Bitting issues

[DMancini]

I’m after opinions on slightly stronger bits than a myler comfort snaffle. My 10 year old mare is strong/leans/runs through every bit I’ve tried.
So after trying various bits and a visit from a bit specialist who recommended the myler comfort and back to basics schooling I’m still finding she’s really strong but then sensitive and won’t go forward if I use anything too strong! I’ve been looking at the sperenger novocontact to try any advice gratefully received

 

[Kaylum]

Have you checked her teeth and had her bridle looked at.

 

[DMancini]

Yes forgot to add teeth all ok and she’s in a plain cavesson noseband bridle

 

[saddlesore]

Can you keep the mouthpiece but change the cheek? I use a Myler low port comfort snaffle mouthpiece with the kimblewick cheek.

 

[sbloom]

Yes forgot to add teeth all ok and she’s in a plain cavesson noseband bridle

It's about where the pressure points are, not how strong the noseband is. I highly recommend working with a bit fitter, Katie Fishlock is in Norfolk.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'm having issues with mine right now: on a recent Fun Ride she was just in TANK mode i.e. no brakes at all, so we need to find a solution.

She'd been in a Happy Mouth (plastic) straight-ribbed snaffle (no joint), however I'd noticed that there was obvious teeth marks on it which had made it rough and unusable for her. So bought a replacement, due her size (6") I couldn't buy exactly the same as Happy Mouth don't seem to have anything in 6" so bought something almost identical. By the end of the Fun Ride she'd somehow "chewed" a gouge into the bit. It is now unusable.

The first thing that is obvious is to check her teeth; which due to the fact that this little mare fights like a fury against sedation - and in fact becomes dangerous with it - we are needing to get a Dental Technician rather than have the vet. Perhaps a gentler approach would be more helpful for her, this is my logic right now, and we have an excellent EDT who's done other horses on the yard. The vet doing it wasn't exactly successful last time round; it was a newly-qualified vet who frankly did not believe what owner was saying about how this pony fights sedation, so it isn't any good giving a piddles-worth, you have to practically euthanise her before it takes effect! and then she will still fight it - violently - all the while.

When we've had the EDT, after that I've reached out to an independent bitting consultant and let's see what they say. The other thing is that I shall have our McTimoney lady to check her over as well just in case there is residual tension or pain somewhere.

We did try going bitless: tried the Orbitless. All well and good for a month or two but then she started tanking in canter, and poking out her nose & hollowing her back. Put her back in a Happy Mouth and all was well.

Hoping your problem gets sorted OP.

 

[Annagain]

A Micklem bridle (with a myler mullen mouth hanging cheek) made a huge difference to my strong boy. Because he wasn't constantly fighting and leaning on me in it, when I used the bit, he listened. I did have to bit up for fun rides etc because he'd get so excited all his schooling would go out of the window. A Waterford 3 ring gag worked best in those circumstances. He seemed to like the flexibility and made it very clear he disliked a lot of less strong bits but accepted that straight away to the point that he'd listen to the lightest of touches on it. Again as he wasn't fighting it, when I used it, he listened.

 

[lizziebell]

If she’s comfortable with her bit/ bridle and no ailments (mouth, back, hind), then I’d be working on transitions, transitions, transitions and more transitions. If she’s going through your hands in the school, then she’s not working from behind and through over her back.

 

[Birker2020]

The EDT recommended a Neule Scule Trans Angled mouthpiece for Bails. It was amazing. I went for the narrower of the two mouthpiece thicknesses based on the fact she had a typical Dutch WB mouth conformation, fleshy lips and thick tongue.

It gave me much better control to a fence SJ and when on fun rides.