A 'bit' of advice please?

Blizzard

Blizzard

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When it comes to bitting I am by no means an expert, but I do know that Beau is not happy with his bit.

The situation is Beau is in a single jointed snaffle, and he just doesnt settle in it. He wears a flash as he opens his mouth, but again I think part of this is not liking the bit, as I have ridden him without the flash and he certainly doesnt use the lack of wearing it to evade you.

He isnt strong and is very responsive.

He can toss his head around a bit, shake it up and down, or just chew and lean on one side of the bit, he does it quite a bit.

At first I thought it was boredom, or just getting used to being ridden again as he had been off a yr before we got him, and he is only 6.

So can anyone PLEASE offer any recommendations as to what I could try him in?
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He is a warmblood and a 5 and a half inch in bits, I wouldnt say his mouth was fleshy, just average.

I had his teeth done when we got him because that was my first though, he did have some sharp edges, but they are ok now.
 
Single jointed bits can be very "pinchy" for horses - I personally don't like them at all. I'd try a snaffle with a lozenge in the centre or even a straight bar which might help him feel a bit more comfy. If you want to splash out there are some nice bits which swivel in all directions and "go with the flow" so to speak! Perhaps if he's leaning on the side, you could try something with cheek pieces to give him some support there...
 
You could have a go in a happy mouth snaffle, but if he likes to chew or lean then you could try a waterford, but as you said he is not strong I'm not sure....I would have a play with some different bits, loose rings, Eggbutt, hanging cheek, straight bar, french link, waterford....you could try a bit bank and see what you can come up with
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ETS But I am not an expert At All! So don't listen to what I say
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you could try a naithe snaffe, I've met some horses that have been awful in simple jointed snaffles and love the naithe, it's a soft flexible straight bit with a narrowing in the middle to make room for the tongue. Really soft, gentle bit. My friends 17hh wb did a lot of nodding, tossing and trying to evade the jointed bit but is perfect in the naithe.
 
French link snaffle? Or perhaps a straight bar snaffle?

Sounds like he doesnt like the mouth piece and if he is resposive in a snaffle, then he doesnt need a stronger bit.

Thats about the extent of my bitting knowledge
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you could try a naithe snaffe, I've met some horses that have been awful in simple jointed snaffles and love the naithe, it's a soft flexible straight bit with a narrowing in the middle to make room for the tongue. Really soft, gentle bit. My friends 17hh wb did a lot of nodding, tossing and trying to evade the jointed bit but is perfect in the naithe.

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Thank you, Ive never even heard of that bit, thats how unclued up I am!
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Well thats another thing, he is 17.3hh and a lot of horse to hold together, so if he was more settledit woudl make my life easier!

Your friends horse sounds like Beau!
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ets: Just had a google, it looks like happy mouth material?
 
St_Bernard - it looks similar to a happymouth but is really soft and bendy - not as hard as a happymouth! You could almost bend it double but they are also strong, not chewed through easily (the look soft and bendy enough to be). Don't know what they are made of, would think some form of rubber.

didn't neueschulebits used to be the bit bank? they used to sell you a bit and if you tried it and it wasn't right they used to take it back and you could try another and so on till you found the right one.
 
from: H&H website
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Not to be confused with cheaper, plastic mouthpieces, Nathe is soft and flexible, but not as bulky as rubber. An inner core ensures safety - horses have been known to bite into non-metallic bits.

"Fussy-mouthed horses, or those with a very light mouth, seem to like Nathe bits," said Tina. "They enjoy the feel of them, which means you can keep a contact without worrying them."

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from dressagestars.com:
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The Nathe Loose Ring SNAFFLE BIT is easy on the mouth and mild to the tongue. Stimulates chewing. Ideal for starting young horses. With flexible steel wire rings and an allergy free mouthpiece. The Nathe bits have been proven to be excellent for sensitive horses.
Recommended by Karsten Huck Olympic Bronze Medalist

[/ QUOTE ]

 
Id definately recommend the Neue Schule bits - i am currently loaning a couple through shop4bits.co.uk who do a 4 week trial system to find the right bit for my fussy mare... just sent one back, got another 2 coming out to try.... great idea and they are incredibly helpful...
 
Firstly, single jointed snaffles unless they are curved are actually pretty strong bits. Neue schule do a good alternative called a Demi Anky which is curved so that there is no nutcracker action.
However, having used Neue Schule before, if you want to try a lozenge bit (which to be honest is what I would do) I would definately fork out the extra on a Sprenger bit. They are better, the Neue Schule isn't quite so hard wearing and if you examine them closely not quite so well made. Don't get me wrong, they are still good bits, it's just that Sprenger are better.
If your Horse likes to chew the bit you could try a Sprenger WH Ultra. It is a lozenge bit but has a wheel in it that the Horse can role with their tongue. Here it is, and this is the cheapest place...(I've bought a couple of Sprengers from here and the service is superb)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-SPRENGER-WH-UL...4QQcmdZViewItem
 
Thank you everyone,

I was actually browsing through bits last night, what an exciting life I lead, and Suzysparkle I was actually looking at the KK ultra, I also sw the WH ultra with the lozenge like you said, Beau doesnt have any tongue issues, but the lozenge does seem like it will give the horse a sense of freedom with their tongue
 
Your horse sounds alot like my old horse! He used to be ridden in a single jointed happy mouth- just because he is a peach and very easy to ride . He didnt really work very well in this though, and didnt like the action so I swapped it to a straight bar HM, again much better but then he started to lean and get heavy on it, particularly on his worse side so theeeeeeeen (lol) swapped that to a HM with a roller in the centre- bingo! He could fiddle and play with the roller, but couldnt lean and the action is very gentle. He was so much better with it that I could stop jumping him in a HM pelham and jump him in the snaffle as he was so light in it. Can you tell I like HM bits??! My new horse in siggy is lunged in the roller mouth bit, and jumped in the loop ring version. Really should ask for a job with them!
Personally, if he doesnt like the single joint action of his bit then just buy a cheap losenge/link centre version of whatever you ride him in at the mo ie. eggbutt or loose ring. If he settles to this then fork out for the expensive NS etc.
 
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