Bit less bridle newbie

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Slightlyconfused

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So after appy who had a stupidly sensitive mouth in the summer came in with sun burn on his muzzle today and skin cracking round the corners of his mouth I am thinking going bit less.

Now he is just ridden in a loose ring, sweet iron snaffle with a copper lozenge, hasn't got a hard mouth. I don't want anything harsh but he can get a little excited in canter so what would be better for him?


He is a 15.1 appy, has a small mouth so has to have thin bits.

Thankies, cream horns on offer :)
 
I started in an English Hackamore and then went into a Micklem.
I am now back in the hackamore as she didn't seem to like the 'head hugging' from the Micklem. It actually made her head shy :(. Pity, as I liked the Micklem.
 
He doesn't like poll pressure, we tried him in a Pelham with double reins once for xc (he can get a little excited round RAF Halton:D) and as soon as the bottom rein came into play even a little he stopped and threw his head up and just didn't respond. So anything with too much poll pressure is a no no.
 
I've used a few different bitless bridles over the years, but my horse has ridiculously thin skin on his face, and pretty much every one would rub his cheekbones leading to summer bald patches. So I have just moved over to a Micklem, because it doesn't actually touch the bits where he gets rubs.

It's great. You can set it up as a sidepull, a scawbrig, a "Dr. Cook crossunder style", and obviously you can use it with a bit too :) I have just been using the sidepull option, since that's what my horse is used to, and I am really impressed. Unlike many sidepulls, the jowl strap (instead of a standard throat lash) keeps the bridle really stable on the face. I can leave the chin strap quite loose (so no rubbing) and it also looks really smart :)

I've used Dr. Cook style bridles before, and feel they don't really release fast enough to be either effective or comfortable, but most horses are happy with the scawbrig option (just a sort of curb strap with reins), and many more will be fine with just the sidepull if you do a little extra training :)

Nicest bridle I've had :) Other options you might like to look at are the Orbitless (similar to the LG, I think?) and the LightRider. Both attach to a regular bridle (you just buy the nosebands).
 
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