The Myth of the 2 Wrinkle Rule
The Myth About The 2 Wrinkle Rule.
Did you know that the 2 wrinkle rule in bitting a horse, originates from the British Cavalry?
The rule originates from the British Cavalry, circa the Crimean War and where I heard this was from my Equine Dentist, who is also Ex Army, and served in the Veterinary Corps with the Cavalry.
Let me tell you the anecdotal story:
An incident occurred with a British Cavalry horse/charger, during the Crimea campaign. The horse’s bridle came off when in camp, and the horse went off at a gallop causing mayhem and injuring some Cavalrymen. Once the horse was caught, a very angry officer, commanded that the bridle be put on tight enough so that it did not come off again, and that the bit be high enough up in the mouth so that it caused 2 wrinkles in the lips. All of the Cavalry horses were then bridled in the same way in order to prevent bridles coming off during a charge or march. Which you can understand is important when your horse is your transport on a cavalry charge!
Horses continued to be actively used by the British Army from the Crimean War through to and, during both WW1 and WW2. Cavalrymen on leaving the Army have strongly influenced British horse riding, as they would all have been highly respected as brave, knowledgeable and excellent survival riders. A high proportion of which would have became local riding instructors, and so passed on the “2 wrinkle rule” and other military riding techniques to a wider riding audience.
British riding has basically evolved from the Military and Hunting field, it is survival riding. Modern day Eventing and Dressage competitions both originate from the Military, one as a test of bravery and stamina, the other of discipline and athleticism for Cavalry horses.
Only since the horse’s status moved from being a Military, hunting and or working horse to being classed as a leisure and competition animal post WW2, has there been more scientific research into maximising the horses’s comfort and so competition performance. As a result we now have a massive equine industry and market for a somewhat confusing variety of saddles, bridles, bits and other schooling aids available. Alongside this is an ever expanding knowledge of equine anatomy and biomechanics through scientific research which is now accessible to all, but obviously wasn’t available for the early the Cavalry Horses and their riders.
So the 2 wrinkle rule, which originated from Cavalry needs and tradition, and which has no scientific backing, has yet to die out.
Having 2 wrinkles in the lips of your horse when the bridle is on, may be the right place for the bit to sit in your horse’s mouth; but it may be that your horse is more comfortable with the bit if it sits lower in the mouth causing fewer or no wrinkles. Where the bit comfortably sits in a horse’s mouth all depends on:
The size of your horse's smile, (bottom of lip to corner of lip)
Size of tongue, and does your horse’s tongue have a low or body of the tongue, (musclular part of the tongue sitting between the molars)?
Has the horse got canine teeth or not?
Is the bit sitting in a groove of the palate or on a ridge?
It is making sure that the bit compliments the shape and size of the horses mouth and above all is comfortable for the horse that is more important than 2 wrinkles in the lips. If your horse is comfortable with, and accepting of the bit, then your horse will have a relaxed, quite jaw and tongue, and there should be no need for a tight noseband, or a noseband at all.
There are of course many other reasons as to why a horse can still be mouthing even if you think you’ve got the right bit and it is comfortable, such as discomfort, stress or pain elsewhere, but that is for another post/note.
Nowadays we, pleasure riders, certainly shouldn’t need to exert strict Military operational command and control on our horses when being ridden, as sympathetic training and modern comfortable tack are available to all, and thankfully we are no longer riding into battle.
So before you apply the 2 wrinkle rule when putting a bit and bridle onto your own horses, remember its origins and take a closer look at where the bit is sat in your horse’s mouth. Whether your horse looks happy and comfortable where it is and when ridden that it willingly accepts the contact, as that is what you really want to achieve.
