direction of rings

[malachi]

I'm just full of questions today. This is the last one I promise. Mr. Knopp had some photos of hand forged bits on this site some time back and I noticed that one of them had the loose rings at ninety degrees to the cheek branch. That is to say that as viewed from the front, the rings full circle faced you. The holes in the branches were left to right instead of front to back. Most I have seen are made with the rings hanging parallel to the branches of the bit. My question is to the horsemen out there who fully understand the bitting of horses. Does that direction make any difference? In forging the bits it sure is easier to forge the holes sideways than straight on. would such a configuration be authentic enough to replicate for impressions?
with regards,
John Gregory Tucker

[Mark Choate]

Re: direction of rings

John,
I know what you are talking about and it doesn't make any appreciable difference as far as reining the horse goes. While I personally have never forged any, it presumably is a little faster and easier to place the hole so that the ring is in 90 degree angle to the cheek shank rather than fashioning the hole at 90 degrees which then allows it to hold the ring parallel to the cheek bar. Was fashioned both ways and either way correct. I have both types on different rigs and wouldn't turn around for the difference in the handling.

Mark

[malachi]

Re: direction of rings

thanks mark!

john gregory tucker