bitting advice/suggestions. (also in CR)

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HayleyUK

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D (14.2 Connie Mare) is currently jumped/hacked in a flexi mouth single jointed dutch gag with reins on the ring below the big snaffle ring. I find her really easy in this, very soft and easy to move/flex.

For stressage, I've played with a range of bits but can't get the same feel/reactions as I do in the gag. I've tried happy mouth loose ring single join snaffles, JP loosering snaffles, hanging cheek snaffles, and currently a chunky french link snaffle (loose ring).

Her evasion is to chuck her head up and 'run' through my hand just ignoring it, and shes really not keen on carrying herself and streching for the contact and taking it forward. Shes really keen/willing to do this in the gag, as if shes much more secure and feels she can almost (?) I know its a schooling thing... but I feel if she was more confident in whats in her mouth & hap[pier.. then that'd be half the battle.

My instructor reckons she ignores my hand and evades because she thinks she can and something a bit 'sharper' would 'sort it'. I'm not too convinced, I honestly think shes happier in her gag for whatever reason and thats why shes much more willing in it. I just can't work out a dressage legal bit that'll give her the same feel....

Currently not having lessons as we're off work, but am going to mention it to instrutor for her suggestions next time I see her.

Can anyone suggest anything to try.. or a bitting expert to consult?
Feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel now... just gotta work out how to get there!

Thanks
 
I'd try her in a hanging cheek bit, if she likes the mouth piece on your gag keep that.

Dressage legal bits are really basic and wont give the same feel as your gag, but I think hanging cheek bits can offer a bit more than a loose ring or eggbutt.
 
I'd give her a go in a myler comfort snaffle low port (with hooks) this is NOT dressage legal however I'd give it a go schooling with it at home for a month or so, see how you get on, then evenutally switch to dressage legal one.
Some horses do not like these, others get on really well with them, you could always get one on trial from bit bank. It may be a case of just working backwards from a gag action back ranks a bit and back onto a snaffle, which will be a slow process but hopefully it will work.
 
Ashgrove- She's the worst in my hanging cheek snaffle than in anything else. I'm not really an expert on bitting but I get the impression she likes the loose ring feel and the hanging cheek is a bit 'fixed' for her. She just seems to fix herself against it and is very solid and wooden as opposed to the lovely soft playdoh feel I get in my gag. Don't you just wish they could talk!!!

Kenzo- I'm going to give someone a call about Myler bits. I've never really looked at them.
Good shout about the working backwards idea though! I hadn't thought of that :)

I'm going to give Heather at NS a call a bit later on as well, anyone any experience of her? :)
 
if you like the myler you can get it with dressage legal cheeks (without the hooks) so you could use it for dressage if you get on with it. Heather at ns is ace, very good advice, I like the thought that goes into the shape of their mouthpieces. My connie x has a low palate and large tongue which makes bitting rather tricky as she really doesn't have much space in her mouth but is sentitive, particularly in her tongue. I would find a mouth piece she is comfy in, then tinker with the cheek pieces. You might find she is comfyer in a thinner bit in her mouth - tongue saver type ones she gets on with really well http://cotswoldsport.co.uk/shop/ind...result&search_in_description=1&keyword=tongue and the ns tranz mouth piece and the myler mb32 all suit her well - I think alot of it is due to the shape of the mouthpiece taking pressure off her tongue while not affecting her pallate. She happens to prefer eggbutt cheeks so the bit is a little steadyer so she can feel confident in the contact.
I would def chat to some bit banks and get some to try - you'll get there!
 
HayleyUK said:
Ashgrove- She's the worst in my hanging cheek snaffle than in anything else. I'm not really an expert on bitting but I get the impression she likes the loose ring feel and the hanging cheek is a bit 'fixed' for her. She just seems to fix herself against it and is very solid and wooden as opposed to the lovely soft playdoh feel I get in my gag. Don't you just wish they could talk!!!
Click to expand...

Woops, sorry, stick with a loose ring then, hanging cheeks can be a bit (sorry) like marmite, horses either love them or hate them.

If you want to try a Myler, the loose ring MB02 is dressage legal and has a sweet iron mouth piece.
 
I'll give Heather a call this afternoon definately :)
Is there anyone else worth a call?

I've puzzled it out, and I think she likes the semi loose ring feel of the gag... and I'd be inclined to hazard a guess at her liking the action/feeling secure in it.. which is why shes evasive in the snaffle as it doesn't feel/act the same.

Is there anything that'd give a similar feel/action thats BD Legal?
 
I have found that a sweet iron full cheek snaffle (used a full cheek as horse 1 needed a bit of help with steering!) has worked wonders with both of my horses, and they are cheap!
 
I had a horse that was a pain, he would either go round with his nose in the air or lean like concrete and very heavy in the hand. Tried everything I could think of and nothing. Then I tried the NS Verbindend Snaffle - dressage legal and wow - a different horse. Best bit I have ever found.
 
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