Fabricator doesn't horse around

If you watch enough Westerns, you might think yanking a horse’s reins one way or another is the best way to direct your steed. But like many things in Hollywood, that’s just another thing they got wrong.

Rod Teuscher has been fabricating bits and spurs—parts of the navigation system that riders use to direct horses—for almost 40 years. Located in Gainesville, Texas, right off I-35 between Dallas/Fort Worth and Oklahoma City, RT Bit and Spur is a destination for horse riders, trainers, and even polo players looking for something special to help them improve their horsemanship.

For those not familiar with horse riding, a bit is the mouthpiece assembly that applies pressure to parts of the horse’s mouth, like the tongue and the jaw bones. A rider can manipulate the bit to guide the horse.

Teuscher said that a bit can be any shape and any thickness. For instance, If the bit has a swung-back design, the rider has a slower release, and a straight-up design provides for a faster release

“I’ve got world champions on every corner where I live, and these guys have such a feel when they ride that they can tell if a bit is 1/8 in. off where it should be,” Teuscher said.

As a horse gets “broken,” to use the training term, the rider might need to use different bits. That’s why when you walk into a horse’s rack room, you’re likely to see bits hung all over the room.

“You get these bits, where some are just basic, but others are more severe. It doesn’t mean that you are hurting the horse, but you can do more with the horse with less movement of the bit,” he said. “You can get to the point where you can have the reins in your hand and you raise the hand half of an inch, and the horse will respond.”

Most people know what spurs are. Found on riders’ boots, they also are used to direct horses. Teuscher said that these are not designed to harm the animals but rather urge them with a slight nudge of the heel.

Teuscher has been making bits and spurs for horse enthusiasts since 1986. The shop has gotten to the point that it now employs six other independent contractors, in addition to himself, just to keep up with orders. Three people are dedicated to adding silver accents to both bits and spurs.

Teuscher said that a nearby shop plasma-cuts a lot of bits and spur parts for him, but those orders usually involve multiples of the same part. To help with the prototypes and one-off projects, RT Bit and Spur purchased an OMAX ProtoMAX compact, self-contained waterjet cutting system four years ago.

The waterjet is used to cut materials like mild steel and silver in thicknesses typically ¼ to 3/8 in., but Teuscher added that he has used it to cut material as thick as 0.5 in. He said the nonthermal cutting is good for the job because it doesn’t blacken or harden the material edges.

Teuscher said that if you show up at a horse riding event nowadays, you might see 30 to 40 purveyors of bits and spurs. Even in this crowded field, he’s confident that RT Bit and Spur’s reputation stands out. After 40 years, people know he knows horses.

That’s why he’s still supplying basic gear along with the more sophisticated and intricate pieces. He could be strictly targeting big spenders, but he likes working with everyone, including the assistant trainers and those new to horses.

“When I was first making bits, I wanted to make them so they worked properly. I wanted it to have a good balance and feel,” Teuscher said.

Success, of course, often follows good work. You just have to know how to gently guide the business with a skilled and steady hand.