bitting help, please!

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atot

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Chloe has always been fussy with her mouth in the school. She has had back, teeth and tack done/checked all within the last 3 months or so. She is not strong, but is very inconsistent with the way she works. It will take a good half an hour of trot work before she settles with her head and begins to work round without bobbing her head up every couple of strides. She is currently in a loose ring sweet iron french link snaffe.

She can work so nicely, but it is always comes apart after 10 seconds....when she suddenly goes 'ewww' with her head, for no reason.

Does anyone have any bit suggestions that I could try? I definately want to keep her in a snaffle. She also plays quite a lot in her mouth, but I don't know whether that's the combination of the french link/sweet iron that makes her mouthy. She's in a cavesson noseband too.

Any suggestions? Thanks very much!
 
There is just the slight possiblity that because its loose ring it may be pinching a tiny bit at the sides, where the ring fits on the bar. If so then an eggbutt?

Or maybe try checking to make sure the bit is high enough in her mouth just to avoid any surprises for her when you take more contact around the school.
 
Try a drop noseband? Mine settles in his, hates flashes, and grackles and only settles in a cavesson if hes jumping. If its the sweet iron FL that Im thinking about isnt it quite bulbous and chunky? What about a thinner bit (shes quite cobby so perhaps a fleshy mouth) or you could drop the cavesson down a hole just so its not tight, but so she settles to it.
 
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There is just the slight possiblity that because its loose ring it may be pinching a tiny bit at the sides, where the ring fits on the bar. If so then an eggbutt?

Or maybe try checking to make sure the bit is high enough in her mouth just to avoid any surprises for her when you take more contact around the school.

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Yes I thought of that - might try the eggbutt option, thank you!

That would be a point...how do I check? Thanks!
 
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Try a drop noseband? Mine settles in his, hates flashes, and grackles and only settles in a cavesson if hes jumping. If its the sweet iron FL that Im thinking about isnt it quite bulbous and chunky? What about a thinner bit (shes quite cobby so perhaps a fleshy mouth) or you could drop the cavesson down a hole just so its not tight, but so she settles to it.

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Will consider it, but I can just sort of feel it's DEFFO in her mouth - she seems far happier in the cavesson than any grackle or flash, which she hated, so will probably stick to that, but thanks!
Nahhh, it's not chunky really - when the dentist came she said she had quite a normal mouth for a cobby pony.

I'm thinking of maybe a mullen mouth...but if she leans it'll be a pain...guess I could trial it...

*sorry just thinking aloud!*

thanks for your help.
 
The bit needs to be high enough to cause two proper wrinkles by her lip due to the upward pressure of it just sitting there on the cheek pieces. Don't be afraid to have it quite high, they don't mind it (unless of course there's pinching going on! which yours isn't) pop a bit of vaseline on her lips if you like, they seem to like that.

Then, when you take the contact and school her, when you, say, "give" the rein intermittently on the inside, you know as you do, she won't suddenly feel a big difference, only a slight difference, maybe making her react less.
 
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The bit needs to be high enough to cause two proper wrinkles by her lip due to the upward pressure of it just sitting there on the cheek pieces. Don't be afraid to have it quite high, they don't mind it (unless of course there's pinching going on! which yours isn't) pop a bit of vaseline on her lips if you like, they seem to like that.

Then, when you take the contact and school her, when you, say, "give" the rein intermittently on the inside, you know as you do, she won't suddenly feel a big difference, only a slight difference, maybe making her react less.

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Great, thank you - I'm pretty sure she has the two wrinkles, but I will double check, and I slap on some vaseline around her chops too lol!! Might pop it up one and see if she's a little stiller (is that a word!?!) in her mouth. Thanks..
 
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Good luck with that, it's got to be worth a fiddle and some grease! Also, make sure you keep your outside rein really still, you prob know all that tho!

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*arms herself with vaseline* - right - will try and get a vid of us in the school on sat...see if there's any difference - thanks! *mental note - keeeeeep outside rein still*
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loose ring prob has too much movement for her.
i would go with a full-cheek with keepers (for total stability in her mouth, only movement coming from her tongue or jaw, and your hands), ideally myler 02 or 32 mouthpiece (comfort snaffle wide barrel, or mullen, respectively, both of which are absolutely lovely bits) or normal single-joint, plus a looseish drop noseband. this combination can transform horses.
 
have you tried neue schule bits. They have a website which is www.neueschule.com and is really interesting. There is loads of info on there about how the horses mouth it put together, and you call call Heather who runs the co. and speak to her re any problems and she can recommend bits that would suit your horse. I have used it and have had great success as have a couple of others at my yard.
 
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loose ring prob has too much movement for her.
i would go with a full-cheek with keepers (for total stability in her mouth, only movement coming from her tongue or jaw, and your hands), ideally myler 02 or 32 mouthpiece (comfort snaffle wide barrel, or mullen, respectively, both of which are absolutely lovely bits) or normal single-joint, plus a looseish drop noseband. this combination can transform horses.

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I'm not a fan of myler bits tbh, but I think i will deffo try your suggestion of the full cheek with keepers...as a mullen, too. She's not to keen on a single joint, so might just have to try a straight one. Want to do one thing at a time, so will try the bit first, then a drop noseband if necessary. thanks.
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[ QUOTE ]
have you tried neue schule bits. They have a website which is www.neueschule.com and is really interesting. There is loads of info on there about how the horses mouth it put together, and you call call Heather who runs the co. and speak to her re any problems and she can recommend bits that would suit your horse. I have used it and have had great success as have a couple of others at my yard.

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I have looked at them, and they do look very good - but I'd rather try cheaper options first, before I plunge into a neue scheule. will deffo keep it in mind tho, thanks!
 
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