Bitting help please?

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Pidge

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ok so normally ride Pidge (17hh ISH) in a loose ring KK french link snaffle but he does suffer with a sore mouth on the left due to him leaning which is more than likely caused by my weaker left leg
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Do occasionally pop a copper ring snaffle in for a bit of extra brakes when needed.
Popped his english hackamore on him tonight and went for a hack with sis and then did some schooling. The schooling was so much softer and looser over his back, though he was a little too long and low so worked on picking him up, so we had a good play and did plenty of leg yielding and shoulder in, plus even had a decent canter on the right rein - working on our canter at the moment. So I was really pleased with how he worked schooling with the hackamore in.
So finally my question if he goes so nicely in the hackamore is there a bit that would achieve something similar in him as obviously can't compete in certain disciplines with a hackamore?
 
There are many that people like. Sorry, I can't help you suggesting a particular one. Try several, until you find the one that <u>the horse</u> likes best, or the one with which you get best results.
 
Have you tried a myler comfort snaffle? I've spent a year trying loads of different bits on my youngster who simply refused to accept a bit - until i tried the myler he went best in a loose ring kk ultra french link - but it gave him a sore mouth at the corners and he wouldn't bend at the poll with it, also drifting on the corners. Anything stronger and he'd go overbent and still drifted out on a circle, tried to get his tongue over the bit and was generally fussy in the mouth, tossing head all the time etc - very annoying!

He's got a fleshy tongue being a warmblood and doesnt like tongue pressure - also has thick lips which cause loose rings to rub (so my dentist tells me). I borrowed a full cheek MB05 mouthpiece which has a medium wide port and a hook where the reins go - Not dressage legal unfortunately, but doesn't put pressure on the tongue or palate and now I have a happy, controlled, soft horse who works in a lovely outline and whose canter has been transformed, literally overnight - I've used it for about a month now and so far so good - sores have gone, but you'd probably find that with any bit without the loose rings as they can cause pinching - rubbers on the bit might help. Might be worth hiring a myler as they're quite expensive. Hope this helps... good luck!
 
myler full cheek 02 mouthpiece is dressage-legal and very comfy and stable for the horse, cannot pinch in the corners etc.
if he's getting a sore mouth on one side, it won't be because of your weaker leg that side, honestly! i'd have a schooling whip on that side to flick him up off a light leg aid if he ignores it, but he'll only get a sore mouth from leaning because your hand is letting him take that much weight on that side.
 
thanks was tempted to try the myler's but at that price - eep! will see if I can borrow one to try before buying one.....
 
Just pm'd HJ
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I do find however that because my left leg is weaker he leans on that side because my leg isn't on as much as it should be and then when he leans I pull so he leans more - vicious circle! But I have been working hard to stop this so it has improved tremendously - but got none of this last night in the hackamore
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Also he gets a sore mouth if he has been excited as he tends to bounce on the spot going sideways
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As well as thinking about your weaker lower left leg, check what the rest of your body is doing. Don't allow the horse to lean, give the rein away instead of hanging onto it and teach him to take the weight on his inside hind leg. I got this from an article some time ago and find it very helpful. I tend to agree with the Myler bit suggestion, I also had a "left leaner" but he's cured now, with the help of teaching him to take weight on his inside hind and the Myler bit. I use 2 Mylers, 1 dressage legal most days for schooling and a Triple Barrel Mullen mouth with hooks for s/j &amp; c/c

The best sequence of aids for a turn (or a circle) is

stretch your legs down (outside leg back)
drive with the inside calf
sink down with the inside seatbone and knee (without excessive leaning or collapsing in the waist)
rotate your own hips and shoulders into the turn (in a spiral seat, so the outside shoulder is a little ahead of the outside hip)
flex gently with the inside rein, don't hold or pull back
if necessary, use your outside thigh, knee and rein to support the rotation of the hips and shoulders. The rider's knees help to control the shoulders. The calves help to control the haunches.
 
Totally agree with Franki - also with the Myler , I don't get the leaning that I used to with the kk ultra, so it makes life so much easier for both me and the horse. He's a sj'er, so doesn't really matter to me that the mb05 isn't dressage legal.
 
very useful thanks
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will have a play tomorrow and have got a myler coming on loan from someone on here so will have a go with that when it comes too
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