10/24/2026
Vaquero Horsemanship: Explaining My Stallion's Spade Bit
What does a spade bit actually do, and why does it take years to bring a horse up into one? In this video I walk through my stallion's spade bit piece by piece: the spoon, the braces, the cricket, and the rein chains, and explain how each part works in a finished bridle horse.
In the Vaquero tradition, the spade is a signal bit, not a stopping tool. A horse carries it lightly and responds to the slightest movement of the reins. It is the end result of years of patient work through the snaffle, hackamore, and two rein.
At Ed's Walking Horses in Crittenden, Kentucky, we raise and train naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horses the Vaquero way. Never sored, just good horsemanship.
See our horses: https://walkinghorses.com