Bit choices for tiny mouthed Araby horse

[LadyGascoyne]

Miri’s (left) is the Micklem multiway and Mim’s (right) is the competition. It’s a bit softer and slightly padded.

This was midway through tacking up so not adjusted and done up properly, not a good representation of fit but you can see the difference in the leather.




ETA, just checked and hers is the Deluxe Competition.

 

[criso]

Mine is the older competition version not deluxe. So it has the noseband and browband like the one on the left but doesn't have the extra rings for lunging and bitless.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Mine is the older competition version not deluxe. So it has the noseband and browband like the one on the left but doesn't have the extra rings for lunging and bitless.


View attachment 144512

I just connect my reins to here



I have the option on the brown bridle like this




But I’ve never needed anything other than a side pull

 

[Jenko109]

I used a Bombers happy tongue for a pony with little room.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I think those bridles are some of the ugliest made and flatter no horses head but if the horse likes it, then it doesn't matter. Plus, that's just my opinion. I'd go to the ends of the earth trying everything else before I ever buy one. I have no idea why I'm like this!

Anyway, I've used Fager titanium bits, and Myler bits for a long time now. Always fixed ring snaffles. I've had more like the Fagers than the Myler though. My last preferred a single broken vs a double. I like that the Fager bits are light, have no strong taste, warm quickly, and aren't too thick.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I think those bridles are some of the ugliest made and flatter no horses head but if the horse likes it, then it doesn't matter. Plus, that's just my opinion. I'd go to the ends of the earth trying everything else before I ever buy one. I have no idea why I'm like this!

Anyway, I've used Fager titanium bits, and Myler bits for a long time now. Always fixed ring snaffles. I've had more like the Fagers than the Myler though. My last preferred a single broken vs a double. I like that the Fager bits are light, have no strong taste, warm quickly, and aren't too thick.

I also have to agree with you on the ugly front and I think I would rather try anything else than use one of those.

I do find that alot of bridles are so bulky so fine for the heavier type of horse but look awful on finer types like Arab's they just massive on their delicate little heads.

Sorry

 

[Pinkvboots]

Arabi has a very minimalist bridle for everyday as he is a slight headshaker so the less that is on his face the better, picture for reference

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I think those bridles are some of the ugliest made and flatter no horses head but if the horse likes it, then it doesn't matter. Plus, that's just my opinion. I'd go to the ends of the earth trying everything else before I ever buy one. I have no idea why I'm like this!

Anyway, I've used Fager titanium bits, and Myler bits for a long time now. Always fixed ring snaffles. I've had more like the Fagers than the Myler though. My last preferred a single broken vs a double. I like that the Fager bits are light, have no strong taste, warm quickly, and aren't too thick.

I don’t like them aesthetically either! Miri will get a different bridle if she shows she can stay in work. She’s wearing one of Mim’s right now.

Mim didn’t get on with other bridles much and this gives us the flexibility to switch between bitless and bitted in the space of a minute.

 

[cauda equina]

Arabi has a very minimalist bridle for everyday as he is a slight headshaker so the less that is on his face the better, picture for reference
View attachment 144519

I have even less on mine!
He came in one day with a swelling under one ear just where the browband would sit ( a fly bite I guess) and I wanted to ride so took the browband off and of course the noseband had to go too
He was fine without them and I never got round to putting them back on.
I agree, the less stuff we put on horses' faces the better - I can't bear the so-called 'comfort' bridles with masses of leather everywhere

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I have even less on mine!
He came in one day with a swelling under one ear just where the browband would sit ( a fly bite I guess) and I wanted to ride so took the browband off and of course the noseband had to go too
He was fine without them and I never got round to putting them back on.
I agree, the less stuff we put on horses' faces the better - I can't bear the so-called 'comfort' bridles with masses of leather everywhere

There is clear logic to it though - distributing pressure, reducing single points of contact etc. It’s not pretty, I agree but they exist for a reason.

I had wanted a particularly fine bridle for Mim because she’s so fine and the lady we consulted for Mim warned me that the finer the bridle, the less kind it it tends be. We tried the micklem style one and Mim went much better in it. She hadn’t been ‘wrong’ in the other ones but she would tend to shorten the neck and drop away from the contact, whereas she will maintain much better contact in the micklem.

Mim also has very fine skin and I suspect her nerves are very close to the skin surface as she has such a fine head. That will also factor.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I tried various cut away padded head pieces on Arabi and they made him worse he goes best in the old style flat type, so I stuck with that which is part of an ancient bridle I just bought new cheek pieces and took the noseband off.

They are all different I suppose.

 

[cauda equina]

There is clear logic to it though - distributing pressure, reducing single points of contact etc. It’s not pretty, I agree but they exist for a reason.

I had wanted a particularly fine bridle for Mim because she’s so fine and the lady we consulted for Mim warned me that the finer the bridle, the less kind it it tends be. We tried the micklem style one and Mim went much better in it. She hadn’t been ‘wrong’ in the other ones but she would tend to shorten the neck and drop away from the contact, whereas she will maintain much better contact in the micklem.

Mim also has very fine skin and I suspect her nerves are very close to the skin surface as she has such a fine head. That will also factor.

I think a lot of the craze for new bridle styles is simply down to clever marketing
If there were a clear way to reduce pressure on eg facial nerves, why would so many different designs be necessary?
I do like Micklems (well - have had horses who show a clear preference for them, as well as others who don't) but it strikes me that after they were introduced a lot of other companies jumped onto the bandwagon

As for the thinner the bridle, the less 'kind' - we used to think that about bits but it's not always so

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I think a lot of the craze for new bridle styles is simply down to clever marketing
If there were a clear way to reduce pressure on eg facial nerves, why would so many different designs be necessary?
I do like Micklems (well - have had horses who show a clear preference for them, as well as others who don't) but it strikes me that after they were introduced a lot of other companies jumped onto the bandwagon

As for the thinner the bridle, the less 'kind' - we used to think that about bits but it's not always so

I read it a bit differently.

I think that the interest in ergonomic designs comes from a realization in a lot of horse people that we putting pressure on horses in an unnatural and often unfair way, and we are collectively seeking to lessen the load a bit. Markets respond to trend, and the trend seems to be that we are collectively much more interested in the welfare of horses.

There are a lot of areas that I think we see this. The fact that we understand kissing spines being diagnosed over horses who are deemed cold-backed or have ‘bucking spots’. Or that hoof boots are mainstream, and barefoot isn’t some weird offshoot hippy cult anymore.

Not all of it is perfect, and there is always misinterpretation and misuse, but I think that the overall drive is towards being more sympathetic to the horse is encouraging.

In terms of the variation in ergonomically or anatomically designed bridles, I think there are a lot of designs out there because there are a lot of differently shaped horses. So instead of being forced to pick something from the middle ground in the traditional English bridle design which suits a subset of horses (I suspect mainly the more common riding horse types with straighter, fleshier heads), we can now afford to explore different angles for differently shaped horses, who may not fit into the middle ground so comfortably. I think the variation is natural if the idea is to accommodate horses of different shapes - they aren’t all going to be the same different, if you know what I mean.

I don’t know, I just see it as a positive overall that we are thinking, collectively, about what suits horses. That doesn’t mean that ‘normal’ bridles don’t suit horses, but that we have the choice to make sure that we are happy that they really do.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I don’t know, I just see it as a positive overall that we are thinking, collectively, about what suits horses. That doesn’t mean that ‘normal’ bridles don’t suit horses, but that we have the choice to make sure that we are happy that they really do.

I like this part of it, but I do think some of it is just marketing. I do like having choices and being able to easily find what suits a particular horse. Usually for mine it's been a plain ol' traditional styled bridle.

 

[criso]

As for the thinner the bridle, the less 'kind' - we used to think that about bits but it's not always so

I think if you have a delicate head, it can't be that nice to have a huge great padded bridle as it's more likely to press somewhere uncomfortable as there's not much skin left exposed.

So many standard bridles nowadays are the big padded dressagy ones with obligatory flash and I'm not keen on those. Don't mind how my Micklem looks I think Tigs looks handsome in his and it does seem to fit shorter heads and small muzzles.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I think if you have a delicate head, it can't be that nice to have a huge great padded bridle as it's more likely to press somewhere uncomfortable as there's not much skin left exposed.

So many standard bridles nowadays are the big padded dressagy ones with obligatory flash and I'm not keen on those. Don't mind how my Micklem looks I think Tigs looks handsome in his and it does seem to fit shorter heads and small muzzles.

Agree its so hard to find a thinner type bridle now they are all padded huge things I think jeffries still make a dainty cavesson bridle.

 

[twiggy2]

My last mare rode well in a micklem ut wouldn't tolerate any nse band on other bridles and I also removed the browband, she was much happier with less.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Bit testing - Bomber eggbut happy tongue, it seemed to fit her really nicely but it still felt like she was backing off the contact. Very similar to the one she’s in currently, she seems to drop away from the bit, even on a long rein.



Bomber loose ring happy tongue - she seems happier to maintain contact. We are going to try this one in a jumping lesson next week and I’m excited to see how it goes.



Loose rein, I think she seemed more forward and open.



Thank you TFF for the very kind loan of your bits.

One more to test, so we will have a play next week.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

LG, I have a bunch more of same size bits, let me know if you need more types posting over

 

[little_critter]

I also have to agree with you on the ugly front and I think I would rather try anything else than use one of those.

I do find that alot of bridles are so bulky so fine for the heavier type of horse but look awful on finer types like Arab's they just massive on their delicate little heads.

Sorry

I can sympathise. I have a sporthorse who is mainly TB. His head isn’t particularly fine but he is a pretty boy so I don’t want chunky leather swamping his head.
I’ve been casually looking for a double bridle, but so many come with broad crank nosebands that are totally OTT for his head. I just want a slim cavesson, ideally with some detail on it (ie not a flat hunter type noseband)
I’m wondering what show hacks usually wear…but of course they will probably be brown, not black.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I can sympathise. I have a sporthorse who is mainly TB. His head isn’t particularly fine but he is a pretty boy so I don’t want chunky leather swamping his head.
I’ve been casually looking for a double bridle, but so many come with broad crank nosebands that are totally OTT for his head. I just want a slim cavesson, ideally with some detail on it (ie not a flat hunter type noseband)
I’m wondering what show hacks usually wear…but of course they will probably be brown, not black.

Jeffries do a show bridles and they are finer than your average ones so that might suit you I will see if I can find them.

 

[Pinkvboots]

https://ejeffries.co.uk/collections/bridles

 

[Pinkvboots]

What I have done in the past is buy a normal cavesson bridle and then just add a headslip to make it carry 2 bits then just buy another set of reins.

 

[maya2008]

You can get thin curved single jointed snaffles. Ones small enough to fit into a crowded, tiny Welsh A mouth. Shires do them. My ponies have never objected, and generally actively like them.

But mostly…you don’t need a bit to jump, just to do dressage. I’ve jumped to well over a metre without, and schooled to elementary in a crossunder, just popping a bit back in for competitions.

 

[Flame_]

You can get thin curved single jointed snaffles. Ones small enough to fit into a crowded, tiny Welsh A mouth. Shires do them. My ponies have never objected, and generally actively like them.

My arab, old arab and very fussy former sports horse all went without troubles in a JP curved eggbutt snaffle. I haven't thought about bits in years, they're great.