlantic. I know of two types: First, and my preference, is called an English side-pull, and looks like a glorified halter with a reinforced noseband. The second has a piece of hard rope as a noseband. I don't like the potential for damaging the skin of the horse's nose by using a rope across the nose. The sidepulls are supposed to apply pressure above the nasal cavity and on the poll. I've used the English sidepull. It works fine--providing you aren't a rider who depends on the bit to stop your horse. There's also a metate (sometimes spelled "mecate") that is used on some young horses that will be expected to wear a spade bit (some people don't take the horses into the spade, but start in metates anyhow). This can also be damaging to the horse in the wrong hands.

If I were in charge of a 7-yr-old rider, I'd put the pony in an English side-pull and keep the pair in the arena. I would be concerned that the 7-yr-old would not have the training or the strength to stop the pony out in the open should the pony decide to misbehave.

Posted on Wednesday, May 3, 2000 - 3:35 pm:

Thanks. I am still iffing about whether to try bitting her in a rubber snaffle or very soft hollow mouth snaffle or just go out and buy the scawbrig thing. In the tack catalogue it says it is 'designed to be a kind hackamore .....control is obtained by pressure round the nose and lower jaw when the reins are used.' I cannot find it in any other tack catalogues and when I rang up to ask the person from this catalogue she just basically repeated what the catalogue said! I don't want to upset the pony by bitting her if I can find a way round it but I do want my daughter to have some brakes!!!!

Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2000 - 12:08 am:

Hmm--maybe it's not a sidepull, then. Does it have shanks? A curb chain?

My old gelding did not wear a bit when he came to me (as a 7yrold). It was a long, long struggle to get him to accept one, although he knew perfectly well what the cues meant. Looking back, it was probably because his palette (sp) was too low to be comfy in a single-jointed snaffle, but I didn't know any better, so used one for years. When I finally went to a three-piece, he was much happier. Among the things I tried was one of the rubber dog bone affairs--he bit that nearly in half within five minutes; a Happy Mouth--he liked that, but it didn't last long either.

What's the name of the tack catalog? I'm curious now and would like to see a "scrawbrig" if they have a website.

Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2000 - 3:23 pm:

It's in the Libbys webbing tack catalogue. I only looked in there as my horse's webbing bridle, which I am very pleased with, came from them. I don't think they have a web site and there is no piccy in the catalogue. I might try a rubber snaffle - but I am worried she could bite through it at a bad moment - eg out on a hack, and leave no brakes at all!!

Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2000 - 5:59 pm:

Hi Claire,
All the rubber bits I have used have metal inside. So even if the pony chomped thru the rubber there would still be something there for brakes. Has the 7 year old ridden this pony before?
~barbara
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