Bits for XC

W

Wan2bEventer

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 November 2007
Messages
321
Location
Buckinghamshire
sacramenta-z.blogspot.com
I just wondered what bits you preferred to use for XC? My mare is strong and fast (and big - 17hh!) and has a nasty habit of locking her jaw against me, hence why I always take her XC in a grackle!

I know that I need to be able to take a strong hold of her XC, so I don't want any bit that makes me wary of taking a strong contact.

Last summer I did everything with her in a hanging cheek happy mouth snaffle, until she got wise to it last Sept and became like a rock. As we have only been doing dressage/SJ since then, I have managed to get her going nicely in a D ring copper roller. I would be scared to take her XC in this as I'll have no effect over her!

Any tips on what you have found work with your horses might help me find inspiration
crazy.gif
 
I use a plain snaffle, my boy goes best in it and a grackle, for some reason the grackle settles his head so we dont get silly behaviour.
He has been in a gag in the past and it made him very nervous as he couldn't take that little hold. I prefer to pbe pulled a bit into the fence than feel I have nothing there.
So I event in a french link full cheek snaffle with grackle and running martingale, works a treat
laugh.gif
 
I deliverated and swapped about for ages, as my boy goes happily most of the time in just a KK ultra lozenge snaffle. I tried different bits, nosebands etc for XC, as he was just TOO strong, and although it is good to be taken into a fence, sometimes I needed to be able to check him back, eg if I knew there was a drop fence round the corner and he didnt!!
I ended up settling on a universal gag with a lozenge, the mouthpiece is exactly the same as his snaffle, but with the inset ring at the top if I leave the rein on the main ring it just acts with a tiny bit of poll pressure, so I actually use it like that for hacking in a group now, then for XC I pop it down to the gag ring and its fab. Just gives me that extra bit of brakes when I need it! He's now back in a cavasson because this bit has worked so nicely.
 
Mine backed off in anything too strong - 3-ring gag etc. He can get strong though so I needed more than a snaffle. He's now very happy in a Nathe Butterfly flip and a grackle....
 
She sounds a bit like my horse.. I just have a plain loose ring snaffle at the moment but i have swapped around quite a lot with little success. will be interesting to see what people say..
smile.gif
 
I have two speed merchants and key is no what what bit you have in, don't lock contact so they have something to pull against..........
If you have space go and school around field in normal bit - playing with paces and get YOUR confident up. Lots of flexision in canter etc lots of changes of paces, so when you do compete put strong bit in for yourself.
Do you have senisable mate you can go out with and schooling to get confidence up???
For field schooling mine are in loose ring snaffle, but for xc/hunting cheltenham gag
grin.gif
and that cos when blooding up do need something extra.

But a horse will always be stronger that a human but hopefully we have the extra brain cell
wink.gif
 
l am pretty competitive on my event horse and always go fast xc,unless ground not suitable imho then l just dont run,but for dressage he goes in a flexi rubber straight snaffle no problem,but go fast on the xc he is a demon
grin.gif
l too messed around with bits,then tried a soft rubber pelham with roundings,what a result he respects it so l hardly have to use it,therefore l know l can let him gallop on safely without hauling in front of a fence!
wink.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]

But a horse will always be stronger that a human but hopefully we have the extra brain cell

[/ QUOTE ]

I've always thought that - and also what ever you do to there mouth it doesn't stop there legs from running!
smirk.gif
 
A Nelson Waterford Gag has been a magic bit for my 'I know where I'm going and want to get there as fast as I can, what do you know, just come with me' boy. Gives me the confidence to get my legs round him and really use my body to steady him up.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

But a horse will always be stronger that a human but hopefully we have the extra brain cell

[/ QUOTE ]

I've always thought that - and also what ever you do to there mouth it doesn't stop there legs from running!
smirk.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I've now got really silly image going through my head
grin.gif
grin.gif
 
I started eventing mine in a nathe - suddenly he became super confident and super fast and strong. I could hold him doing speed work in a snaffle and grakle but only because we did interval training to try to get him to pace himself. I couldn't jump in grakle as he hated it and faught it all the way to the fence. Ended up with thick rubber pelham with roundings and flash noseband. Was still a little fast over first couple of fences but I could then let him bowl along well with out him fighting me and with the confidence that if I needed to take a hold (he always thought he knew best, but I did actually know what was the other side of the fence!!) the pelham would have the subtle yet desired effect. Never had a fault cross country once the pelham was in place.
cool.gif
 
well buster is very strong and we often have problems with stearing so he goes xc in a tom thumb! although even that seems to have as much of an aeffect as a rubber snaffle at times!
blush.gif
 
i xc in a french link eggbut snaffle, flash noseband and breastplate! lol dont usually use a martingale as he tends to lean on it and to be honest he dosent really nead one!

but we have to learn to "go" so we dont have your problem! i cant wait for the day that he wants to go faster than me and i find him strong, and acts up in the start box... sigh... its a dream
tongue.gif
 
Everyone is saying rubber pelham with roundings, but my strong horse HATES rubber bits, u can't get them in his mouth then he just runs straight through them!!!! But he did spend about 2 seasons in a metal mouth pelham with roundings and it worked great.
Hes now in a balding cheltenham gag without martingale, but will play again this spring as he is (hopefully!!) finally growing up and not being such a rebel!!!!
He goes in fat kk for dress and sj with very light contact, I'd also tried myler combi, which he ran through the 2nd time he wore it, tried 3 ring gag on 2nd ring and he wouldn't go then suddenly lunge and bolt (he'd never done this before!), american gag which I couldn't get him out of stand without letting go of the reins completely!!!! (all these tried at home!!!)
Well basically try a pelham and good luck!!!
 
How about a Waterford? They are really good for strong horses as all the links prevent them from really leaning on the the bit. And horses seem to like them, think they are much more comfortable than they look.

I've used a loose ring waterford in the past with good effect, but you can get them with hanging/full cheeks, and I think 2 or 3 rings as well.
 
I used to go xc in a happy mouth snaffle but my horse kept pulling me forwards and not really responding so it took forever to slow up before a fence and wasted so much time trying to slow down, so I now ride him in a 2 ring gag and its made xc so much better for both of us as he doesnt fight me anymore so I can just check him and I dont have to haul on his mouth for 10 strides before the fence!!
smirk.gif
grin.gif
 
Hmmm thanks guys, it is interesting that many of you seem to have success with rubber pelhams. I am going to use my first few schooling sessions to play around a little bit, so I shall try a number of different combinations and report back! Thank you all for your advice. x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top