Bitting, still not sure on what to use???

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imogen345

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I have a 6yo ex racer, raced 4 times, had 2 years off and been reschooling since just before christmas last year. She is not strong/even need a contact when hacking, schooling or jumping, but her schooling is very basic as I am still working on balance, transitions and the foundation to everything.

When I purchased her, she had been sat on a few times in a grackle, martingale and eggbut snaffle which she wasn't a fan of.

She now has no martingale and no noseband, but I have the option to attach a flash.

So far I have tryed Neue Schule Team Up, Neue Schule Starter, and Myler Comfort.

The Myler Comfort she had her mouth open the entire time

The neue schule starter she held to the left side (she holds every bit I've seen her in so far to the side but the starter was the worst with holding out as much as possible)

And the team up she holds out a little and mouth open now and then, but when long reining it's open the entire time.

None really seem to be heading in the right direction for a bit she genuinely likes.

I don't really want to put a flash on as I feel if she was contempt with the bit, we might be able to solve it without??? I have measured her at 5" and all her bits have been 5 and 1/4 (added 1/4 for loose ring and room either side) and I have been using 12 or 14mm mouthpieces as she has a fleshy tongue and low pallet.

Her teeth are up to date/ Any help would be great, but I don't have a clue what to put her in. I've sadly always used trial and error with bits as all though I have a brief understanding, I am no expert and anything the bitting companies recommend, always seem to be the ones she hates most :S

One other bit I'm tempted to try is the Nathe loose ring snaffle??? Purely to try a plastic bit that is not too thick, as I know my mums arab won't have anything but.

Also, not set on it having to be a loose ring if anyone has any advice on what to use? Her steering isn't bad as I can direct her with my seat and body, but her head carriage is very wooden.
 
With her being wooden and holding onto a variety of different bits I wonder if there is more to it than simply bit preference? Have you had a vet/physio/chiro go over her?
 
ThePony said:
With her being wooden and holding onto a variety of different bits I wonder if there is more to it than simply bit preference? Have you had a vet/physio/chiro go over her?
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The dentist said her teeth and mouth had a couple of hooks but all fine and obviously rasped the hooks... Only had her 6 weeks, chiropractor is coming out next week :)

She also had a vetting and vet who is also a specialist dentist had a little check last week.

I do think the wooden side is down to schooling and in need of having her back done which I booked her in for as soon as I could.

But with regards to the bit and mouth opening, I just want to make sure I've got something well suited as I might be going wrong somewhere with the type of bits I have been trying out
 
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Please dont put a flash on her - I have 3 exracers all of whom are ridden in snaffles without nosebands, we have got to a point where they can be hacked and jumped like that and only get a cavsson on for competing. A flash will only tie her mouth shut, not teach her to accept the bit and work correctly.

If she is crooked in her contact then it's probably a physical issue, she will be stronger down one side than the other - try doing every day tasks with your 'other' hand, we are all the same -and this will only be fixed with correct work. Massage and in hand stretching exercises may help.

Mine all go in different bits - maybe it would be worth trying a hanging cheek to see if she is happier in something that sits still in her mouth? We are told loose ring lozenge bits are the nicest but not all horses like them. I'd have her looked at by a physio then look again at the bitting situation.

Good luck - I know how frustrating it is, going through something similar with one of mine at the moment! :)
 
tbs tend to have single joints while in training, they often have high and narrow mouths with large tonges, sometimes french link/lozenge type bits can give too much tongue pressure for horses with mouths shaped like this. How about the demi anki by neue schule? More similar to what she would prob have been used to, but designed in such a way that you don't get the same 'roof of mouth jabbing' type issues as other single joints. http://www.horsebitbank.com/demi-anky-loose-ring-16mm-25.phtml
Or you could try a french link which is more shaped for the tongue, though you would prob want one with a flat rather than angles lozenge to reduce the tongue pressure like this: http://cotswoldsport.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_66&products_id=467
 
Scarlett said:
Please dont put a flash on her - I have 3 exracers all of whom are ridden in snaffles without nosebands, we have got to a point where they can be hacked and jumped like that and only get a cavsson on for competing. A flash will only tie her mouth shut, not teach her to accept the bit and work correctly.

If she is crooked in her contact then it's probably a physical issue, she will be stronger down one side than the other - try doing every day tasks with your 'other' hand, we are all the same -and this will only be fixed with correct work. Massage and in hand stretching exercises may help.

Mine all go in different bits - maybe it would be worth trying a hanging cheek to see if she is happier in something that sits still in her mouth? We are told loose ring lozenge bits are the nicest but not all horses like them. I'd have her looked at by a physio then look again at the bitting situation.

Good luck - I know how frustrating it is, going through something similar with one of mine at the moment! :)
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Okay thanks, I was just enquiring with regards to the flash as I sometimes have found them to work when used temporarily before anything becomes a habit but it's not really what I want for her as she's fairly straight forwards and hoping it will just settle soon.

Fingers crossed for chiro on tuesday. I've probably made her sound worse than she is but it's just niggly bits I want to get up to scratch so I can carry on with getting the basic schooling right as she's trying ever so hard :)
 
She may need time to adjust to the hooks not being there anymore. Once she's had her back done etc try the neue Schulz eggbutt. The mouth piece will suit her fleshy tongue and low pallet but the fixed ring will encourage her to take the contact down. Loose rings are constantly moving which can upset some horses.
 
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