Bitting - how do you all decide which bit to try next?

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Ziggy_

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Does anyone have a method of selecting bits to suit horses and if so what is it?

All I do is stick a bit in, if they need something stronger i try something stronger, if they don't like it i try something else. Because of the crapness of this method I still havent found a bit to suit my horse.

I've tried (in this order)
1 - straight bar pelham (had no steering)
2 - single jointed dutch gag on bottom hole(effective brakes but can't touch her mouth and she hates jumping in it)
3 - as above on snaffle ring (better than before but I think she doesn't like the single joint)
4 - loose ring french link snaffle (promising but not really strong enough)

where to go from here?
 
She sounds like she goes better in a snaffle than anything else, could you possibly try a waterford snaffle or different mouth pieces rather than complete different types of bits.
 
if she likes the french link why not try french link dutch gag? i used mine with pelham rounding on snaffle ring and the one below that just to give an even amount of pressure rather than just full on lower rings. or perhaps a hanging cheek snaffle/french link?

what exactly are you looking for? i.e. brakes? (obviously lol!) but what does she do to evade?
 
I've used each one for about 3 months, apart from the french link snaffle which I've only been using for the past week or so.

She seems to have written the book on how to evade the bit - she has done everything from tucking her chin right into her chest and pulling in the pelham, to leaning on the bit and pulling her head down in the gag, to poking her nose and opening her mouth in the snaffle!!

I'm looking for effective brakes as she is fairly speedy, but I also need good steering as she can nap and spin round occasionally.
 
I'd go hanging cheek snaffle then if that doesn't work Kimberwick, sounds like with a french link. Both offer slight poll pressure to add with brakes, kinberwick distributes pressure over mouth, chin, poll which may help with her evasion combined with no brakes.
 
how about a half-cheek snaffle with a 'revolver' - this combo would give you a bit of poll pressure, and the revolver part in the middle means you avoid the nutcracker action of a snaffle and also lets each side of the bit/rein work independently so you get a really good contact and the horse is very light and responsive...
 
For the steering and napping etc I would use a full cheek bit. My mare naps and spins and this is the only bit that doesn't go through her mouth when I spin her back around in the direction that I want.
As for the breaks try a bit that she can't get hold of to bomb off. A loosering is harder for them to grab hold of, (You can get a loosering full cheek) or maybe a waterford mouthpiece, when they try and grab hold of it to bomb off they can't! Again you can get a full cheek with a waterford mouth piece off ebay for about £20 last time I looked.
I am about to try my mare in the waterford style bit as I have the same problems as you!

Hope this has helped!
Izzi
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Have her teeth been checked? Next time you get the dentist out it might be worth asking about the conformation of her mouth and what might suit her?

I have done what you've done and gradually gone through quite a few, trying each for a good few months until I eventually found one that works... hope you do too!
 
Her teeth were done 2 weeks ago so it will be a bit of a wait to ask!! Thanks for the advice everyone, i will hopefully try out a few of your suggestions and see if we have any luck!
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how about a proper fulmer french link snaffle with the loose rings and the fulmer loops to give a bit of poll pressure? Just a thought as I am no expert and my trials are very hit and miss, but I've at last found that the gag on snaffle ring or ring below is good for hacking and jumping and a Sprenger KK ultra loose ring snaffle for flatwork seems to work.
 
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