Bitting a young native

[Louby]

Just a bit of advice please.
I used a loose ring nylon in hand bit for my Sports Horse when she was first bitted and she accepted it no probs at all, so I bought the same for my 3 yr old Highland. Its early days but he just doesnt seem to be accepting it at all. I dont know if its because its a straight bar or the material its made of that he doesnt like, or maybe Im being impatient and he needs longer?? Hes not frightened or upset and happily accepts it but turns it upside down and is constantly drawing his tongue back. Im new to Natives, well the last time I had one was as a child! so any advice to what I could try instead please. Ive been looking at Sweet Iron/German Silver Eggbuts with a peanut rather than French Link or maybe a hanging cheek to keep the bit still in his mouth?? I worry with a Full cheek, he may get it caught on his haynet or something as I am putting it in daily for 15/20 mins whilst hes in his stable.
Thanks for any advice x

 

[The Xmas Furry]

What type of mouth does he have?
If like many of the heavy natives, it could be a fleshy tongue with a low palate, I'd suggest a thin mouthpiece preferably on a loose ring, these seem to work well.
Anything from a Cambridge snaffle to a Bomber happy tongue snaffle.
Check with your equine dentist or vet that he has no issues such as tushes coming through or any problems further back, and discuss what type of mouth he has.

 

[Gloi]

As FuzzyFurry says, a lot of natives like some sort of tongue relief bit.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Yep owner of a native with a HUGE fleshy tongue and low palate. There is literally no room in there. I went off advice from my EDT who showed me her mouth conformation and also got a bit person out and we ended up with one from horsemanship saddlery. It’s something like 4mm thinner than standard bits I think plus it’s curved so it sits neatly on top of her tongue. My mare just didn’t have the space for a lozenge so she has a single joint which just sits nicer.

 

[piffapie]

We had a chap who was very strangely bred (Anglo Arab x id highland - could of gone two ways but he was a fantastic little horse, total power house) but when we were breaking him, he really struggled with the bit and keeping his tongue in the right place. We found that a thin curved loose ring snaffle worked alongside a micklem bridle. We tried a couple of other things like the rubber tongue ports you can attach to bits to stop them putting their tongue over bit. It sort of helps show them the way but I’d be careful using something like that as it’s quite bulky.

 

[w1bbler]

Get a bit fitter out. My cob was doing all sorts of tongue evasion, which was helped enormouslywith her input.
Sadly he picked her most expensive bit (ns turtle top)

 

[Littlewills]

MY 3yr old highland is being bitted with a hanging cheek, shaped mouthpiece with barrel/rounded link in the middle. Not a big fat bit, definitely on the thinner side of normal. I've had it years and use it for intial mouthing for mine. I have cobs and natives and it suits most

 

[conniegirl]

I've done most of my natives in a french link full cheek snaffle and they seem to settle best in that. They generally don't have much room in thier mouths so the normal rubber snaffle fill be a huge intrusion.

 

[Hallo2012]

my chubby cheeked native will only accept a Bomber or Trust ported snaffle nothing else gives him enough tongue room.

 

[southerncomfort]

I bitted my Fell pony with a straight bar happy mouth.
It has a thinner mouthpiece than a nathe.

https://www.oldmillsaddlery.com/Mob...tm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=UnitedKingdom

 

[Annagain]

I'd go for something with tongue relief - the Myler mullen mouth is good as it's a very thin mouthpiece so doesn't take up much room in a small mouth with fleshy tongue and the curve is more pronounced than most other mullen mouth bits. The Bomber happy tongue is similar but a thicker mouthpiece

 

[P.forpony]

A good while ago so options were much more limited but I struggled to find a bit when breaking my Highland - huge fleshy mouth and tongue!
Resorted to trying everything in my collection...he instantly loved a loose ring Waterford!
Shouldn't have worked but my only guess is that it wrapped around in the most comfy way for him.

 

[Annagain]

A good while ago so options were much more limited but I struggled to find a bit when breaking my Highland - huge fleshy mouth and tongue!
Resorted to trying everything in my collection...he instantly loved a loose ring Waterford!
Shouldn't have worked but my only guess is that it wrapped around in the most comfy way for him.

yes my old man with a HUGE tongue was only ever happy in the Myler mullen mouth (for 95% of his work) and a waterford gag (for those exciting things when he'd lose all sense!). We tried several much less harsh bits but he hated them all, the waterford however, instant acceptance.

 

[Louby]

Gosh Im sorry I havent replied, I didnt get any notifications that I had any replies.
Thank you all, in the meantime, pre reading this I tried my mares hanging cheek sweet iron with a peanut link and hes much happier, not perfect, so bought an Eggbutt version in his size but I will look at the 'ported' tongue relief bits. I want to start walking him out so just wanted him bitted incase I need that little bit extra control, he will of course be lead from the headcollar with the bit as a last resort.