12-24-2014, 07:41 PM
Your English is much, much better than my Spanish - I only know how to swear at people when playing polo 
I think the individual rotation is not necessarily a good thing and from what I have seen of Roman bits it would not have happened (or highly unlikely to have been the case).
Also remember that the iron the Roman bits are made of - now called sweet iron and very expensive in modern horse bits - is a lot kinder to horses than modern stainless steel or even copper. Iron - or sweet iron - encourages the horse to salivate and therefore keeps the mouth wet and , so, softer.
Another point to consider its that through out the life of the horse, the Romans did not have the benefit of dentistry (or I have not seen evidence of it in the research of horse skeletons from the period, although I'll admit it is limited). A horse's mouth changes considerably over time as the action of grazing causes the horse's teeth to wear and for some very sharp edges to be produced. I believe that in time the horse would not be able to bear metal in its mouth and would become unmanageable, hence the move to hackamores and long shanked bits to give the leverage you require.
This picture shows a modern bit called a gag. It has very large rings on the side of the bridle but connects directly to the top of the horse's head (the poll) and the lever effect is what controls the horse. You can see from this picture - taken at the gallop during a game of polo - how the pressure works.
[attachment=11376]ShowMe_gagaction.jpg[/attachment]
PS the bit you have shown above has fixed shanks (side of the bit) so I think by rotation you mean what I am referring to as leverage!
I think the individual rotation is not necessarily a good thing and from what I have seen of Roman bits it would not have happened (or highly unlikely to have been the case).
Also remember that the iron the Roman bits are made of - now called sweet iron and very expensive in modern horse bits - is a lot kinder to horses than modern stainless steel or even copper. Iron - or sweet iron - encourages the horse to salivate and therefore keeps the mouth wet and , so, softer.
Another point to consider its that through out the life of the horse, the Romans did not have the benefit of dentistry (or I have not seen evidence of it in the research of horse skeletons from the period, although I'll admit it is limited). A horse's mouth changes considerably over time as the action of grazing causes the horse's teeth to wear and for some very sharp edges to be produced. I believe that in time the horse would not be able to bear metal in its mouth and would become unmanageable, hence the move to hackamores and long shanked bits to give the leverage you require.
This picture shows a modern bit called a gag. It has very large rings on the side of the bridle but connects directly to the top of the horse's head (the poll) and the lever effect is what controls the horse. You can see from this picture - taken at the gallop during a game of polo - how the pressure works.
[attachment=11376]ShowMe_gagaction.jpg[/attachment]
PS the bit you have shown above has fixed shanks (side of the bit) so I think by rotation you mean what I am referring to as leverage!
Moi Watson
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!
