2-12-04
My boyfriend bought me my first Boz bit in July of 2002. To be completely honest, I thought it was crap. One of my horses didn’t like it and the other just plain did not respond to it. Looking back now I remember just putting it in their mouths and expecting miracles to happen. I guess it was because I was the typical gymkhana/barrel racer who was looking for the next "Perfect Bit "to work miracles on my horses. I have bought every piece of equipment out there and I have tupperware storage tubs full of bits and reins and tie downs and breast collars and cinches-you name it I’ve got it-everything from Mylar to Professional Choice.
It all changed after attending my first clinic. I learned how to use the bit to teach the horse to give its head, rate its speed, stop, turn, flex, back, and side pass. I learned that sure you could teach a horse to do all these things in a gag bit or a shanked bit or even a hackamore, but you will not do it as fast as you will in the Boz snaffle bit. Have you ever seen a racehorse win a race in a hackamore or a tie down? Anytime you add a shank to a bit you add leverage and take away your speed. The very best riders in the world, race horse jockeys, jumpers, and poloplayers don’t go to the bathroom without a martingale on their horse and believe me, neither do I. The great part about the Boz martingale is that it is really easy to adjust to your horse and if you have the Boz breast collar on. It is really kind of hard to screw it up. Don’t you hate it when you are riding in a snaffle or have at least seen somebody riding in a snaffle and they pull on the rein to turn and the bit slides through the horse’s mouth? The ported mouthpiece allows for tongue relief and the way it attaches to the Boz Halter/Bridle combo with the great big cheek rings keeps the bit in place. Here is another great piece of equipment. Although Boz does not take credit for tying the rope halter, he did innovate the knots on the noseband and the rings on the side of the halter so you can attach your reins to these rings as well as your bit and get more control. The Boz lead rope was probably the best investment yet. My 16.2 hand quarter horse gelding was tied to my 3h slant gooseneck trailer one day and decided to sit back. He was tied with the Boz halter and lead rope. He drug the trailer about six inches back and the lead rope didn’t break.
Have you ever been on a horse when you have to spank them with your reins to make them go forward only to find the reins either miss or don’t hit the horses at the speed which was intended? Boz split reins with sticks are the only reins I use now. First of all, you can just do so much more in split reins than you can in a round rein and by refusing to ride in split reins you are simply telling the whole world that you are not a good enough rider to do so. Then, when you add the sticks into the equation, you never need to carry a whip or an over and under ever again. Contrary to prior belief that whips (or sticks in this case) were used just to make the horse go faster, we use the sticks to train other maneuvers like spins and side passing.
My boyfriend bought me the Boz leather bridle for my birthday this year and it is awesome. It is really pretty and it is functional enough for everyday riding and the best part is it fits my big gelding and my 13.2 hand pony. If you are the type of person that likes to be different and look the part, you have to have this headstall. Not only that but this bridle will last forever because it is made out of the finest harness leather and it is all hand sewn. I got mine with 24’’ sticks for a better reach and I can use either the drop noseband or cavesson, whichever works better on my horse.
I will only use the Boz equipment on my horses from the two year olds on up. I of course have duplicates of everything too just in case I want to change my colors or if I have somebody who wants to borrow anything to try on their horse. I know another student who has had the same halter/bridle combo and reins for fifteen years and she still uses them. I never even thought twice about the price of all my equipment. When I think back to how much money I spent on buying different bits (heck two Mylar bits are about the same as what it costs to buy one Boz bit) and all the bridles and round reins and split reins, I could have bought all the Boz equipment three times over. Not only that but I will never have to buy any equipment ever again.
Becky Amio 2/12/04
P.S. If you still are not sold on the Boz equipment, you can contact me for my tack because I am selling all of it.