BITS BITS AND MORE BITS

K

kendra2705

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 May 2008
Messages
300
Visit site
What bit do you use , why, and does it serve the pupose you bought it for ??????, i have a tank off , slow to stop mare (great fun)

She is very responsive in walk and trot , but when she gets to run she is harder to stop , so after trying some bits i found the only one she listens to is a pelham with chain, i think its the chain action that she listens too , have been using this bit for years with her and never needed another one so this one works . so what do you use and why ????????? (I am very careful with the pressure not much needed)
 
Depending on the horse i use a loose ring lozenge or cheek snaffle with lozenge, both with thin mouths. And schooling! I use them because they suit my horses mouth conformation.
 
A cherry roller, he if very soft in the mouth with thid but fights pretty much everything else, and when he's not fighting he's pretty easy to stop, he goes fairly well in a copper roller, and i jump in a english hackamore as this is what works best for him
 
I usually ride Roger in a Liverpool or butterfly driving bit, he is very strong and he goes nicely in either.
I did try and use a french link as he doesn't like a single jointed bit but he was strong to hack even in walk and i don't have a school.
 
My WB is ridden in all phases eventing in a loose ring sweet iron french link. She has always been in a french link as not strong and she and i prefer the losenge action to the jointed nutcracker action. In the past has a fixed ring but she kept trying to flip the bit over in her mouth!!!

The tb is in a happy mouth fixed ring as being a horse rescued from the meat market she has issues, and this is the only bit that keeps her quiet in her mouth.
 
Straight bar vulcanite eggbutt snaffle for schooling/dressage. I was told its great to keep everything still - including my hands. Before we had too much movement and had confused signals! Its really made her work to me rather than me working to her, so I guess thats good! (with drop noseband)
Double bridle for some schooling and showing - she feels super when ridden in it!
Waterford 3 ring gag for XC, single rein on the bottom ring, just so I have control when its needed but soft and kind when the gag action isn't needed. (cavasson nose band).
Depends on situation for SJ, snaffle with drop noseband normally but has been known to have single jointed myler bit. Martingale for jumping too.
 
Ron has a myler 04 eggbutt for everyday use, but has to go into a french link for dressage, and we hunt in a double bridle as he gets carried away with himself otherwise. Cross country and show jumping we would use either bridle depending on the course as he sometimes isn't the easiest to steer in the myler.
 
Was in a loose ring lozenge snaffle for a while, but when winter and restricted turnout came he went into a single jointed rubber pelham with roundings (roundings not my choice- he's a share). He goes beautifully in this, i hardly even need a contact even when he tries to run off. He seems really happy in it but i wanted to try a straight bar as i don't like the nutcracker action. As soon as i can get the curb chain off the other one i will try him in this as i feel it is a happy medium and he doesn't need the stronger action of the nutcracker.

His owner wants him in a martingale, but i take it off as i have never had a problem with giraffe head since he has been in the pelham, and it makes the action of the pelham strong and (i feel) a bit confusing when it comes into play.
 
DSCF2665.jpg


The mares go in the curbs, one prefers the jointed one, the other prefers the straight curb. They do NOT like a snaffle at all, of any variety and I've tried a lot, neither are they happy with bosals or hackamores.

The stallion goes in a plain jointed snaffle, he doesn't like double joints or straights.
 
Currently use a loose ring french link snaffle on my 6years old ID but have worked up from straight bar rubber snaffle to straighter bar metal snaffle to jointed loose ring snaffle and now on LRFLS. My thoughts are trying to keep things simple.
 
Use a jointed eggbutt snaffle in the school usually and a jointed 4 ring gag for hacking or when she's had some time off - it does help or atleast gives me enough steering to turn her in a circle lol
 
Monty (very easy) goes in a plain eggbut snaffle for everything.
Archie (bit more complicated!) has a myler mullen mouth hanging cheek snaffle for flat work, a waterford hanging cheek for hacking and a waterford dutch gag with two reins for anything exciting (jumping, beach, hacks in big groups etc). Unfortunately it seems his days of excitement are over though due to foot problems so it's just the first two. He has a huge tongue and hates anything jointed which is why he goes in the Waterford. Some people think they're harsh but he's much happier in that than anything else (tries to gets his tongue over anything other than the mouthpieces he's got and throws his head around constantly) so I say as long as it suits the horse and you have brakes that's all that matters.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top