Bagu

[Saionji Shonagon]

admin said:

A bridle without the bits?

Yes. I went and looked at some of the head shots from Jo's Soma Noma-oi gallery and that big piece looks a lot like that collar strap I'm seeing on the bridles.
www.pbase.com/joanseeuw/image/41050156

Here are a few more:
www.pbase.com/joanseeuw/image/41049816

www.pbase.com/joanseeuw/image/41049818

www.pbase.com/joanseeuw/image/41049830

Little kids' legs don't cover up the saddle so much - this photo has some good saddle details....
www.pbase.com/joanseeuw/image/41049928

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

admin said:

A bridle without the bits?

I guess the English word is halter.

[Saionji Shonagon]

And that fringe piece in the back of your pic closely resembles the first 'oddity' I posted. Maybe the smaller fringed piece hangs under the tail? Or would that be too ... umm ... dangerous?

Around the root of the tail, possibly to secure the tail bag, maybe?

S.

[Saionji Shonagon]

A halter and a bridle are not necessarily the same thing. A halter can be as simple as a few loops of rope in the right place, for tying, leading, etc.

A bridle is the brakes and steering system of a riding or driving horse. The bridle is usually composed of some sort of headstall, reins and something that the reins are attached to to exert leverage or pressure on the horse's mouth (a bit) or nose (hackamore, mostly seen on Western horses).

There is a dizzying variety in the types of bits that have been put in the mouths of horses over the centuries. A bit with the reins attached to a ring at each end of the mouthpiece uses direct pressure. If the reins attach to a shank that comes down from the mouthpiece, this increases rider leverage - and if a shanked bit is used with a curb strap or chain which goes from each side of the bit and under the chin, that leverage will put pressure under the chin and give even more control. The mouthpiece can be straight, jointed, twisted-jointed, twisted-wire-jointed ported (put an inverted u bend in the middle of the mouthpiece for a horse who likes to shove his tongue over the bit), and so forth.

Some horses need a stronger bit, some will go in a very mild one.

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

makiwara said:

There's another pair up on eBay that might interest you if they don't end up being bid into the stratosphere: item# 7394212903.

Not so stratospheric. $435. Compare that to $345 for the plainer set I bid on before.

[Saionji Shonagon]

Not so stratospheric. $435. Compare that to $345 for the plainer set I bid on before.

That's not bad at all, I thought they were gorgeous!
Does that mean you won?

S.

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

No, although I did bid on them. I notice that the winning bid was made yesterday or this morning and was not sniped tonight in the last 5 minutes. Gives me hope on the next pair that are coming up.

[Date Saburou Yukiie]

Those stirrups
(see above) are not Japanese - perhaps Korean or Chinese...
I tend to point my toes outboard at about 45 degrees or so, and ride my heels as if i were standing on a dojo floor...grounding myself as it were...attempting to get as organic with the horse as I can. This is a Takeda Ryu manerism that I have learned. My pinky toes hang off the abumi, and I clutch the corner of the abumi with my big toe, and the second...
This is an optimal position when standing the stirrups for yabusame, and seems to fit well with general non-equine training...
Date - who still has a lot to learn about horses...but I am quite good with big dogs...

[Saionji Shonagon]

Date - who still has a lot to learn about horses...but I am quite good with big dogs...

Then you'll probably do well with horses - they're a lot like big dogs in that they are "pack" oriented. Like dogs, they will establish a hierarchy in a herd based on dominance.
Unlike dogs, they're prey rather than predators. Much of their behavior is governed by a highly developed defense system based on being able to get away from a threat very quickly. Using those two seemingly contradictory characteristics to your advantage will help you establish a relationship with a horse. Depending on the animal's personality, you may have to display dominance with one who wants to test how much you'll let him get away with - or you may have to be a calming, gentle presence with one who frightens easily.

They are very large, very fast, very strong - and surprisingly easy to convince that we mere humans are bigger and stronger than they are. Teach a horse to trust you and he will carry you anywhere, even at threat to his own life.

S.

[Saionji Shonagon]

Otagiri-dono and anyone else who may be interested,

Another pair has come up on eBay:
Item #7395493838



I think this is the same dealer I won the smackity fan from....

S.

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

Yes.

cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7395165537
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7395493838
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7395490380
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7395490160
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7395490041
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7396634425

I'm bidding on all of these.

[Saionji Shonagon]

I'm bidding on all of these.

Good luck.

Q: What makes a horse go?
A: Money makes a horse go.

S.

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

makiwara said:

Q: What makes a horse go?
A: Money makes a horse go.

Lost the saddle pads (kura shiki?)
I may need to sell the rice and princesses to get the abumi.

[Saionji Shonagon]

I may need to sell the rice and princesses to get the abumi.

If they don't go sky high, you may only have make the princesses get jobs.

7308698630 (complete saddle) is to swoon, weep, lose sleep and mortgage the village for - it looks like it's in excellent condition.

S.

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

7307292615

This one is presented as a possible Muromachi based on the type and thickness of laquer.