Bitting Advice (Big Tongue, Small Mouth Warmblood SJ)

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Hi!

I'm new here... but I'm looking for some bitting advice/suggestions for a new bit for my 16.2hh Warmblood show jumper.

He's got a very small mouth, petite muzzle and a big tongue, and is currently ridden in a mullen mouth 7" shank Pelham with roundings for everything inc flatwork/jumping/hacking.

He seems to really like the bit however I'd ideally like a bit more steering and something a bit more light (in the hand and physically..) especially for flatwork. He's built very downhill and so tends to lean on the forehand (being addressed with training, hillwork/transitions/grids etc).

However I think that possibly a softer bit would encourage him not to lean (and perhaps the pelham action encourages him to lower his head when instead he needs to raise it?) In addition something that would aid in more precise controls and steering would be an advantage.

I 'like the look of' the Fager baby fulmers for steering but I'm not sure if any of the cheeks/mouthpieces would be suitable.

I've tried him in a lozenge baucher and he detests it, sticks his nose out and runs off even on very light contact.

Does anyone have any constructive advice / bit suggestions that I should start with? Ideally i'd like to hire a bit and go from there.

Thanks in advance!

 

[IanT]

This is really interesting as horses are presenting more often with petite mouths and large tongues, the question is which way do you go in terms of resolution.
Bitting expertise with a good consultant is a great start to discuss options as they will examine the horses mouth for other issues such as soreness or damage and any other problems that need to be considered, and we are assuming the teeth have seen a dentist and there are no other reasons such as a badly fitting bridle or saddle that is causing the horse to try and run into your hands!

The idea of a softer bit may be worth looking at but I would first consider the pressure this big tongue is under given we have a 7 inch shank Pelham, it has an element of poll pressure and lots of leverage and not a lot of tongue relief. Pressure brings counter pressure which ever way around we look at it, and the action of this bit is to bring the horse down and further onto the forehand most likely.
If he is built bum high and predisposed to being on the forehand you don't want to use a bit that puts him further down there in front and I suspect this is being currently resulting in some element of roundness of the horse for you to hold on to some level of control.

So, consider bits that provide tongue relief and remove the shank element for now, as the leaning aspect you are experiencing could be related to hating tongue pressure and removing this issue suddenly makes the horse a lot more amenable to your rein pressure. There are two things to consider here the tongue and the bars of the mouth. Any bit you use will either bring pressure on the tongue, and as the pressure increases due to the design of the bit it ends up on the bars of the mouth and so it is a question of how quickly the pressure comes on, where and at what moment. Some bits relieve the tongue from pressure, and this can bring pressure sooner onto the bars of the mouth which can be equally as uncomfortable for the horse if it is all bar pressure and he could go behind the bit to relief the pain. While other designs allow the horse to use the tongue to an extent like a great big pillow to cushion the pressure on the bars and the design of the bit will dictate how quickly and how severely the pressure comes onto the bars of the mouth. Remember the bars are very sensitive being long slithers of bone covered in a small layer around 3mm or so thick of gum flesh, and so you may find the action of the different bits needs to be played around with to see which combination works for your horse, and his current level of flat work.
The Bomber happy tongue or the Myler low port comfort bits are great for tongue relief and come with different degrees of tongue relief, but I would also consider going the other way with the bombers extra comfy elliptical lock up which will put pressure on the tongue at the point of lock up but that that pressure comes on late as the extra comfy lock up is ergonomically designed to bring bar pressure before it brings any great amount of pressure on the tongue. I have found this bit works well in bringing acceptance from the horse through the bit design and it in some cases reduces any anxiety the horse has with the bit action. The question is working out what the horse is more comfortable with or what combination of actions he will accept more readily. Depending on the horse and contradicting what I have previously said about the Pelham action (mainly because I think that is detrimental in terms of tongue relief) the 2.5 ring bomber elliptical eggbutt is a good bit to encourage a light contact for a lady rider who is not very strong and needs a level of roundness encouraging from the poll or the Myler Low ports bits with hooks can be fitted with a curb chain to aid a balance to where pressure is being applied. The loose ring version provides for a faster release but the eggbutt brings stability to the mouth piece without any pinching of the lips.
If you are showjumping you will have moments where you need a little more control without a fight on your hands as that usually causes both horse and rider to tense up and the so we loose the softness we are wishing to maintain in the ring.
I maintain that however good we all are at diagnosing bitting solutions, the acid test is what the horse thinks of it and that may completely destroy all the theory in the world, but start with a bit consultant would be my advice.
I hope that all makes sense and good luck.