Bit Advice

[Angela_1987]

Hi Everyone.

Brought my first horse in May and he is a lovely 16hh TBxID. When i first got him, he wouldn't soften or go in an outline and we have made progress in the last couple of months. He will soften now but doesn't hold it for too long and feels heavy on my reins. He does produce a lot of saliva when doing flat work and working correctly. He is currently in a hanging cheek french link snaffle. He can also get in to a right strop some days and not want to work forward on the contact and just sticks his head in the air.

When jumping, he is quite sharp and i think that comes from his previous owner only using him from jumping. (Has a lot of muscle behind)

He has had his back checked. No problems there. I haven't had his teeth checked, which is my next thing to do.

Just wondered if anyone could recommend a bit, which might help him stay in a contact and so he works over the top. Sometimes it feel as though he is avoiding the bit. Like someones been hanging on his mouth?? This wouldn't surprise me, as like i said he has solely used for jumping and don't think they did much flat work with him.

Sorry for the essay!! Any advice appreciated

 

[Orchardbeck]

My mare can sometimes be like this, i've been riding her in mullen mouth pieces, she seems to prefer it to anything with a joint, even over the ns tranz lozenged baucher, to my disgust and expense!

I've tried most of the Happy Mouth bits, but currently have her in a plain old loose ring happy mouth at the moment and can actually get her to take up a contact, tried the ns in again at the weekend and she stuck her head in the air again. Would like to try the Nathe version though.

 

[Buzzybee11]

A nice thick snaffle which is soft and inviting and lots of work on the flat are more likely to give you results than a stronger bit or gadget. pelhams can get the horse rounder and more steady in the contact but unless used properly the horse can end up not using its back and dipping behind the vertical.

 

[texel]

The clue is in the sentence where you say he won't hold it for long and then leans on the bit.
So you need to build it up slowly.

Get to know how long he can hold the outline for them before he starts to lean slow down and let him stretch for the same amount of time. Then ask him to work in an outline again.

You will find over time he will be able to hold the outline for longer.

 

[Hexe]

absolutely agree with texel... best is to get a good instructor and work through it together.

just be careful with horse dentists and do some research about their qualifications. i have wasted money on many, which weren't properly trained as everyone can call themself an equine dentist.

with bits its just what suits your horse. try as many as you can especially different mouthpieces and materials. i personally found the sprenger dynamic loose ring snaffle to have worked well on all 3 horses i tried it. with fussy horses i think happy mouth bits are also worth a try, but when choosing the bit always keep in mind that 'a harsher bit cannot compensate the missing throughness' (my favourite quote from a german riding book)

good luck!