The Turbo Lifter

Milo's new bit came Monday night, its the DM Turbo Lifter. Its just like the bit I used on Milo in my last lesson with Sarah, only this one has swivel shanks, not fixed like the other Turbo Lifter, or the Lifter I was using the last two weeks. Not only am I super excited to have found a great deal on this bit (these bits sell new for $100-$150) spending only $56 including shipping, but I have come to find that I like the swivel shanks.

When I first found this bit advertised online, I consulted Sarah on if the swivel shanks would be appropriate, or if Milo is in need of a fixed bit. She believed the swivel shanks would be just find and encouraged me to take the sweet deal, so I did.

I had noticed in the Lifter bit, that sometimes I felt my cues where a bit confusing for Milo. For instance his habit of poking his nose to the right and causing his neck to become crooked instead of straight. He needed a little help from both the outside and inside rein to get him back on a straight track, but I found with the heavy fixed Lifter bit, sometimes this didnt come clear to Milo, who would instead just lift up away from the bit, or increase the crookeness of his head and neck. I was also have a little bit of a problem with turnarounds, since the pressure on either side piece couldnt be picked up independently if needed, sometimes the bit would be applying pressure for a cue to back.

So, after being able to ride in this Turbo Lifter with the swivel shanks, I think its the perfect middle ground bit for Milo. Its still offering much more stability and a "step up" from the Les Vogt Elevator Bit, but offers a bit more individual flexion through the shanks, something Milo still needs some assistance with occassionally.

This bit seemed to yeild better results in our arcing poles exercise as well. I increased the difficulty to five poles instead of just the four we had been working over, and after only one pass over where Milo had to figure out his tempo, he worked beautifully over it, even to the left. Im not sure If I can attribute the bit for some success, or if Milo is just getting the hang of it.

But out circles were notably better with my ability to reinforce the outside rein with the inside as necessary. We worked a bit on our fencing as well, which is getting a lot better. Ive been letting Milo rest for a few minutes at the fence after a particularly nice approach and stop, letting him associate the fence with a good place, this should help him want to be at the fence more then trying to duck out away from it.

Being as this is the turbo lifter as well, which basically means that the height and angle of the cheekpiece above the bit is higher, this more quickly takes pressure off of the mouthpiece and onto the curb strap. The DM website says so much as 90% of pressure off of the mouthpice. As the name suggests, the Turbo Lifter (as with any Lifter for that matter) cues the horse to lift at the wither and flex at the poll, always encouraging a lift rather then a head down like a traditional leverage bit (dont confuse this with a higher head however, a lifted wither and round back still enables a lower head, but it doesnt bring the horse's weight down and forward like a leverage bit....get the difference?).



This was the best photo I could get of the bit hanging. I know its a busy photo, but heres what the sink in the tack room looks like too!

You'll notice I had some extra leather string I was able to fashion into a leather curb strap. The bailing twine worked for the other bit, but I figured the leather didnt detract as obviously as the twine. It does the job though without me having to buy a new curb strap!