Bit advice for fussie Connie needed....

Fiona

Fiona

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Hi folks

I've owned my 13.2 connie for 2.5 years now, about 1.5 years ago he got very unsteady in his head, and it turned out he had sharp teeth so that was remedied, and they have been checked regularly every since. However that prompted him to become terribly fussy in his mouth (he will nod his head up and down if he doesn't like a bit and any soft of contact is taken).

For about a year I've been riding him in a Micklem bridle (we think he likes it as it keeps the bit still in his mouth) and a rubber nathe snaffle. He goes well on this unless he gets terribly excited when he gets a bit leany for a short period, but he's normally great in this bit for everything from hacking, to dressage to XC.

However these aren't cheap at approx. £50 each, and he's gradually making a small split bigger and bigger in the second of these bits I've had for him.

So what I'm wondering (before I buy a third one for him to damage in a couple of months) is are there any alternatives...

Beris has been suggested and I quickly looked at these at the RDS, but there are 4 different types (hard, medium soft and extra soft) as well as different bits (mullen mouth and the ported snaffle would probably be the most likely for us). Lots of choice, and no opportunity to hire one first...

I've also heard of Trust Inno sense, but have never seen one...

Previously I have tried on him with no success.....

Happymouth rubber straight bar (the knobbly one)
Happy mouth double joint
Lozenge bits (fake NS) both loose ring and full cheek
Plain eggbutt snaffle
Bomber happy tongue snaffle
A couple of different hanging cheek snaffles both lozenge and Waterford (to see if he liked the flexibility of the Waterford)

So basically, I'm a bit stuck.

Anybody got a similar horse and can tell me what worked for them??

I contacted the horse bit shop for advice more than a week ago and haven't heard back..

I was wondering about an NS bit like a turtle top (last gasp attempt to get a metal bit that he likes), but there are so many of them that's why I contacted the bit shop for advice, as at least you can hire them for a trial.

So.....

1. Buy another nathe???

2. Buy a beris to try???

3. Try to hire a NS bit??

4. None of the above?????

I'm going to copy some ridden videos in soon for extra information.


FIona
 
ihatework

ihatework

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Fiona said:
I'm seriously considering that, though....

1. it will make it thicker...
2. it won't them be dressage legal??

Fiona
Click to expand...

Well you’d need to buy an new one purely for dressage tests but then use the old one for everyday/jumping. The thickness is marginal.
 
conniegirl

conniegirl

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what about a cambridge mouthed snaffle? my connie loved those, not dressage legal but we got away with a french link eggbut snaffle for dressage
 
B

be positive

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I am not surprised you are getting tired at the end of the 2nd canter:rolleyes:, he is doing less work than you are and trundling along behind the leg which is probably why he is fussy in his mouth, if you can get him moving forward in front of you so he is carrying himself as he should be more than capable of I suspect a lot of the fussing and you fiddling would go away whatever was in his mouth.
 
Rowreach

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be positive said:
I am not surprised you are getting tired at the end of the 2nd canter:rolleyes:, he is doing less work than you are and trundling along behind the leg which is probably why he is fussy in his mouth, if you can get him moving forward in front of you so he is carrying himself as he should be more than capable of I suspect a lot of the fussing and you fiddling would go away whatever was in his mouth.
Click to expand...

You are working very hard there Fiona! :) Has anyone said anything to you about your saddle? I have a theory or two ...
 
twiggy2

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In the jumping video he is not fussing in his mouth at all, he is forward and in front of the leg.
In the dressage video you are working far harder than he is, I would address that and see where you are.
I would wrap the bit you have and get another for dressage.
Your saddle looks to be pushing you to the right too.
I love how positively you ride him over the jumps.
 
Fiona

Fiona

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be positive said:
I am not surprised you are getting tired at the end of the 2nd canter:rolleyes:, he is doing less work than you are and trundling along behind the leg which is probably why he is fussy in his mouth, if you can get him moving forward in front of you so he is carrying himself as he should be more than capable of I suspect a lot of the fussing and you fiddling would go away whatever was in his mouth.
Click to expand...

He was better this weekend than he normally is, as my instructor persuaded me to carry a dressage stick to reining leg if needed.

But by the time we did this test, he'd already had an hours flat lesson, then a 20 min warm-up and jumped the derby course.

In conclusion, he's a lazy wee toad, but on this occasion he may have had some justification lol..

Fiona
 
Fiona

Fiona

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twiggy2 said:
In the jumping video he is not fussing in his mouth at all, he is forward and in front of the leg.
In the dressage video you are working far harder than he is, I would address that and see where you are.
I would wrap the bit you have and get another for dressage.
Your saddle looks to be pushing you to the right too.
I love how positively you ride him over the jumps.
Click to expand...

Thanks twiggy... He loves jumping.

I'm starting equi Pilates to address my position, I know I lean left and collapse from the waist, pushing more weight down my right side.

It's more long standing than this saddle though, which is only about a year old...

Fiona
 
only_me

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Rowreach said:
You are working very hard there Fiona! :) Has anyone said anything to you about your saddle? I have a theory or two ...
Click to expand...

I'm also thinking saddle isn't helping you, is it a GP?

You could always try a bomber bit, its blue metal and we've had great results with them. They do a ported one as well but i think maybe a full sided fixed bit might be better and stiller in the mouth?
 
Fiona

Fiona

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only_me said:
I'm also thinking saddle isn't helping you, is it a GP?

You could always try a bomber bit, its blue metal and we've had great results with them. They do a ported one as well but i think maybe a full sided fixed bit might be better and stiller in the mouth?
Click to expand...

It's a jump saddle only me, my GP saddle was fairly elderly, and my knees went over the knee rolls when I put my stirrups up, so I bought this one from Annaghmore last year...

He hated his bomber happy tongue bit, I think it was too thin compared to the rubber nathe.

Fiona
 
albeg

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Rowreach said:
Cambridge snaffles are my favourite bits of all time. I've loads if you want to try one.
Click to expand...

My fussy Connemara goes best in his Cambridge snaffle. He's short from the corner of his lips to the protruding cheek bone so the tiny rings suit him too.

For dressage he's in a Trust Inno sense flexi soft, he liked a nathe bit but I couldn't find one with tiny rings (55mm or less) so took a gamble on the Trust. It's thicker than I thought would suit him as he has a fleshy mouth, but he's happy in it.
 
Rowreach

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Fiona said:
It's a jump saddle only me, my GP saddle was fairly elderly, and my knees went over the knee rolls when I put my stirrups up, so I bought this one from Annaghmore last year...

He hated his bomber happy tongue bit, I think it was too thin compared to the rubber nathe.

Fiona
Click to expand...

When I watched the video I knew who fitted it straight away 😳

I’ll pm you.
 
Fiona

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For anyone else who was wondering about my saddle, after speaking with Rowreach, I've booked a saddle fitting with the best saddle fitter I can find for next Tuesday morning. He's about 40 miles away, so Fionn and I are having a day out in the trailer together..... and hopefully we get a solution.

I'm still happy to act on bit suggestions though.

Fiona
 
Fiona

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albeg said:
My fussy Connemara goes best in his Cambridge snaffle. He's short from the corner of his lips to the protruding cheek bone so the tiny rings suit him too.

For dressage he's in a Trust Inno sense flexi soft, he liked a nathe bit but I couldn't find one with tiny rings (55mm or less) so took a gamble on the Trust. It's thicker than I thought would suit him as he has a fleshy mouth, but he's happy in it.
Click to expand...

Could I ask is it the inno sense bit with a port or just the mullen mouth version??

Many thanks

Fiona
 
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