Kimberwicke
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Kimberwicke, Kimberwick or kimblewicke is a type of bit consisting of a mouthpiece and D-shaped rings on either side. The "D" ring is offset, so the mouthpiece is on the upper part of the flat side of the D, creating a small amount of leverage, supported by a curb chain. This allows the kimberwicke to have a mild curb bit effect and it keeps the bit from moving too far in the mouth, which does not occur with a snaffle or direct pressure bit.
Unlike the pelham or curb bit, the kimberwicke does not have clearly distinct shanks, even though the rings are used as very short shanks and create a small amount of leverage, which puts this type of bit into the curb bit "family." It only used with one set of reins.
Depending on the position of the rider's hands, the standard kimberwicke has very mild curb effect when the rein is allowed to slide freely along the curved portion of the D-ring. However, one popular design, the Uxeter kimberwicke, has slots in the curved portion of the ring, so that the rein may be fixed into one position. This increases the curb effect, especially when the rein is placed on the lower of the two slots.
The kimberwicke can have a wide variety of bit mouthpieces, ranging from a solid, unjointed "mullen" mouth, to a single-jointed mouthpiece, to a solid, ported mouth.
Kimberwickes are generally not as popular as snaffles and pelhams, and are illegal in some types of competition, notably dressage and show hunter classes. They are sometimes criticized as being an unconventional or non-"classic" type of bit, and the compromise design may lead some horses to either overflex in the bit or learn to lean on it. However, they do offer the rider a slight curb effect without the risk of a shank getting caught on something, which is useful for contact sports, such as polocrosse, and provide a bit more control than a simple snaffle, which can be helpful for smaller riders on strong horses. You will see them commonly on ponies.
