Best bit to use when breaking in a 3 year old Welsh D?

TBM03

TBM03

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Hello everyone,

I have recently got a Welsh D mare who is 3 and I will start backing her in Jan/Feb time (she'll be 3 and a half) depending on her size, strength and the weather (we have no all weather arena atm) but I would like to start doing the basics now, like bitting her, taking her for walks with me leading her, putting a saddlecloth on and off her etc just to get her used to it slowly. She is quite a bold mare with everything she has seen so far, she likes people and she loves to be loved.

I was just wondering what the best bit would be in peoples opinions and if anyone who is experienced in backing youngsters would mind sharing some handy hints and tips?

Thanks in advance
:)
 
I start mine off in a Nathe bit with straight mouthpiece for long reining and then once I am on board I will move onto a half cheek or eggbutt with lozenge mouthpiece.

Tbh I would leave her be until you are ready to crack on and back her, I know you must be itching to do something, it's just my way of doing things :)
 
I have always wondered why people completely leave horses until they are old enough to fully back, I understand with things that require strength such as leaning on them etc but with the things that just require their mind I don't understand. Surely it's like not teaching a child anything until they are old enough to go to school. I just think that if you teach a horse the basics (leading correctly, showing them scary stuff, put light things on their back) from as young age as possible then it helps them become brave, worldly and more easy going horses which would surely help with the backing process. Make it as smaller deal as possible. I am not saying I am by any means an expert or that you are wrong but that's just what makes sense to me. So I want to do as much with her as I can to help us bond and to help her learn before it comes to actually sitting on her.

My pony loves mylers but I didn't know if it would be too big for a young mouth as they tend to be quite chunky mouthpieces. I shall have a look at the comfort snaffle, thank-you.
 
I have bitted and led my unbacked horses out in-hand (with older sensible horse at first, if required), except for my gelding who objected rather strongly to every bit I tried. So he was put in a bitless bridle and walked out in-hand. I took him out earlier today and he met his first muck spreader and all was well (yay!). Going back to bits, my grey didn't like the lozenge snaffle I tried at first, but liked a Myler comfort snaffle (no port) so she's still in that for ridden work.
 
I use a nylon happy mouth straight bar snaffle [mullen mouth snaffle] then go into a french link snaffle of a very good make eg Neue Schule
 
I varied from bitless and bitted. Long lined a little bit as a 2 year old bitted in a rubber straight bar as we only had open arable land, limited turnout and fairly fast roads so from safety aspect purely chose to do that. Then did everything bitless when I moved as had fenced land so could do him the way I wanted to. Did everything bitless start of his 3rd year for initial 'riding'. 4th year, still have mixed between bitted and bitless tbh, but generally, mostly ridden in a full cheek french link snaffle. If we're going through a teething stage with caps/new teeth, we go back to bitless and pottle round bitless. Bitting has never been an issue in all fairness, as don't use the reins for anything particularly - turn with your seat bones and weight etc.
 
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I had a straight bar nathe which I initially bitted my 4yo in. I then needed some help with turning so tried a sweet iron d ring-she didn't like it much, a lozenge sanffle which she backed off from so tried a full cheeked nathe single joint snaffle which she was happy in. She has a very low palate but big mouth so was a bit of a challenge. She also had her teeth checked before bitting.
 
Originally tried a straight bar happy mouth but he didn't seem happy in it. Swapped it to a copper snaffle with sweet iron french link which he loved. Still with it 2 years later although now use a plain stainless steel one.
 
My rising 4 youngster is in a nylon happy mouth full cheek snaffle and seems very happy and responsive in it. He was started in a straight bar with keys, but only for a short while per day for about two weeks, being led around.
 
for bitting my section d i used one with keys but now with lunging and long reinging (mines 3 and half now) Im using a full cheek happy mouth mullen bit, he seems to like it (especially smothered in treacle haha!) then thinking of moving into a french link sweet iron or something with a lozenge in. but will be a full cheek.
 
All ours start with a straight mouthing bit with keys and move to a plain loose ring snaffle when riding. Any that have not been sold have never needed anything stronger and I know, of the ones that were sold, that one mare who jumped international never wore anything else and neither did one of the 4* eventers, with the rest of them we were not in the sort of contact where the horses bitting would've been discussed. I am in the opinion if it ain't broke don't fix it so haven't changed what we used.
 
Thank-you everyone for your help. I am very excited to get started on her bitting and the rest of her education. I am going to research all the suggestions and pick one I think would be best suited to her. :)
 
A full cheek french link or a roller bit would be fine but as I keep repeating ad nausium it is not the bit but the hands on the reins or rein that make the difference so whatever is comfy My highland baby was backed and ridden away in a waterford as she really liked the fact it had all those joints in it as she has a fat tongue and fleshy mouth so the waterford curves over it in comfort of course you have to have really good hands to use it on a baby. For dressage she has a hanging cheek french link but she doesn't like it as much as the waterford
 
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