Bit burrs for nappy horses??

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el_Snowflakes

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Hi guys,
have any of you tried using bit burrs on a nappy horse? my RI has suggested i try it but just wondered if anyone had any experience- good or bad??
 
If a horse is napping i assume you mean its not going forward.... the bit is in the mouth..... the burrs sound painful...... I would not want to go forward even more if i were the horse.

I honestly dread to think what you mean by a bit burr
 
I used to work on a race yard, we had a new horse in from another yard and were told by the trainer & staff that he needed a bit burr as he hangs on one rein. After some bodywork (which uncovered lots of muscular pain) he stopped hanging on the rein and was a changed horse.

I;d say try and get to the cause of the napping rather than trying to treat a symptom.
 
cheers maggiesmum for the pictures. I thought this would be the case, but cant see how they will help a neddy go forward.

If spinning is a problem then I would think that if you stop it from this escape way, you could end up with a rearer. - I would rather keep him/her spinning and or sit it out till they get fed up and walk on.

Oh and i have experinace of a warmblood whose fastest pace is backwards whilst spinning - and its not nice and its not fun, but they do give up eventually.

GW
x
 
Used to be called brush prickers I think. Had short bristles instead of rubber 'spikes'. To me napping is an issue of not listening to the leg. A full check bit can aid gettig attention, but cannot see a situation where I would ever recommend the use of one of these. Perhaps time or a second opinion?
 
I use a pricker pad for xc (same thing), horse is prone to the odd very cheeky run out to the left, it really helps. Same horse is also a bit nappy, but I've never used it for that and probably wouldn't. Maybe try a full cheek bit?
 
Sounds horrid! Horses nap through lack of confidence and other reasons so I don't see how inflicting pain on them would help. It would probably make many horses even more nappy! Mine goes nuts if you use a stick on him when he's having a tantrum, he wouldn't cope with a bit burr. Are you sure he doesn't just need his teeth doing if he is napping one way?
 
They arent cruel, I have seen them used for ponies that have a habit of leaning etc.

However for napping if the the horse is planting this is what I would do persuming the horse understands leg aids mean walk on:

Get your self long reining, then take horse out on a hack in long reins, if horse plants, then bump start so using left rein or right rein when horse takes step sideways praise lots and just keep going.

Then once horse has learnt this bump start and with you on the ground that he/ she must go forwards get back on, I have a whip with lots of baler twine on the end some people carry a rope Google whip w o p.

So horse plants... ask for left and right until horse goes forwards, if horse doesnt go forwards, ask once with leg and then just flick the whip w o p or whip with baler twine around shoulders, horse will go forwards, just make sure you have a neck strap incase he/ she jumps forwards.

If no luck get off, walk forward praise lots, and then go back (back horse up straight with meaning) to where horse originally stopped, horse will soon learn he/ she is doing more work than needed if she/ he keeps planting.

Lengthly yes, but horses teach us the world of patience and that a quick fix doesnt really get us any where, good luck
 
jesstickle said:
They aren't cruel. Blimey, this place astounds me sometimes :rolleyes:
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Thankyou! :D

I love how people just to conclusions when you ask a simple question on here....especially when some admit they don't even know what a bit burr is!! Its a small brush. No, she does not need teeth doing as were done last week...Yes, she spins and NO she will not give up eventually....and also NO she is not napping through fear she naps through sheer stubborness. She is a big athletic warmblood mare who is not only built like a tank but is extremely stubborn. Personally I would rather she felt a slight prickle against her skin when shes spinning and carrying on than risking a fatal accident on the road.
 
jesstickle said:
They aren't cruel. Blimey, this place astounds me sometimes :rolleyes:
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You do have to wonder sometimes don't you?

Does nobody read and digest good management and saddlery books any more before they open their mouths or rather type?

BTW to OP, yes, I'd give it a try. A prick on the side of the mouth is far preferable to being tanked off with mind if it's a dumblood it probably won't even notice! I do agree that full cheek bits are the way to go if steering is a problem too.
 
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Was going to PM but might as well say it. Not looking for an argument

OP how about draw reins?? You might get some control from them if spinning is a problem, I used them on Toffee OK she wasnt a big strong horse but she was a determined pony when I first had her.

Also ditto the full cheek.
 
elsazzo said:
Thankyou! :D
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You're welcome. Sorry I can't help with your actual question, I've never had one that naps so it's not something I have any experience with. Good luck though, sounds like you and your RI are on the case so I'm sure you'll work something out eventually :)
 
Toffee44 said:
Was going to PM but might as well say it. Not looking for an argument

OP how about draw reins?? You might get some control from them if spinning is a problem, I used them on Toffee OK she wasnt a big strong horse but she was a determined pony when I first had her.

Also ditto the full cheek.
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I do worry that if she tried to rear in draw reins we could have an accident. Thats one of the reasons why i havent tried them.....plus knowing her she would just snapped them anyway......so far she has snapped a bridle and also a pair of those carl hester rein elestics.....:S
 
amymay said:
I'm interested in how your instructor thinks this will solve the horses napping.....
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It doesn't solve it but it's an aid to helping break the cycle by giving it something else to think about and let's face it, it's far preferable to an electric stick up the bum which most riders of napping horses think they could do with.
Once you can break their concentration on napping you're halfway there but a serious napper could be there all day without moving an inch;anything to break their concentration is worth it.

For all you doubters, just run a dandy brush over your hands and tell me honestly if that hurts then remember how thick skinned a horse is.
 
The horse's skin just around the mouth is a bit more sensitive than some would give it credit for ;) but I don't see why not try it for a horse who spins. I would second the full cheek idea personally, but thats because I have used them and havent used the bit spur thingumy. When you posted I thought I was going to see barbs along the mouthpiece! :eek: :o I think people maybe haven't heard about them because they aren't popular these days. Trust me, I have read a lot of equine books!

I also had a mischievous little wonder if you didn't mis-hear the person and they actually said BIG SPURS. Those would be quite useful with a nappy horse, I feel ;)
 
Serious nappers are dangerous & if they plant or spin on a road they are a liability.
Years ago I had one, used a pelham for control, spurs and a stickon the side he spun to, worked wonders.
Bit bur is kind , electric caTtle prod hmm there's a thought lol
 
when i first got my mare years ago i was 11 and she was (stil is lol) a 13.2 chestnut mare. she would go through phases of refusing to go anywhere think lucky to get in the ring let alone beyond the 3rd fence! (although we could have a few months jumping everything!) we tried everything, we did use a whip and it just made her worse. she had a few years off for other reasons and is now only ridden by me during the holidays but the key to getting her to do anything is to have an agreement and understanding her. she is an absolute stubborn cow when she wants to be and rears when she naps.
ive learnt now how to deal with it, i dont carry a whip - not because i dont believe in them but if i use one i may aswel give up and go home! when she naps she turns the way she wants to go but doesnt actually go anywhere so i just sit there and let her rear! doesnt go very high but she will go up and down, i then take a strong hold and turn her now sometimes she will go othertimes we go back to the rearing and we will repeat. when she decides she will go she will actually start cantering down the road i want to go! (no cantering on the road is not a good idea but if it means im going the direction i want to go!) a few times i have left her and gone home not ideal but when shes in a mood no matter what you do she will do it!) she very rarely naps now but she will always be a napper. if you watch her go past a road that she wants to go her ear flicks and she speeds up. i have to take a strong contact, sit deep and use leg. now its taken me a long time to get to this stage and i dont compete her anymore - i dont think she actually enjoyed it! i have had another one that i would just spin round and round in circles, got him dizzy pointed where i wanted to go and kicked! i would give draw reins a go, i would find it highly unlikely she would rear with her nose strapped to her chest and try the bit burs but speaking from experience you don't want to piss her off more! none of this is bhs but that goes out the window with dealing with a potentially dangerous napping horse!
 
jesstickle said:
They aren't cruel. Blimey, this place astounds me sometimes :rolleyes:
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They're not exactly made for comfort though are they?! They're designed to prick into the cheek if you pull on the opposite rein, so the horse moves away from that side to try and get away from that discomfort. I wouldnt say cruel looking at the grand scheme of things but certainly not nice! I would never use them, if a horse is nappy - work on its schooling and dont use silly aids like this.
 
If the horse reacts to the 'silly aid' and moves away from it, going in the required direction, objective achieved, no pain, not so silly really and actually part of a schooling process - simple really IMO
 
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