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“Chinese Puzzle” is a charming French film directed by Cedric Kalapich. It is the third chapter of the Spanish Apartment trilogy after L’Auberge Espagnole (Pot Luck) and Russian Dolls. The movie brings back the same cast and the story stands by itself as a complete film.

Forty-year-old novelist Xavier Rosseau (Romain Duris) finds the amour cooling in his marriage to Wendy (Kelly Reilly), the mother of his two children. They are separated. Then to make matters worse, he’s been asked by his lesbian friend, Isabelle (Cécile de France) to donate his sperm so she and her partner can have a baby. While he had his wife’s consent, this only helps to hasten a deteriorating marriage.

Then his wife unloads another bombshell, announcing that she found someone else, moving to New York and taking the children with her. Xavier life is falling apart and in a heartbreaking scene, he says goodbye to children at the airport.

In a bid to be closer to his children, he decides to go to New York too. He stays with his friend Isabelle and her lesbian partner Ju (Sandrine Holt) until his finds an apartment of his own. At his wife’s apartment, he has an awkward meeting with her new love, an understanding, rich, and attractive man. How can he compete with that? When his wife arrives, she tells him she’s starting divorce proceedings. Then he finds out his kids are going to a very posh school where they have to wear uniforms. This upsets him more Anime sex dolls.

Ju finds him a small apartment above a Chinese bakery and there he makes a home sleeping on a floor mattress. He now has a job paid under the table working as a bicycle messenger. His discount lawyer tells him he can buy himself a citizenship through marriage for about $50,000, maybe $20,000 if he’s lucky.

There are visitations with his kids and on one occasion, he is over an hour late picking them up. He doesn’t’ tell her the reason, probably because she wouldn’t believe him. In flashback, we see him riding in a taxi, and caught in traffic jams. A truck driver unloading boxes becomes irate when the cabby asks ask him to quit blocking the roadway. A fight ensues with the cabby beaten with a baseball bat. Xavier breaks up the fight and drives the cabby to the hospital. The cabby asks Xavier how he can repay him. Xavier says he can find him an American wife. It just so happens his cousin standing bedside is available.

The sham marriage takes place with all the supporting photos that they are together and happily married. Immigration interviews them to verify the marriage and things do not go well. There are suspicions.

Maritime (Audry Tatou), an old girlfriend arrives in New York on a business trip conferring with a Japanese company. She stays at his apartment where they share a bed and have torrid sex. They still have feelings for each other and this is another complication in his life.

Near the end of the movie, complications escalate to a frantic pace when all the women in his life congregate at his cramped apartment when immigration is making a surprise inspection. The scene is filled with close calls and “Just Abouts” that border on farce. It’s a hilarious sequence, and nicely configured. This is a charming story of a man trying to solve of puzzle of his life. It’s an amusing, witty, and sexy comedy well worth seeing.

Reviewed at the American Film Market, Santa Monica, California. In French and English with English subtitles.

Imagine the year 2040, our energy source is outer space and nearly everyone is happily married. However, a normal person cannot tell one thing by looking at many of these beautiful spouses. They cannot see that many of them are robots. True to form and a perfect match for the person beside them. Is this the future of happy relationships? Many scientists claim that it is. At first it may seem a bit strange to the average person, but there are, in fact, individuals who see this as something they would be seriously interested in if and when it appears within the next five years or so. Some of the new developers are Japanese scientists who are naming the new robot android Repliee Q1 Expo. She breathes like a human, flutters her eyelids like a human and even moves like a real human! The robot has over 42 actuators. But as I have come to understand, it is merely the tip of the iceberg as of present time.

Who in the world would marry such a robot? Who knows. But there is evidence out there that there are indeed plans to develop more humanlike robots for the purpose of assisting humans with their every, and I mean every, emotional and physical need. I sit here now writing about this after doing much research on the subject today and realize that it may be quite accepted as a normal undertaking in the future where man will have the option to be with and marry whomever he or she pleases. This does bring up the question of ethics which is indeed a raging topic involving these sorts of things. But would it really be a bad thing for individuals who cannot actually find a partner who either loves them back, can put up with their personality or mental stability, or just cannot appreciate the way their appearance naturally is?

Developers today are putting the pieces to the puzzle together for just this reason. They want to create a robot that ‘bonds’ with humans and provides all that our individual urges require. Now, this being said, I would say that is a marvelous idea for many of those who have problems socially or are displeased with what their current relationships provide them both physically and emotionally. Could a robot be an acceptable way to ‘fill in the gaps’ in relationships in the future? What if these ‘devices’ did actually come into play and replaced items such as the ever popular vibrator, dolls, prostitutes and such? What would this do to the Japanese sex dolls It is indeed truth that the technology is here to create such a robotic rendezvous. In 2006, Henrik Christensen, who is the founder of the European Robotics Research Network, predicted that people will be having sex with robots within five years. As there are already lifelike items a person can buy, now all they have to do is add some electronics and a little software, make some major adjustments and presto-whammo…you’ve got ‘love’ in the air.

1 Hike the canyons of Palm Springs

Palm Springs is a hiker’s paradise, which is evident by the many hiking trails mapped out in and around its numerous scenic canyons and gorges. Here the diversity of wildlife is as contrasting as the breathtaking landscape. From catching a glimpse of the rare and endangered Bighorn Sheep to watching the clever antics of the smallest desert creatures, the canyons of Palm Springs are a must see for any visitor to the area.

Tahquitz Canyon is situated on the Agua Caliente Reservation and is one of the most beautiful desert attractions to be found in Palm Springs. Boasting of a spectacular 60-foot waterfall, rock art, ancient irrigation systems, abundant native wildlife and plants, a hike through this unique and diverse canyon will not be forgotten any time soon. Palm Canyon features fifteen miles of mapped trails that gives hikers an intimate glimpse of the area’s indigenous flora and fauna situated against a contrasting, rugged landscape of rocky red and gold gorges and the barren desert lands in the distance. Here you can hike, explore, picnic and horseback ride against the breathtaking canyon backdrop.

2 Tour the oases of Palm Springs

A beautiful contrast to the barren desert landscape are the many lush oases of Palm Springs. Consisting mainly of tall Fan Palms, the oases offer more than just respite from the extreme desert temperatures, which descend upon the area daily. The oases of Palm Springs are intricate ecosystems boasting of numerous different kinds of plant and animal life including snakes, rodents, lizards and spiders.

Thousand Palms Oasis is situated on the Coachella Valley Preserve and straddles the San Andreas Fault line. Consisting of emerald green undergrowth, soaring Fan Palms and the endangered Valley Fringe-toed Lizard, the Thousand Palms Oasis is the perfect place to start your tour of the Oases of Palm Springs. The Oasis of Mara, formerly known as Twentynine Palms Oasis, is located in the Joshua Tree National Park. Once revered as an “Oasis of Fertility” by the natives, this oasis is indeed a fertile ground for many types of flora, fauna and wildlife.

3 Entertain your whole family in Palm Springs

What once has been known as a Mecca for the retired, the rich and golf enthusiasts, Palm Springs is beginning to show its inner child. From museums and amusement parks to miniature golf and arcades, there is no end to the family-friendly attractions to be found in Palm Springs.

Located on East Palm Canyon, Camelot Park boasts of activities and entertainment to keep the whole family occupied for hours. At the center of this whimsical attraction is a fantastical castle surrounded by video games, miniature golf, go-carts, bumper boats and much, much more. The Living Desert Wildlife and Botanical Park is located on Portola Avenue, and is full of amazing wildlife and creatures that will be sure to amuse the adults and children alike. Featuring species such as coyotes, the endangered bighorn sheep, cheetahs and meerkats, the Living Desert is a must-see attraction in the Palm Springs area. The park also boats of a discovery center where children can watch demonstrations and have hands-on interactions with small creatures such as snakes, turtles and tarantulas.

4 Tour Palm Springs by bike

There is no better way to get up close and personal with an exotic destination like Palm Springs than by leisurely strolling through the many lush oases and barren landscapes typical of this desert paradise. But hoofing it through the miles and miles of desert attractions in and around Palm Springs can take a great deal of time and energy. That is why it has become very popular to tour Palm Springs by bike, and there are several mapped bike tours and guides dedicated to this popular activity.

One of the most popular bike tour agencies in Palm Springs is Big Wheel Bike Tours. They offer several different courses which range in difficulty from beginner to Advanced and can vary in length from a couple of hours to a full day. Many of the courses meander through breathtaking landscapes and popular tourist attractions.

5 Palm Springs Casinos

Boasting a handful of casinos all featuring low and high-stakes gambling, fine dining and other luxurious attractions, Palm Springs is prepared to take care of all of your gambling wants and needs. In fact, the only hindrance that you may find when it comes to Palm Springs casinos is deciding exactly in which casino you want to place your bets.

No matter what your gaming preference or budget, there is a gaming facility in Palm Springs to meet your every need. From high-stakes Poker and slot machines to Bingo and Blackjack among others, you will find plenty to keep your gambling hand occupied during your stay in Palm Springs. Some of the many casinos in the area include the Palm Springs Spa Resort Casino, the Agua Caliente Casino, the Fantasy Springs Casino and the Trump 29 Spotlight Casino.

6 The Native Americans of Palm Springs

Palm Springs is a desert paradise with sparkling waters, tree-lined canyons and bubbling hot springs. This rich, desert oasis has been the site of civilization for thousands of years beginning with the native inhabitants of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. For centuries, this band of Native Americans lived off of the bounty to be had in this unique desert, ecosystem.

The region was ideal for habitation, and the Agua Caliente took advantage of the resources in the area and survived by living off of the land. They used multitudes of desert plants for food, clothes, medicine and hunted game such as deer, bighorn sheep, rabbits and other small animals. They also used an elaborate irrigation system to aid in the production of crops that were brought by the Spanish including corn, squash, beans and melons.

Sadly, in 1862 a small pox epidemic brought about by the influx of whites into the area almost completely wiped out the Agua Caliente altogether. In 1925, only 50 Agua Caliente remained. Today, there are 240. They still hold the majority of the land in the Palm Springs area and run successful casinos and other tourist attractions in the area.

7 How Palm Springs was named

The first non-Native American to settle in the Palm Springs area was Judge John Guthrie McCallum. Arriving in Palm Springs in 1884 from San Francisco with family in tow, McCallum worked alongside the Native Americans to build a 19 mile stone-lined ditch from the Whitewater River Springs to irrigate the dryer parts of the car accident lawyer.

Continuing throughout the 19th century, numerous explorers, colonizers and soldiers came through the desert and remarked on the lush oasis to be found in the Coachella Valley, but no formal name had been given to the site. Often referred to as Palm Springs, Agua Caliente or Palm Valley, it wasn’t until 1890 when Harry McCallum wrote his address as Palm Springs that the region came to be known under those terms.

People have flocked to the resort town of palm springs personal injury attorney. Originally, it was an escape–either from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood, or the chill of northern winters. These days, though, Palm Springs is a year-round destination. Since the 1990s–when its mid-century modern architectural treasures were rediscovered by a new generation–Palm Springs has become a Mecca for collectors of twentieth century modern design.

Want to take some mid-century modern home with you? Well, you’re in the right place. In Palm Springs, you’ll find some of the very best vintage modern–all the fabulous furniture, lighting, and decorative arts that once filled these equally fabulous modern desert homes. Some vintage shops not to be missed:

The role of a ‘bookie’, the common name of the person involved in bookmaking, is quite important in the world of gambling. The bookie is responsible for keeping track of all the bets in the game.

The bookie can take bets on any professional events – election, races, college sports.
Bookmaking has been prohibited been prohibited in the past. Even now it is illegal in certain states. Its legal status being in controversy, the job is considered a shady one.

In Europe, licenses were required in the past by those who wished to bet or involve themselves in bookmaking. Now, the event is illegal and betting on the election results is quite popular in Europe. Almost all sports event attract wagers in the State, especially soccer.

In USA, bookmaking is illegal in almost all the states. The only exception is the gambling hub, Nevada. However, illegal betting exists, giving the bookmakers a profitable business. The common betting events include sports. Bookmaking in Canada is state owned and operated. Bookmaking is a part of country’s lottery program- sport select.

Sports remain the evergreen area for betting and bookmaking. The bettors are usually young or middle aged people. Sports being an year round activity which is mostly unpredictable attracts a lot of bookmakers who are keen on making quick money.

A less likely, but extremely popular betting event is elections. Political election being a nation wide phenomenon attracts a lot of bets. Even papal elections have not been spared by this game of luck. As the authority of the office involved in the election increases, the number and the amount of wagers also show an increase.

Horseracing is one of the most popular wagering event. The fact that makes this event so popular among the bettors is its randomness. Even the most consistent of the winners stands a chance to loose the race. Other races like grey hound races also attract wagers.
These are a few conventional areas popular for betting. But bookmaking can be involved in almost any event that lacks certainty. For example, bets can also be placed on whether it will snow on the Christmas day!

The bookie stands to profit by balancing the book i.e. making sure that he has equal number of bets for all eventualities, so that he does not run out of money. A threat to the bookmaker’s business is betting exchanges. These are one to one bets where the persons choose to forgo the bookie while making bets. Few betting exchanges sites have also cropped up, which enable this affair while charging a commission out of the bet.

Betting, like any other job, is not devoid of corruption. Some bookmakers can invite bets and later siphon away the entire money. This is usually the case when one involves in illegal betting. The principle of caveat emptor is forcefully applicable here bookmakers stranieri.

Bookmaking is a competitive industry, with everyone willing to make fast money. However, it does involve a certain amount of skill to balance the book and earn the maximum profit out of the entire event. In countries where bookmaking is banned, people resort to online bets which are equally simple and profitable. For those who involve in illegal betting, it is advisable not to indulge in it as a small mistake can land one in deep soup.

Football Boots: Earliest Recorded – King Henry VIII in 1526

King Henry VIII’s football boots were listed within the Great Wardrobe of 1526, a shopping list of the day. They were made by his personal shoemaker Cornelius Johnson in 1525, at a cost of 4 shillings, the equivalent of £100 in today’s money. Little is known about them, as there is no surviving example, but the royal football boots are known to have been made of strong leather, ankle high and heavier than the normal shoe of the day.

Football Boots – The 1800’s

Moving forward 300 years saw football developing and gaining popularity throughout Britain, but still remaining as an unstructured and informal pastime, with teams representing local factories and villages in a burgeoning industrial nation. Players would wear their hard, leather work boots, which were long laced and steel toe-capped as the first football boots. These football boots would also have metal studs or tacks hammered into them to increase ground grip and stability.

As laws become integrated into the game in the late 1800’s, so saw the first shift in football boots to a slipper (or soccus) style shoe, with players of the same team starting to wear the same boots for the first time. Laws also allowed for studs, which had to be rounded. These leather studs, also known as cleats, were hammered into the early football boots, which for the first time moved away from the earlier favoured work boots. These football boots weighed 500g and were made of thick, hard leather going up the ankle for increased protection. The football boots would double in weight when wet and had six studs in the sole. The football boot had arrived…

Football Boots – The 1900’s to 1940’s

Football boot styles remained relatively constant throughout the 1900’s up to the end of the second world war. The most significant events in the football boot world in the first part of the twentieth century were the formation of several football boot producers who are still making football boots today, including Gola (1905), Valsport (1920) and Danish football boot maker Hummel (1923).

Over in Germany, Dassler brothers Adolf and Rudolf formed the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory) in Herzogenaurach in 1924 and began producing football boots in 1925 which had 6 or 7 replaceable, nailed studs, which could be changed according to the weather conditions of play.

Football Boots – The 1940’s to 1960’s

Football boot styles shifted significantly after the end of the second world war, as air travel became cheaper and more international fixtures were played. This saw the lighter, more flexible football boot being worn by the South Americans being thrust onto the world stage, and their ball skills and technical ability amazed all those that watched them. Football boot production shifted to producing a lighter football boot with the focus on kicking and controlling the ball rather than simply producing a piece of protective footwear.

1948 saw the formation of the Adidas company by Adolf (Adi) Dassler after a falling out with his brother that was to form the cornerstone of football boot maker rivalry for the preceding years up to today. Brother Rudolf founded the beginnings of the Puma company in 1948, quickly producing the Puma Atom football boot. This led to interchangeable screw in studs made of plastic or rubber for the first time, reputedly by Puma in the early 1950’s but the honour is also claimed by Adidas (Read the Story on Footy-Boots). Football boots of the time were still over the ankle, but were now being made of a mixture of synthetic materials and leather, producing and even lighter shoe for the players of the day to display their skills with.

Football Boots – The 1960’s

The technological developments of the sixties bought a momentous step-change in design which saw the lower cut design introduced for the first time in football history. This change allowed players to move faster and saw the likes of Pele wearing Puma football boots in the 1962 World Cup Finals. Adidas, though, quickly emerged as the market leader, a position it claims until the present day. In the World Cup Finals of 1966, an astonishing 75% of players wore the Adidas football boot.

The 1960’s also saw several other football boot makers joining the market with their own brands and styling including Mitre (1960), Joma (1965) and Asics (1964).

Football Boots – The 1970’s

The seventies began with the iconic 1970 World Cup Finals which saw a sublime Brazilian team lift the trophy with Pele again at the helm, this time wearing the Puma King football boot. The decade itself will be remembered for the way in which football boot sponsorship took off, where players were being paid to wear only one brand. In terms of design and style, technological advancements produced lighter boots, and a variety of colours, including for the first time, the all-white football boot.

In 1979, Adidas produced the world’s best selling football boot the Copa Mundial, built of kangaroo leather and built for speed and versatility. Although Adidas remained dominant, several other football boot makers joined the fray including Italian football boot maker Diadora (1977).

Football Boots – The 1980’s

The greatest development of recent times in the design and technology of football boots was developed in the eighties by former player Craig Johnston, who created the Predator football boot, which was eventually released by Adidas in the 1990’s. Johnston designed the Predator to provide greater traction between football boot and the ball, and football boot and the ground. The design allowed for greater surface areas to come into contact with the ball when being hit by the football boot, with a series of power and swerve zones within the striking area allowing the player to create greater power and swerve when hitting the “sweet spots”. The eighties also saw football boots for the first time being made by English company Umbro (1985), Italy’s Lotto and Spain’s Kelme (1982).

Football Boots – 1990’s

1994 saw Adidas release the Craig Johnston designed Predator with its revolutionary design, styling and technology making it an instant and lasting success. The Predator by now featured polymer extrusion technologies and materials allowing for a more flexible sole as well as the conventional studs being replaced by a bladed design covering the sole, giving a more stable base for the player. In 1995 Adidas released their bladed outsole traxion technology which are tapered shaped blades. Puma hit back in 1996 with a foam-free midsole football boot, known as Puma Cell Technology, to which Adidas responded again, this time with wedge shaped studs in the same year. The nineties saw new football boot producers Mizuno release their Mizuno Wave in 1997. Other new football boots came from Reebok (1992) and Uhlsport (1993) with other companies also joining the ever increasing, lucrative and competitive market place. Most significantly the nineties saw the entry of Nike, the world’s biggest sportswear producer, immediately making an impact with its Nike Mercurial soccer boot (1998), weighing in at just 200g.

Football Boots – 2000+

As technology advanced still further, the application of the new research and developments were seen in the years into the new millennium right up to the present day and this has led to a reinforcement of the market positions of the big three football boot makers and sellers, Puma, Nike and Adidas (incorporating Reebok since 2006). Fortunately, there still remains room in the market place for the smaller producer that does not have the big money endorsement contracts at its disposal, such as Mizuno, Diadora, Lotto, Hummel and Nomis.

Recent developments since 2000 have seen the Nomis Wet control technology producing a sticky boot (2002), the Craig Johnston Pig Boot (2003), shark technology by Kelme (2006) and the exceptional design of the Lotto Zhero Gravity laceless football boots (2006) all of which underpin the successes that these smaller makers can achieve by producing specialised and technologically advanced football boots that provide a distinct differentiation from the mass produced products of the big three. Laser technology has also helped to produce the world’s first fully customised football by Prior 2 Lever, which is perhaps the most exciting and innovative of the recent developments.

Current favourite football boots include Adidas’ F50, Tunit and Predator; Nike’s Mercurial Vapor III, Air Zoom Total 90s and Tiempo Ronaldinho, Reebok Pro Rage and Umbro X Boots.

Football Boots – The Future

As the debate rages with regards the lack of protection given by modern football boots, and the repercussion in terms of player injuries, there seems little to suggest that the major manufacturers are going to give up their quest for the lightest football boot for a more https://www.newscalciomercato.eu/ . The proliferation of big money sponsorship deals, namely Nike Ronaldinho, Adidas with David Beckham and Reebok with Thierry Henry, has become a huge factor that drives the success and sales of a football boot maker, but is viewed as at a cost of injury and stagnation in football boot research and development. All we can predict for the future is integration with sensor technology, lighter and more powerful football boots and more outlandish designs and styles.

Metal drill bits are among the most commonly used materials utilized in machining and construction industries. These bits are available in a huge variety of sizes and shapes. Most of these tools are made of steel alloy or pure steel. Every bit is designed for a specific use and therefore it is made of different types of materials. Tungsten carbide material is used to make strong and tensile http://www.listabookmakersstranieri.com/ bits

Both carbide and steel bits are used to cut into different types of soft materials such as plastic and hard materials such as metals.

Drill bits are used for a wide variety of applications. Some of the most significant application includes the following:

Construction Field: It is used largely in the field of construction to drill holes in metals and wood. Various types of bits are utilized in these fields as different types of materials are used in the construction field such as concrete, plastic, metal, wood and so forth.

Glass And Tile Work: There are bits which are tipped with diamonds. These bits are comparatively stronger and it is ideally used on glass, porcelain and ceramic tiles. It is difficult to use regular types of bits on glass and porcelain due to slippery surfaces.

Milling Machines: These bits are used largely in majority of the milling machines. As it is available in a huge variety of sizes and shapes, it can be utilized in milling industries accordingly.

Various Types:

Cobalt Steel Alloy: Bits which are made of cobalt steel alloy are designed to drill into very hard surfaces such as stainless steel materials. These bits are quite expensive compared to the other types of devices. However, it is a bit brittle and therefore it should be used with care.

High Steel Speed: HSS bits are ingrained with a large number of beneficial features. These bits are heat resistant and therefore it can be used for a wide variety of applications. These bits are often coated with various other materials to increase its strength and durability.

Tungsten Carbide: Bits which are made with tungsten carbide are quite strong. It is used on concrete, bricks and other construction materials. It retains its sharpness ever after a considerable period of time. These bits are even used in precision industrial applications and it tends to be highly expensive. However, there are many online stores which sell these bits at affordable price rates. Some of the reputed stores offer customized products to the buyers based on specific requirements.

Carbon Steel: Another common material used in bits include carbon steel. It is basically used to bore holes in wood. There are advanced versions of these bits which can be used to bore holes in steel. It is among the cheapest varieties of tools made available these days. However, it tends to get overheated and seldom retains its sharpness with prolonged use.

As there are a huge assortment of drill bits available through both online and offline stores, it is important to choose these devices based on its specific features and advantages.

As a horse trainer, one of the most frequent questions I get asked is about bits and bitting. It seems there is a lot of confusion about when to use a certain type of bit and when not to.

People also want to know what type of bit they should use during a horse’s particular stage of training.

In this report, I want to clarify some of the misconceptions about bits and how to use them.

Let’s start with snaffle bits.

Most colts should be started in a snaffle bit. And, many older horses that need fixing should also be schooled in a snaffle bit.

To my way of thinking, a horse should be ridden in the mildest bit that he will respond to for the job that he is intended to do.

Here is the reason why:

Most horses will lose some of their sensitivity as they get older. A two year old colt will have a much more sensitive mouth than a ten year old horse. The more pressure or abrasiveness the horse’s mouth is subjected to, the quicker it will toughen and lose its sensitivity.

That is why I want to use as mild a bit on the horse as I can get away with. I want to preserve the sensitivity of the horse’s mouth as much as I can.

Now, don’t confuse a mouth that is merely “sensitive” with a mouth that is “educated”.

A horse’s mouth can be sensitive but if its not also educated on how to respond to pressure, the sensitivity really doesn’t help much.

Ideally, you want both… an educated mouth that responds and is sensitive to light pressure.

With that idea in mind, a green colt will usually be ridden with an o-ring snaffle that has a smooth 7/16″ mouthpiece. And you stay with that mild bit until the colt doesn’t respond to it well enough anymore.

Here is where a lot of folks get confused. They don’t know what bit to go to next. Should they go to a snaffle bit with more “bite” to it or should they go to a curb bit?

Generally, the horse should stay in some form of o-ring snaffle bit until he is well along in his training. Ideally, the horse should be taught to do everything that you want him to while being ridden in the snaffle bit.

So, if you want your horse to be a reining horse, you should teach him to stop, spin, change leads etc. in the snaffle bit. Once he knows how to work, then you can step him up to a curb bit. Curb bits are for “refining” the training that you have accomplished with the snaffle.

Same goes for a cutting horse. He should be in a snaffle bit while he learns to stop, turn and rate the cow. I believe the snaffle bit is the best tool for teaching a horse how to position himself and use his body correctly.

Any performance horse needs to learn to give his head to the direct rein, move his shoulders off the indirect rein and position his ribcage and hindquarters from leg pressure.

Here is the sequence of the various types of snaffle bits that I use:

I try to do most of the foundation training with an o-ring snaffle with a 7/16″ diameter mouthpiece. I stay with this until the horse is too heavy in it and I can’t get him to respond as lightly as he should.

To get the horse to lighten up and respond, I’ll try schooling him with a snaffle that has a mouthpiece that is smaller in diameter… usually a 3/8″ mouthpiece.

With some really sensitive horses this is all the snaffle I’ll need. But for the majority of horses it won’t be quite enough.

Most horses are going to need a snaffle with a thinner mouthpiece so I’ll go to my absolute favorite snaffle…

My favorite training snaffle has a thin mouthpiece that is 3/16″ in diameter. I call it a “thin, smooth-wire snaffle”.

I love this bit because it gets the desired results but isn’t harsh or abrasive to the horse’s mouth.

I’ll use this bit to lighten a colt up for a few days and then I’ll switch back to the regular snaffle. After a while though, this is the bit I’ll be using to do MOST of the training.

I’ll stay with the smooth-wire snaffle just as long as I can. The horse will be taught the majority of what he needs to know wearing this bit.

However, sometime during the training process, a horse will need to be lightened up even more. Especially the older horses that are being tuned up or re-trained.

So to get the job done, I’ll go to a twisted-wire snaffle. Either the regular or the thin twisted-wire.

These twisted-wire bits have some “bite” to them and will convince even an older, hard mouthed horse to respond and lighten up.

Even though it works well, be aware that a “twisted” mouthpiece is abrasive and can sore a horse’s mouth if it’s used too many days in a row or too harshly.

I recommend riding the horse with it for one or two days to lighten him up and then switch back to the smooth-wire snaffle.

Side note:One of the questions I constantly get asked is why I don’t use a “running martingale” with a snaffle bit to help position the horse’s head.

The answer is simple: The running martingale DOES NOT work well.

If you adjust it short enough to encourage the horse to flex his poll for vertical flexion, it is too short and interferes with lateral flexion. If you adjust it long enough not to inhibit lateral flexion, it is too long to help with vertical flexion.

For 10 years, I trained with a running martingale simply out of habit. I finally asked myself why am I wasting time and money on a piece of equipment that doesn’t work. That was 15 years ago and I haven’t ridden with one since.

If you want to try a piece of equipment that DOES HELP a horse learn to give to your hands, supple-up and flex at the poll… use a German martingale.

It’s the best training aid there is.

Okay, now let’s get back to the bitting process.

Another bit that I sometimes use to lighten a horse up is a “draw” or “gag” bit. On some horses this bit works great. The reason is because it works on different pressure points than a regular snaffle bit.

A regular snaffle bit works by placing pressure on a combination of points. Mainly the horse’s tongue, lips and bars of the mouth.

The gag bit works by placing pressure mainly in the “corners” of the mouth and the horse’s poll. Many horses work well with this bit and it gives you a lot of control without putting a lot of pressure on the horse’s bars.

Again, as soon as the horse lightens up and is responding well, I’ll switch back to a milder bit.

The practice of using a stronger bit to lighten a horse up and then switching back to a milder bit, works really well to preserve the horse’s mouth while keeping him working right.

Read the above sentence again, its key.

Be aware, there are always exceptions to the rule.

Some horses just won’t lighten up the way they should in a snaffle bit. For those horses, you are going to have to go to the “next stage” of the bitting process sooner than you would the average horse.

After the horse has a good idea of what is expected of him and is pretty far along, I’ll start riding the horse in a “transition bit”.

Transition bits are middle-of-the-road bits used to transition the horse from the snaffle to a regular curb bit. Transition bits are the stepping stones between the green horse and the finished horse.

When I feel the horse is ready to leave the o-ring snaffle, the first transition bit I try will usually be a short-shanked curb bit with a snaffle mouthpiece. This is basically a snaffle bit with 5″ to 8″ shanks (cheeks).

The horse is already familiar with the snaffle mouthpiece so the only thing he needs to adjust to is the curb action of the shanks. For most horses this is a very easy transition. Others are really bothered by it.

I’ll ride the horse in this bit until he is totally adapted and working well in it. Then, I’ll move on to the next bit in the transition process.

The next bit in the sequence is my favorite transition bit.

It’s a loose shank bit with what is called a “Billy Allen” mouthpiece. (Billy Allen was a top trainer who invented this mouthpiece many years ago. The design has stood the test of time as one of the best bits ever invented).

What I like about this bit is that it gives the horse the “feel” of being ridden with a curb without scaring the horse.

The reason why is because the Billy Allen mouthpiece moves and is flexible similar to a snaffle.

However, the Billy Allen mouthpiece has a “roller” that is molded over the middle joint. This roller “limits” the movement of the mouthpiece.

The horse gets the feel of a mouthpiece that is almost “solid” like a regular curb bit yet still has some “flex” to it.

This semi-solid mouthpiece gives you a lot of control without scaring or worrying the horse. Most horses love this bit and you can usually leave a horse in it for most of his training.

The extra sensitive horses, I’ll ride with the 7″ shanks but most horses I’ll ride with the 8″ shanks.

This is also the primary bit I use to teach a horse to neck rein.

The loose shanks and flexibility of the mouthpiece allows me to use a direct rein to position the horse’s head before I apply the neck rein. It’s very easy and very effective. (You can see how I do this in my “Teach Your Horse to Neck Rein” video).

You can teach a horse a lot in the Billy Allen. And some horses work so well in it that you can keep them in it for years. However, most horses will eventually need to be moved up into a regular, solid-mouthpiece, curb bit.

For those horses, the next bit I’ll use will be a low-port mouthpiece with 8″ loose shanks (cheeks).

I like using the low port as the horse’s first solid mouthpiece because is relatively mild. The bit pressure is more evenly distributed over the tongue and bars of the horse’s mouth.

Important note: Even though I’m advancing the horse in the bitting process, I still want the curb bit to have “loose” shanks. The loose shanks make it much easier to take a horse’s head to the side and get lateral flexion. After the horse gets farther along in his training, then “solid” shanks can be used with good results.

I’ll ride a horse for a while with this low-port curb bit and see how he responds with it.

From this point on, it’s just a matter of experimenting with different bits to see what the horse responds to best.

Some horse’s can stay in the low port for years and years. Others will need to be moved up to a medium or high port bit. With the higher port, there is less tongue pressure and more bar pressure. The majority of horses will respond well to this.

Keep in mind, all through the training and bitting process, if I run into a problem, I’ll sometimes go back to an o-ring snaffle to iron out the trouble and regain the horse’s confidence. Usually, a few rides in the snaffle fixes the horse up and I can go back to the curb bit.

Also, be aware that some horses just can’t stand prosperity. Ride these horses with a mild bit and they just take advantage of you.

I have a horse like this in training right now. Every time I go back to a milder bit to reward the horse for good performance, he cheats me and won’t work right. So I’m forced to ride him in a stronger bit most of the time.

Now, this particular horse behaving this way disappoints me but I don’t hold it against the horse. I don’t get angry with him for it. It’s just part of horse nature to take the easy way out and slack off.

In reality, most horses will slack off from time to time and not work up to their potential. They will test you by being heavy. Either they refuse to lighten up at all or they will get light for a while and then revert back to being heavy.

And you sure as heck don’t want them to slack off just when you are about to take them to a show.

A day BEFORE the show or maybe even DURING the show, you want to ride the horse with your TUNING bit.

A tuning bit is a bit the horse will REALLY listen to. It’s usually a stronger bit than the horse really needs on a day to day basis. But not so strong that it scares the horse. Yes, I want the horse to have a lot of respect for that tuning bit but I don’t want him so afraid of it that it worries him.

Remember, a horse that is scared or worried won’t work to his full potential. He’ll be tentative and prone to make mistakes due to his nervousness.

You want him attentive and responding well but not afraid.

There are two primary “tuning bits” that I use.

One is for horses that are still in the o-ring snaffle. The other, I use on horses that are in a transition bit or a regular curb bit.

For the horses that are normally being ridden in an o-ring snaffle, I’ll use a curb bit that has a “correction” mouthpiece and very short, curved-back, “Argentine” shanks (loose shanks).

The correction mouthpiece will really get the horse responding well… especially for the stop.

This type of curb bit can easily be used on a snaffle bit horse because the shanks are so short and curved back that there is almost no curb action. The lack of leverage allows you to take the horse’s head laterally without scaring him.

On my horse’s that are normally ridden in a transition bit or curb bit, I’ll use a tuning bit that has a “correction” mouthpiece and 7-inch loose shanks.

This bit has some leverage to it but it’s easy to get lateral flexion because the shanks are loose.

I should also mention, on some of the heavier horses, I’ll use a curb chain with this bit that has more bite to it than the usual one that I use. Usually, a dog-chain curb works well.

I’ll normally ride the horse with a tuning bit for a ride or two (or show him in it) and then go back to whatever bit I normally ride him in.

Well, I hope this information helps you with your horse training. If you would like to see what the different types of bits look like, go to my website or simply click on the Casas De Apuestas extranjeras.

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