Bit advice please

D

Dexydoodle

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 November 2010
Messages
663
Location
South West
Visit site
Been having a few lessons with my instructor recently and she suggested a change in bit may help as my mare is trying to evade the contact. She also has quite a dry mouth so we're thinking something that encourages her to salivate more may help in encouraging her to accept the contact, and she may also be a bit uncomfy in the french link which could be part of the problem (she came to me in a single jointed snaffle which I replaced with a french link).

Shes currently in an eggbutt french link snaffle, I don't need any extra brakes as such as she's very easy to bring back and soft in her mouth. She's had physio recently so don't think its connected to pain issues, just think this is an ongoing issue that she'll open her mouth and poke her nose up so my instructor suggested trying an NS loose ring with a lozenge, or a KK with a lozenge.

Can anyone explain to me how the NS bits or KK bits work differently to a plain french link?

Think this is what i'm looking for http://www.thehorsebitshop.co.uk/product.php?xProd=32 - does that look like what i've described?! (have also emailed to my instructor!). Think I also read somewhere to go 1/4" bigger in an NS bit - is that right?
 
Does your instructor not have something they can let you try, I have numerous bits that I lend to clients so they can see what may help, it can be trial and error and extremely expensive to keep buying a bit only to find it makes no different.
The NS bits are made to encourage salivation, with the shaped mouth to be more comfortable, your horse may prefer the loose ring as there is more movement than with an eggbutt, if you cannot borrow one it is worth having one on trial first just to see how she goes.
 
Sounds very similar to to my new mare. Came with single joint hanging snaffle. I changed it to loose ring ns but she constantly bit on it and messes with it, not in a positive way either

She has a low palate so didn't want to go back to the nutcracker action

By coincidene tried her in a ported Pelham for a show and she was more settled in that. Got me thinking she obviously prefers something stiller. Thoughts were Mullen mouth hanging cheek, but I didn't like the idea of not having individual rein contact. Then I found mylers hanging cheek Mullen mouth which is perfect. She is much happier in it. :):)

This is odd for me as I'm a great fan of ns or French links
 
be positive said:
Does your instructor not have something they can let you try, I have numerous bits that I lend to clients so they can see what may help, it can be trial and error and extremely expensive to keep buying a bit only to find it makes no different.
The NS bits are made to encourage salivation, with the shaped mouth to be more comfortable, your horse may prefer the loose ring as there is more movement than with an eggbutt, if you cannot borrow one it is worth having one on trial first just to see how she goes.
Click to expand...

She doesn't unfortunately but thats ok, looks like the bit bank have got what i'm after on trial, also got a friend with a kk conrad ultra aurigan she'll let me try, or a myler 2.
 
soulfull said:
Sounds very similar to to my new mare. Came with single joint hanging snaffle. I changed it to loose ring ns but she constantly bit on it and messes with it, not in a positive way either

She has a low palate so didn't want to go back to the nutcracker action

By coincidene tried her in a ported Pelham for a show and she was more settled in that. Got me thinking she obviously prefers something stiller. Thoughts were Mullen mouth hanging cheek, but I didn't like the idea of not having individual rein contact. Then I found mylers hanging cheek Mullen mouth which is perfect. She is much happier in it. :):)

This is odd for me as I'm a great fan of ns or French links
Click to expand...

Interesting! Tried her in a pelham once and she just set her neck against me. Have driven her previously, and she went really nicely in a wilson snaffle.

Got a friend who loves her myler, and has a myler 2 she could lend me but not sure if mine needs to be a bit further along in her schooling (she's 16 so hardly a baby but she was in a hacking home before me and in and out of work with injury so hasn't gone 'properly' for a very long time!)
 
Dexydoodle said:
Interesting! Tried her in a pelham once and she just set her neck against me. Have driven her previously, and she went really nicely in a wilson snaffle.

Got a friend who loves her myler, and has a myler 2 she could lend me but not sure if mine needs to be a bit further along in her schooling (she's 16 so hardly a baby but she was in a hacking home before me and in and out of work with injury so hasn't gone 'properly' for a very long time!)
Click to expand...


Take the opportunity to try different bits, you can often tell immediately what they like or dislike and it can be as simple as having a different type of ring, if they are fussy a, eggbutt or hanging cheek can help, if they are a little unsure of the contact and lack salivation they may like a loose ring that moves about more.
 
Instructor suggested somrthing thicker and loose ring with a lozenge.

she's opening her mouth to evade the contact a fair bit so im keen to try tp see if we can resolve it with a different vit rather than resorting to a flash
 
What about a sweet iron loose ring snaffle with copper lozenge. Nice and cheap and our horse loves it after rejecting my extensive collection of NS and sprenger bits.
 
Do you need the bit dressage-legal?

If not then you sound like a good partnership to try bitless. Depending on how much brakes/help with way of going you need at all could be worth looking into some of those options. To simulate a side-pull you can just pop reins on a head collar as a cheap try-out...
 
We only go to little shows and stuff but I do want to get her doing xc etc (again only little) so not sure whether that applies? Have ridden her in a headcollar (mostly to and from the field and in the field but did once in the arena) and shes fairly good but I may try out a couple of bits cos I think I would rather find a bit that suits if possible. Shes fine in it hacking and.if you're having a mooch in the school its only now we're asking her to work a bit more together.

Do ride with someone who rides bitless so no particular objections to it but I would like to try some different bits first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top