kirsty.mm
New User
Hello all 
I'm after some advice for selecting a good bit for my horse. He's a sensitive ex-racer who I use for low level eventing.
Up until recently I've had no problems whatsoever riding him in all disciplines in a loose ring sweet iron peanut snaffle - he can be a little stronger XC and out hacking if we're cantering behind, but nothing I've not been able to cope with. I've had him for about 10 months.
A few weeks ago he started misbehaving in our dressage work - actually quite passionately at competitions - but also at home. It seemed pretty obvious from his behaviour that it was a problem with his mouth, and as I have religiously had his back and saddle checked, my first port of call was the dentist.
His teeth were fine, but interestingly we discovered he has extremely narrow bars, and the dentist thought the bit wasn't thick or soft enough to rest on them comfortably, especially during flatwork. They come up almost into a sharp ridge. The dentist described it as a razor edge. We think that he might be extra sensitive having been in training as well.
Since then I've tried him in a much thicker straight bar rubber snaffle, which he likes but completely disrespects - I have to really anchor him cantering and neither of us enjoy it much.
I've also tried a hollowmouth nutcracker, and a bobbly hanging snaffle, but he doesn't go very well in these either and for the first time has made a fuss about being bridled.
My next plan is to buy a happy mouth version of his old bit (lozenge loose ring) but I wondered if anyone else has experienced this problem with their horse, and if so, what they did. I'm a postgrad student, so I do everything on a shoestring! Suggestions are very welcome.
I should also point out that in other disciplines he doesn't mess around anywhere near as much - being naughty certainly isn't above him! I think this behaviour is mainly him evading doing work he finds difficult and boring; but I want to make sure it's as easy as possible for him to behave. I have tried to ride him through it, and he does give in but doesn't work correctly, instead keeping his poll above his withers and his nose hooked into his chest (overbent) so that I don't have a consistent contact.
Thanks for you help.
I'm after some advice for selecting a good bit for my horse. He's a sensitive ex-racer who I use for low level eventing.
Up until recently I've had no problems whatsoever riding him in all disciplines in a loose ring sweet iron peanut snaffle - he can be a little stronger XC and out hacking if we're cantering behind, but nothing I've not been able to cope with. I've had him for about 10 months.
A few weeks ago he started misbehaving in our dressage work - actually quite passionately at competitions - but also at home. It seemed pretty obvious from his behaviour that it was a problem with his mouth, and as I have religiously had his back and saddle checked, my first port of call was the dentist.
His teeth were fine, but interestingly we discovered he has extremely narrow bars, and the dentist thought the bit wasn't thick or soft enough to rest on them comfortably, especially during flatwork. They come up almost into a sharp ridge. The dentist described it as a razor edge. We think that he might be extra sensitive having been in training as well.
Since then I've tried him in a much thicker straight bar rubber snaffle, which he likes but completely disrespects - I have to really anchor him cantering and neither of us enjoy it much.
I've also tried a hollowmouth nutcracker, and a bobbly hanging snaffle, but he doesn't go very well in these either and for the first time has made a fuss about being bridled.
My next plan is to buy a happy mouth version of his old bit (lozenge loose ring) but I wondered if anyone else has experienced this problem with their horse, and if so, what they did. I'm a postgrad student, so I do everything on a shoestring! Suggestions are very welcome.
I should also point out that in other disciplines he doesn't mess around anywhere near as much - being naughty certainly isn't above him! I think this behaviour is mainly him evading doing work he finds difficult and boring; but I want to make sure it's as easy as possible for him to behave. I have tried to ride him through it, and he does give in but doesn't work correctly, instead keeping his poll above his withers and his nose hooked into his chest (overbent) so that I don't have a consistent contact.
Thanks for you help.
