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We love this article on riding with soft hands by trainer - Jane Savoie on horsetalk.co.nz. "Riding with soft hands is an awesome goal, and your horse will thank you for it. In this tip, I’m going to give you two physical and also some mental exercises. Here are the physical exercises. Tie two reins or ropes or even two pieces of baling twine to a sturdy fence. Hold the ropes as if they are reins. Take up a contract of at least 10 pounds in each hand. Then, adjust the weight of the reins by softening your arms. Go from 10 pounds to 5 pounds, back to 10 pounds and then to 2 pounds. Once you get this feeling of adjusting the weight of the reins, you can transfer the same technique to your riding when you feel yourself getting too strong. The next exercise is a progressive relaxation exercise. Progressive relaxation means that the more tightly you hold a muscle, the more deeply it relaxes when you let go. So let’s tire out those strong hands. With your fingers curled around the reins, clench your hands into fists. Increase the tension until your hands are shaking. Then relax...

Understanding the importance of materials in the mouthpiece of your bits is a huge key to how successful you will be at getting the most out of your horse's performance. There are many options for bits and not all horses like the same mouthpiece. Granted, sometimes it is not the bit but whose hands the bit is in that can ultimately determine if the horse is responsive or accepting. A good sign that a horse has accepted its bit is the way he carries his head. A horse that is soft or accepting of the bit is flexing at the poll, relaxed at the jaw, and not mouthing the bit. Some common behaviors for not accepting the bit include head-tossing, chewing, or gaping mouth. If one sees their horse displaying such behavior, it is always a good idea to have your horse’s teeth checked as well as checking to see if there are sharp edges or pinching. Another major sign to look for is if the horse is producing saliva. Increased saliva production will increase sensitivity and allow the bit to properly roll and rotate in the horse’s mouth. Various metals used to make mouthpieces, such as steel (sometimes referred...

IF IT AIN'T BROKE... don't replace it! Each bit and spur is hand build through the initial machining down to the hand engraved initials. Through the years Tom has acquired many pieces of equipment to help make the bit and spur building process more efficient - for bending, drilling, and cutting the raw metal. Each piece of equipment has lived a little life before making it to our shop, and is put through rigorous use as it is manned by Tom, Sam, Justin, and Ryan. Here you can see a glimpse of the larger machines in the main fabrication room. This is where the the stock material coming in starts to take shape as a bit or spur. There are exceptions - machines that were purchased new. Toms welder, bought in 1973 to start his welding business, was one of those items. It finally broke down and repair is not possible. It was a bittersweet parting for Tom. He bought the helmet the same day, but it still has a lot of miles left on it. New equipment is also brought in if the technology is able to add value to you, our customers. An example of this is our...

ARE YOU A HORSE PERSON? We love this great list from Pro Equine Grooms and want to share it with you here. "-You speak horse. You understand how their brains work, how to read their body language, and how to influence and train their behavior in positive ways.  Giant, thick books on the topic have been written, you have memorized them all, and you still learn each and every day about how horses communicate by observing and interacting with horses.  -You also speak human. All this horse knowledge is useless if you can’t “play nice” with your boss, your co-workers, the barn clients.  You will also recognize your own needs, and the needs of those around you. Yes, “horses come first” but at some point, you need to sit your butt down and eat a sandwich and take care of yourself.  No horse will die if you wait 30 minutes to clean stalls or do some turnouts.    -Spend time focusing on the basics, the simple things. The tricks will follow.  This goes for hand work and under saddle work. If you have a horse that dances in the cross ties or likes to be a jerk when you are leading him,...

Button: This is the part the slips into the spur straps to hold them on the spur. Swing Arm: The swing arm hold the button to the heelband and, if hinged, allows for some movement. Bronc spurs typically have the spur bottom directly on the heelband and do not have a swing arm. Heelband: The heelband is the part the slides onto the back of your boot. It is sized to fit the rider and can be made of different weighted material for different preferences. Overlays can be placed on this part of the spur to dress it up. Other terms for this part of the spur are 'Yoke' or 'Branch'. Shank: The shank is the contact between the heelband and rowel. It is offered in many different lengths and angles to ensure the rider is able to use their spurs to the best of their ability. Overlays are also often placed on this part of the spurs. This part is also sometimes referred to as the 'Neck' of the spur. Rowel Pin: As the name suggests, this is the pin that holds the rowel onto the shank. It can be attached in many ways with the most common being to weld the end of...

A Bit of Advice from Gina Miles Olympic three-day eventer Gina Miles shares 10 tips for selecting an appropriate bit. By Holly Caccamise | December 2013 - This article originally appeared in the August 2011 issue of Horse Illustrated.  Illustrated. Click here to subscribe. Selecting the correct bit is one of the most important parts of training your horse and bringing out his best performance. Here, Gina Miles, the 2008 Olympic individual silver medalist in three-day eventing, shares advice to help you navigate the many bits out there. Miles uses the following guidelines when deciding on a bit for a particular horse-and-rider combination. Use the simplest bit for the job. "Whenever I have a new horse in the barn or a new student, I first want to see how they go in a very basic double-jointed loose-ring snaffle, a says Miles.   Always remember to go back to the basics. If you have been using other bits during show season, try going back to the basic double-jointed snaffle during a break from competition or over the winter. "It’s always a good idea to take a step back and see if your training has been effective and produced a more rideable, responsive horse” says Miles. Use enough noseband to...

KEEPING YOU IN BITS AND SPURS Have you bits or spurs by this weekend! We try to keep a moderate stock that is ready to ship out today! If you are looking for a particular combination we might have it already built up. The stock in our gift shop is always changing with purchases and new builds. To see if we have what you want in stock please call 307-672-8459 or email sales@tombalding.com. Thanks!  

Billy Klapper Style How Billy Klapper has influenced Tom's bit and spur designs. A little backgound on Billy Klapper: He trained with early spur masters such as Adolph Bayers and has spent his life perfecting the trade. He has over 680 patterns, but accommodates his customers wishes for custom designs. His first designs do not have his makers mark stamped in them. This was a process he started in 1966 by marking each with his name and a serial number. Based in Pampa Texas, he builds each spur from a solid piece of metal using a small coal forge. He is a one man operation and can turn out two hundred pair a year with a waiting list spanning well over a year. In an attempt to learn early on from the masters; Tom spent time visiting Billy Klappers workshop and discussing the processes he used. Billy Klapper spoke freely and took time to teach different techniques to Tom. The respect Tom has for Billy Klapper can be seen in his applications of the lessons learned. It is most evident in his Texas Style spur heelbands, spur shank 102 and 546, as well as the Klapper bit mouthpiece.   When...

THE ORIGINAL - downsides to knockoffs The most obvious downside to purchasing a knock off is compromised quality. But what does that really mean. Let’s break it down.... Our bits and spurs are precision built. Every finished part is within a couple thousandth of the original drawing. Because of this, there is limited wearing, no pinching, and fluid movement for the end user. Bits are perfectly balanced, and spurs molded to your perfect fit. When other makers take our designs and knock them, off through an inexpensive process, you lose the commitment to perfection. The knockoffs are not built to the tolerances and specifications that ours are and therefore begin to wear in places, pinch your horse or boot, and stiffen/wobble when being used. Worst case scenario is a bit breaking while you are using it. With a knockoff, you are walking into a danger zone the moment you take it home. Every design, down to the smallest part, is carefully considered before it is created into a working mockup. Then it is sent to world class trainers and professional riders for testing and feedback. Every comment is evaluated and then the design is changed accordingly. It is tested and retested, until we have something we are...

Have it your way... We can put almost anything you want on a pair of spurs. We can put almost ANYTHING on a pair of spurs. All we need is a graphic you would like overlaid on your spurs. As each piece is delicately cut out by hand it is important to remember that small details will be lost in the process. Feel free to order one of the designs shown here or one of your own! We look forward to hearing from you!            

Which Bit Is Right For Me? Bit Mouthpieces And Rings Explained - Common Understanding Of Bit Functions Have you noticed that you could ask two equine experts the same bit question and get two very different answers? There are many different schools of thought in the equine world. One is not necessarily more right than another, however there are a few common understandings that have emerged. We have compiled the following information to help guide in your unique bit decisions. It is also strongly encouraged to speak with someone that understands your riding style and horse (trainer, fellow rider, etc.) for additional personal feedback on your bit needs. Purchasing a high-quality bit requires the best educated decision possible as it is an investment that will often last a lifetime. Our trial bit service is offered to those that would like to try a mouthpiece before purchasing, to ensure they are comfortable with the function in relation to their riding style. Because information is dynamic, we encourage you to share your experience and thoughts in the comment form below.    House Snaffle Mouthpiece: Noticeable Mullen for wraparound pressure on the bars and increased tongue relief. *****  Balanced Snaffle Mouthpiece: The only snaffle that puts perfectly balanced pressure on both bars without one side being higher...

Custom Spur Creator Build the spurs of your dreams then share, print, or order them! From time to time we have all wished we could build our own TBBS spurs and play with different finishes before ordering them. Well now you can! You can build the base spur and apply different overlays and watch in real time as the price reflects the changes. Once you have your perfect set built share them with your friends and family via the social links at the bottom of the page. You can also email or print the spur combination for your own records. If you love the combination and are ready to order, simply add the custom creation to your shopping cart. If you run into questions let us know and we will be happy to guide you or provide any additional information. We invite you to check it out, build a set of spurs, and let us know what you think! We love receiving feedback from our wonderful customers!   Check it out!  

A bits perfect fit How to fit a bit to your horses mouth The way a bit fits in your horse’s mouth can affect even the best trained horse. A bit should have a 1/8 to a 1/4 inch gap on both sides of the horse’s mouth, allowing for controlled movement and to avoiding pinching. Our standard mouthpiece width is 5 1/8". You can get the measurements of your horses mouth a number of different ways. Some of the most common are listed below. 1)  Measure the mouthpieces of a bit you know fits your horse’s mouth. 2) Place a clean measuring device directly in your horse’s mouth and note the width from corner to corner. 3)  Place a clean mark-able object, that is not very large in diameter, directly in your horse’s mouth and mark the width from corner to corner directly on the object. Then measure the width between markings with a measuring device. The measurement obtained is the size of your horse’s mouth and can be used when ordering bits from all makers. Remember to leave between 1/8 and 1/4 inch on both sides of the horse’s mouth. Please leave a comment below if you have suggestions for additional ways...

A spurs perfect fit The way a spur hugs your heel can make or break your day. We bend each heel band to its wearer for a firm hold that does not pinch or rub your foot. We ask for a specific measurement to ensure this fit is correct. Below is step by step instruction on getting this measurement with your current pair of spurs or your boot. Measuring your fit from a current set of spurs If you have a pair of spurs that you love the fit on, you can get that same feel by measuring them as per below. 1) trace the inside of your current spur as close to the heel band as possible 2) measure the width of the opening 3) draw a line where the measurement was taken and note the width 4) put your name and the date on the top of the drawing and fax/email/post it to us Measuring your fit from your boot If there is a pair of boots you love or if you don't have another set of spurs to measure from, please use the following method to ensure the perfect fit. 1) get a piece of stiff wire and wear the boot that...

So Many Say It Better Then We Do... We have been very fortunate to have many articles written about our company. Sometimes we have found others can say it better then we can. We recently had the following article published in Western & English today. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did! We also have many of the articles here on our site: http://tombalding.com/index.php/articles      

Is This Bit Legal? We are often asked if a bit is legal for a particular association. We don't mind finding out for you! In fact we have accumulated a mini data base of what is legal right now in certain associations and thought we would share it with you. Below you will find answers to all your bit related questions for the NRCHA, NRHA, and AQHA. If we have missed your association please let us know and we will complete the research and get it posted as soon as possible. We have many buy it now options on our website for both shank bits or snaffle bits. We hope you are able to find the exact bit you are looking for. However if you have any questions or cannot find a particular bit online please give us a call at 1-307-672-8459. Thanks!   NRCHA (taken directly from the 2013 NRCHA rulebook): 5.2 A spade bit or a bit having the following characteristics must be used in any of the bridle classes. Said characteristics shall be: one with an unbroken bar mouthpiece with one inch or higher port measured from the bottom of the bar to the top of the...

Native American Jewelry Did you know that we carefully hand select every piece of Native American Jewelry we have in our gift shop from a buyer that scours the country for the highest quality out there? I guess you could say all of our Native American Jewelry is double hand-picked, the best of the best, vetted, top notch, fitting for royalty, or otherwise thoroughly examined before entering our show room. Because each item is one of a kind, and usually does not stay in the store for very long, we are not able to put everything up on our website. So stop in and check out what we have that day or let us know what you are looking for and we can send you images of the items we have that match. Each handcrafted piece of jewelry is truly a work of art from many talented Native American jewelry makers across the western states. As a true testament to the quality of the pieces; a fair number of them end up going home with the office staff! If there is a particular style or piece you are looking for and we don't have it in the shop we can...