French curb / dressage curb

French or dressage curbs come with short or long suits, usually 5 cm or 7 cm. Curb bits with short suits are also called baby curbs. However, this does not mean that this species is "softer". The short suits naturally create less leverage, but the rein aids arrive in the horse's mouth much faster. With a long suit there is a little more leeway and you can dose the pressure in finer increments. Remember: the angle of attack that results from a certain shortening of the reins, the smaller the longer the suit is. This means that if you take the reins the same way, the "baby" curb acts much faster and thus also sharper. Basically, you now have to consider whether your hand is fine enough to work in millimeters and whether your horse needs more direct, clear help, or a little more time to think.

The only difference between the French curb and the common dressage curb is the shape of the bar. This is a bar that is only slightly bent upwards and does not have a tongue clearance. With all other curb bits, there is little to much tongue freedom. The freedom of the tongue is controversial these days. The FN represents the traditional idea that the "balls" of the curb put a strain on the drawer and that the tongue is covered by the tongue-free space, and that tilting when one-sided rein pressure should be prevented. The more tongue clearance the bit offers, the sharper the curb looks. In addition, the horse's mouth has to offer enough space, otherwise the curve will press on the palate. According to the latest findings, the tongue tends to be pinched by the freedom of the tongue and the horse does not have the opportunity to push the bit upwards with the tongue in order to counteract too much pressure. If the bar is only slightly bent, this acts evenly on the entire tongue when pressure is applied on the same side. With too much one-sided tightening, however, there is a risk of tilting.

Post curbaries / Liverpool curbaries

The broken curb bits, which are also known as driving curbs, post curbs or Liverpool curbs, are an exception. They are used without a bridle. Driving curbs have up to three "eyelets", one below the other, into which the driving line can be strapped. Post curbs with two eyelets that together have the shape of a "B" are often used. The deeper the driving line is buckled, the sharper the driving curb.