Bit Problem !

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xDENISEx

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I have a 15h Arab Gelding 7 yrs old now had him since he was 2, i backed him and have done everything with him so i know him very well. For as long as i can remember his a very fussy horse in his mouth and never taken to well to any bit. (before i go on further will point out that back, teeth and saddle are checked twice yearly and his back is done at least 3-4 times as i complete a lot of showjumping through out the year) I have tired so many bits tonns infact but his not happy with any! When i do flatwork/schooling with him, the only way i can explain is that he site behind the bit, will not relaxe or work forward, everything is very tense and rigid, yet when i ride himand work him in a hackamore i have a completely different horse, he works correctly in a nice out line, nice a balanced and performs movements that i ask of him, but this all changes once i have a bit in his mouth!!!! I have tired a normal (thin) Freach Link Snaffle, Sweet Iron Freach Link, Copper Freach Link, Myler bit, Stright bar happy mouth, happy mouth freach link, the list can go on! I have recently been recommended to try the new Neue Schele Team up bit as there good for fussy mouths and an Arabs Mouth Conformation, Just wondering if anyone has tired/had experice with one or if anyone else has a horse like mine? Thank you.
 
My mum bought a her pony from a where he was ruined by strong bits and harsh hands. First we tried a hanging cheek happy with a french link centre roller but it gave him friction burns and sores. He is now in a NS Verbindend and loves, he is no longer tensing and backing off contact or shooting off, he is a perfectly happy boy.
 
His teeth are all fine and actually were only checked about 5 weeks ago :( yeah i need this to work i hope its driving me mad now x
 
Do you actually need to have him bitted? If he goes well in a hackamore, why not just ride him in it?
If you do need a bit, I would try either NS Starter or NS Team Up, I'm not sure if Verbindend would be right at this point as it is designed for lift of the shoulder and refining signals, and some horses can find it rather strong.
 
sorry if it is a stupid question, but is there any reason you can't ride him in the hackamore? OH mare is very sensitive and would always rather be above/behind the contact, we have found the NS eggbutt works very well for her, as well as an awful lot of suppling work as she has a tendency to tightness in the back which exascerbates the 'above the bit' problem.
 
you cant compete in hackamores can you ?? try the bit bank if you dont want to keep buying bits they have soo many to choose from and you can keep trialing them !
 
i can only compete in showjumping in the hackamore, which is good. And really i would like to do more with him, in the way of showing and dressage but cant do it in a hackamore, shame because there wouldnt be a problem. I have got the Neue Schele Team up bit, going to lunge him for a week in it go he gets use to it settle's down and learns to move forward with a bit in his mouth then start some hacking out just let him settle into it , x
 
I have a TB mare in verbindend as she's always had what I call a fussy mouth but I guess we all have different variations of what we call 'fussy mouths', anyway she seems quite settled in it compaired to other snaffles, suppose it's trial and error or it could just be that she's just prefers to be bitless. Have you had her bitted by an expert, has your dentist had any imput with regards to what her mouth is like and what bits may be more suited to her type of mouth conformation?
 
oh yer i know i can complete in hackamore for showjumping, buit cant for showing and dressage, thats really wot i want to be doing as well, and its all snaffle mouthed, so i really need/want him to be able to get on with a bit so we can do more togther as a team. Training bit??? The one i am on about is the Neue Schele Team Up bit x
 
My little AA mare confounded her rider, who is a hater of single jointed bits, by going most happily in a single jointed bit. I note there are none on the list of bits you have tried, perhaps one would be worth a go?
 
Hi,
I would be interested to find out how you get on with the ns team up bit as i'm having problems finding a suitable bit for my mare at the moment. She has a big tongue that she keeps getting over the bit, i spoke to the bit bank and was reccomended the bomber loose ring snaffle which is a ported sweet iron bit. We have also tried a pee wee but didn't like it. Unfortunatly though the bomber bit is not dressage legal. Good luck x
 
i be honest i am not a fan of single jointed bits, and do get how some horses like them and if thats the case then good, but My boy where his a arab has a very low roof line (as Arabs do) and he has a large touge so needs a double jointed bit so it doesnt squeeze and put presure on his tough when contact is taken up. hence why i have stuck with a french link. My Dentist has said there is no conformation problem with his mouth to expalin why he wont accept a normal french link bit. I am not sure if its all in his head and he doesnt feel as if he can move forward with a bit in his mouth. I havent had an expert come out, purely because i have had a dentist give me the thumbs up on everything is fine and his size of his mouth etc, also had the vet look at him just to give his mouth the once over 6 weeeks ago and he said all was good. Arabs are a little bit more harder to settle i do get that but this has been a consant battle now for at least a year. x
 
From what I can remember from another thread in CR, it was a while ago, that a lady could not use a bit on her horse as he had had jaw surgery to correct a congenital problem. I think it was a link too to another forum... I can't quite recall.

Could you give that a go? Or you could just give BD a call and find out if there are any clauses.
 
xDENISEx said:
i be honest i am not a fan of single jointed bits, and do get how some horses like them and if thats the case then good, but My boy where his a arab has a very low roof line (as Arabs do) and he has a large touge so needs a double jointed bit so it doesnt squeeze and put presure on his tough when contact is taken up. hence why i have stuck with a french link. My Dentist has said there is no conformation problem with his mouth to expalin why he wont accept a normal french link bit. I am not sure if its all in his head and he doesnt feel as if he can move forward with a bit in his mouth. I havent had an expert come out, purely because i have had a dentist give me the thumbs up on everything is fine and his size of his mouth etc, also had the vet look at him just to give his mouth the once over 6 weeeks ago and he said all was good. Arabs are a little bit more harder to settle i do get that but this has been a consant battle now for at least a year. x
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I THINK the double joint is more for you to be honest. I broke/bitted my mare in a single joint sweet iron, and dentist and both said being a newforest with a low roof and large tongue she would find a double jointed better, she didnt appear to be uncomfortable in the single joint but taking their advice i switched to a double jointed, and for a few weeks had a horrible mare, fussy in mouth, head tossy etc, put it down to her getting used to it.... never improved, put single joint back and have a lovely soft forward mare, not fussing etc....try it! u will be suprised!
 
If he prefers being ridden in a hackamore I'd be inclined to keep him in one. You can compete in all but dressage in one.

Have you had his jaw Xrayed - I was surprised to find a bone spur on the bar of an unbroken 3yr old - I had the skull after it was PTS with an advanced foot infection. A friends hunter was terrible in a bit - totally uncontrollable - in a hackamore she was a lovely ride.
 
Evelyn said:
If he prefers being ridden in a hackamore I'd be inclined to keep him in one. You can compete in all but dressage in one.

Have you had his jaw Xrayed - I was surprised to find a bone spur on the bar of an unbroken 3yr old - I had the skull after it was PTS with an advanced foot infection. A friends hunter was terrible in a bit - totally uncontrollable - in a hackamore she was a lovely ride.
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I've seen this too, noticed by a dentist years ago when I was working at a stud. It's allegedly a common occurence! I've just been reminded of it from this post.
 
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