Biting a horse for the first time.

[JumpingJacks]

I seem to be asking so many questions recently as I love to hear what other people do. I am thinking of biting my youngster soon just to get him use to a bit. I am thinking of using a rubber bit and just introducing it slowly. What bits do you all use/used to bit your youngsters??

 

[rhino]

Biting or bitting? I've never felt the need to bite a horse

Usually use a french link/peanut snaffle on a headpiece (i.e. no browband or noseband initially) over the headcollar. If the horse is used to being handled, lets you open its mouth to look at its teeth etc., you shouldn't really have any issues, I've never had a horse react badly

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

I've never bitten my youngster, but if I felt the need to begin biting, I would pick a tender spot on the horse! hehe Sowwyyyyy...

I attached a rubber mullen mouthed snaffle (loose ringed) to a standard bridle (no noseband or browband) I undid one cheek piece, slid the headpieace behind the ears and gently placed the bit in his mouth and buckled the cheek piece back up, after a week or so of doing his and him being used to the bit, I then put it on the conventional way over his ears XX

 

[Herts05]

Rubber straight bar eggbut snaffle attached to headcollar with bailing twine.
However, I would advise checking for wolf teeth in geldings/colts first.

 

[JumpingJacks]

What a wally I am missing a t out.So am I right going down the rubber snaffle route. I know it is personal preference and I have had so many different suggestions from different people. Thank you.

 

[Goldenstar]

I don't like rubber I think it's too thick , my choice is a neue schule trans lozenge eggbutt on bridoon slip no brow band at first.

 

[SNORKEY]

Hi, I recently held up my geldings bridle after untacking my horse and my nosey youngster came over so I held the bridle up and he put the bit in his own mouth! Lol
I have a rubber happy mouth though that I use and I just start by putting it on for a minute or so and give them a treat and then start to lead them around a little bit and build up from there. I stick to the rubber bit until they've chewed it too much, then put them in a copper mouth peanut link snaffle.

 

[Megibo]

The first time I bit my horse was on the ear, cause she bit me on the arse cause she was moody

 

[Goldenstar]

I don't like rubber I think it's too thick , my choice is a neue schule trans lozenge eggbutt on bridoon slip no brow band at first.

Because I always use a metal bit I put in my Er bra first to warm it up honest that's what we taught to do.

 

[Holly Hocks]

I tried my youngster in a rubber straight bar, but the bar was too thick for her mouth. I then tried an ordinary french link snaffle - she didnt like the metal. We're currently in a straight bar happy mouth and she is fine in that - it is much thinner than the rubber ones.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

After a couple of glasses of wine I don't have any advice but have found your mis-titled thread more amusing than I would have had I been stone cold sober

 

[rhino]

After a couple of glasses of wine I don't have any advice but have found your mis-titled thread more amusing than I would have had I been stone cold sober

I don't know, I found the '9 inches' thread in NL and the 'any vagina experts?' thread in breeding even funnier I am desperately immature though

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I don't know, I found the '9 inches' thread in NL and the 'any vagina experts?' thread in breeding even funnier I am desperately immature though

Are they current? Do those titles have sexual overtones? Currently single and can't remember what it's all about! Off to search now

 

[josie_s]

I'm with goldenstar, I personally think rubber snaffled are too thick for most immature mouths, I always imagine they'd feel like they were being gagged but that's just my choice. I too prefer neue schules but have used French link b4 too.
I bitted my yearling colt (for showing) with a straight nylon bit n that was fine as a much thinner mouthpiece but in 3/4 yr olds I like double jointed bits

 

[rhino]

Are they current? Do those titles have sexual overtones? Currently single and can't remember what it's all about! Off to search now

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=551602
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=551365

 

[Goldenstar]

I don't know, I found the '9 inches' thread in NL and the 'any vagina experts?' thread in breeding even funnier I am desperately immature though

Try some housework that will ground you again.

 

[LittleWildOne]

Back on topic ladies, Plllllllllllease

If I am bitting a youngster for in hand showing, I use a nylon in hand bit. They have nice thin mouthpieces which most youngsters can cope with.
I start off by attaching the nylon in hand bit to the horse's headcollar. You CAN buy little connector straps for this purpose (I've seen them in Robinsons catalogue), but I used cut to size pieces of velcro...sew the fuzzy strip on to the end of the hooked strip, so that you can fasten it around the bit ring and back onto itself .
I do plenty of walking in hand, leading from the headcollar while the horse gets used to the feel of having a bit in their mouths. I also teach them properly how to walk and trot up in hand.
Once youngster is happy with the bit sitting in it's mouth, I get them used to wearing the in hand bridle then buckle the bit on. I use a leather lead rein with a 3 way coupling, with the buckles fastened so that most of the pressure is taken on the noseband.

For bitting horses to ride, I prefer to use the bit which they will eventually be ridden in. This, IMO, makes things easier for the horse. Rather than start with, e.g. a straight mouthing bit with keys, then change to a new bit for starting to long rein then ride, I prefer to start with a loose ring french link snaffle. Some youngsters don't like the "looseness" of a loose ring bit, and they play around TOO much with it in their mouths. For these, I'd change to an eggbutt french link snaffle. It still has enough play in the mouthpiece, but is held slightly more still in the horse's mouth.
I have found that most horses like either the loose ring or the eggbutt french link as a starter bit.
If the horse is struggling with learning to turn, then either a full cheek or a fulmer snaffle, both with a french link mouthpiece, can assist the horse while learning to turn. The fulmer has a softer action than the full cheek, as the rings are "loose" on the outside of the bit cheeks. Using keepers on the fulmer makes it slightly more fixed in the horse's mouth, but not as fixed as a full cheek snaffle.
The french link mouthpiece allows the bit to conform more easily around the shape of the horse's mouth, (it curves over the tongue), and eliminates the nutcracker action of a single jointed snaffle.
I find the mouthpiece on a rubber snaffle can be too "fat" for a youngster to hold comfortably in it's mouth. Plus, if the horse is tense and not producing enough saliva, the rubber can bruise or even tear the delicate membranes on the bars of the horse's mouth.

To fit a bit for the first time on a horse for riding, I do it the same way as above for bitting an in hand horse/pony. I just use the bit which the horse will start being long reined/ridden in, instead of the nylon in hand bit

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

When you take the bit out, remember the horse isn't born knowing how to spit it out! Ask horse to open its mouth, don't just pull bridle off over the ears and let the bit drop down banging the teeth. If you do make a mistake and bang the teeth, a lightweight rubber or plastic bit won't hurt as much.

 

[LittleWildOne]

When you take the bit out, remember the horse isn't born knowing how to spit it out! Ask horse to open its mouth, don't just pull bridle off over the ears and let the bit drop down banging the teeth. If you do make a mistake and bang the teeth, a lightweight rubber or plastic bit won't hurt as much.

This is very important. I'd say more so than getting the horse to take the bit.
Either unfasten the bit from one side of the bridle, then gently ease it out of the horse's mouth. Then, unfasten the bit from the other cheekpiece.
BE CAREFUL - keep hold of the bit while unfastening it as most youngsters will toss their head while you are removing the bit. If you let go, the bit could very easily hit you or the horse, (or both), in the face.
OR, holding the bridle at the top of the headpiece, help the horse to slowly lower the bit out.
I put one hand, (my left hand), on the front of the horse's face to steady the head. With my other hand, gently ease the headpiece over the horse's ears, and hold the weight of the bridle while lowering it slowly. The horse will try to spit the bit out, but keep easing the bridle slowly downwards until the horse gently uses it's tongue to push the bit out of it's mouth, without banging it's teeth.
Take care as most youngsters try to get the bit out quickly to begin with.

 

[Zimzim]

I either use a rubber french link loose ring snaffle or a french link eggbutt rubber snaffle at first, then once they're happy with that I put them in the bit they'll be worked/ ridden in. My youngsters have always been used to having the bridle on without a bit first so adding the bit hasnt been a problem, I just fasten the bit on one side first,then let them pop the bit in their mouth and fasten it up on the opposite side.

Just be careful when taking the bridle off/ removing the bit that it doesnt bang their teeth etc, so do as above (what littewildone has said).

 

[staceyn]

Shows how much I know lol I just put the full bridle straight onto mine lol oops. And let them get used to it doing it every couple of days

 

[MileAMinute]

For initial bitting, I used a straight bar rubber snaffle. I didn't like it and nor did he.

Since then, and for backing him and riding away, I've used a french link snaffle with copper lozenge, and he really seems to like it

 

[LittleWildOne]

Cobrastyle, I bitted my Welsh D in a loose ring french link, after letting her get used to it, long reining then riding her for the first time in it, she didn't feel "quite" settled in her mouth. I changed her into an eggbutt snaffle with a copper lozenge and she loves that.
It's a case of trying different mild bits and finding the one your youngster is happiest and most comfortable in.

 

[MileAMinute]

Cobrastyle, I bitted my Welsh D in a loose ring french link, after letting her get used to it, long reining then riding her for the first time in it, she didn't feel "quite" settled in her mouth. I changed her into an eggbutt snaffle with a copper lozenge and she loves that.
It's a case of trying different mild bits and finding the one your youngster is happiest and most comfortable in.

Def. The immediate improvement in him was clear to see once we'd put the french link in He loves the copper lozenge too.
Trial and error, as with everything else!