Bomber Happy Mouth port width

[Caol Ila]

Since the end of March, I've been riding Foinavon in a Bomber Happy mouth. After a little while, I noticed some bit rubs in the corners of his mouth with a 5" bit. So I got the 5 1/4" one. He was okay for a little while, then started shaking his head quite a lot. Vet came, filed some sharp edges down on his teeth, but it didn't fix it. He was truly terrible this week, diving down and snatching at the reins. Tried him in a different bridle yesterday, and it was worse. Today, for the sh1ts and giggles, I attached the narrower bit, the 5", (which I hadn't yet sold on) to his usual bridle. He was changed horse. No head tossing, no snatching, just very pleasant, and we did a two hour hack with quite a lot of trotting and cantering, so I had a contact.

The rings on the 5" obviously risk rubbing, but the port on the wider bit must apply pressure in a weird or uncomfortable way. Are bit guards the answer?

 

[Goldenstar]

Probably ,get the gel ones .
I do think that bit, which I use a lot ,work best snug in the length .

 

[Boulty]

I'd recommend the gel ones as a million times easier to get on & off! They're not totally foolproof (the Welsh idiot could still sometimes get rubs with them if being a strong, pully thug (ultimate solution was to change bit for exciting activities where I needed the brakes to work without arguments) but in "normal" situations they worked fine

 

[Gloi]

I think all these ported bits ,I use one ,need to be quite snug so the port acts correctly without being in the wrong place on the bars

 

[Bob notacob]

I found the port on bob,s happy mouth bit was too wide and wedged down onto the lower jaw instead of sitting flat onto it. Shame because in all other respects ,it was great.

 

[Caol Ila]

I think all these ported bits ,I use one ,need to be quite snug so the port acts correctly without being in the wrong place on the bars

Yes, I think that's been the learning curve here. My horse also has strong views about tongue pressure, so ported bits, when fitted correctly, are a lot nicer for him. Obviously the margins for the correct fit -- and not -- are slimmer than I thought. For once, being spacey and disorganized pays off, and I hadn't got around to selling the narrower bit!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Completely agree on the snugness of the Bomber happy tongue bits.
I did similar way back with B Fuzzy and had the same extreme reaction on the mouth piece (5.5) that fitted better. Popped the 5 inch back in and all good again. She works just slightly better in the loose ring than the eggbut.
That said, her rarely used showing bit which she is also very happy in, is a 5.5 Hartwell Pelham.....

 

[ycbm]

I think all bits are better snug. I dont agree with the ¼ inch clear at each side advice, because it seems obvious to me that the moment you have any uneven pressure on the reins (unless you've got the bit hoiked up as high as you can get it) you're going to get half an inch at one side and none at the other.
.

 

[SBJT]

I think all bits are better snug. I dont agree with the ¼ inch clear at each side advice, because it seems obvious to me that the moment you have any uneven pressure on the reins (unless you've got the bit hoiked up as high as you can get it) you're going to get half an inch at one side and none at the other.
.

This. My trainer is constantly giving me the side eye for my bit but quite frankly it works and fits very well. Plus trying to find a bit that fits a draft cross with an enormous head without it being a simple snaffle or driving bit is next to impossible.

 

[ThreeFurs]

My 17.1 wb goes in a Bombers dropped cheek ported barrel snaffle. Its only 120mm. The [very kind, Myler Comfort bit] his previous owner sent down with him to me was too wide, and as a fussy mouthed, reefing horse this made the problem worse. She also sent his old bridle, with its gorgeous crystal browband, but as she had it adjusted, the cheekpieces gaped. So, unless one had the hands of Reiner Klimke, there was going to be a lot sliding around, and thus mouth distraction.

My bit fitter measured his mouth, gave us 8 or 9 Bombers and Fagers to try, and we also, through cannibalising bits of bridle from my little 15.3 retired boy, created a closer fitting bridle that sat the narrower bit we chose snugly in his mouth. Didn't have any head-flicking, reefing problems after that. Much happier horse. Bit fitter told me many horses go in bits too wide.

 

[Annagain]

I was amazed when the bit fitter recommended a 5" HP snaffle for Charlie. He's a 17hh ISH! I had him in a 6" loose ring with a lozenge. She did explain that you need to size down with that brand but even so, a 5 1/4 or 5 1/2 would be plenty big enough for him as he has a narrow pallet. She said the anatomically designed bits often need to be snug to fit correctly. It definitely seemed to make a difference to him.

 

[Caol Ila]

A friend had some Bomber bit guards she wanted rid of. I gave them a shot today. He wasn't impressed at first, quite fussy and chompy in his mouth, but he gradually got used to them over the course of a two-hour hack, and he didn't seem too bothered by the end.

It's certainly a fashion statement.

 

[rextherobber]

A friend had some Bomber bit guards she wanted rid of. I gave them a shot today. He wasn't impressed at first, quite fussy and chompy in his mouth, but he gradually got used to them over the course of a two-hour hack, and he didn't seem too bothered by the end.

It's certainly a fashion statement.

View attachment 93090

Wow, I hadn't realised how yellow high viz merges with spring green leaves. I'd better invest in some orange!

 

[Caol Ila]

It does a bit, doesn't it? I have a tabard that's pink and yellow. That might be more visible!

 

[tatty_v]

The bit fitter recommended a 120mm bomber ported happy tongue eggbutt for our 15.3hh Connie x ID. I was surprised at how small it was (especially as the bit he’d come with was nearer 6inches!) but he’s been much happier in it and touch wood no rubs.

My other Connie suddenly developed rubs in the corners of his mouth after being happy in the same bit for years. Silly me faffed about trying all sorts of solutions/different bits, before a friend just advised buying a new version of the same bit in case the old one had got worn in the corners. Hey presto, no more rubs ? seems unlikely with something as well made as a bomber (this was just a £20 snaffle) but I thought it worth a mention just in case!

 

[Caol Ila]

He was starting to get rubs the other day after a couple long hacks, and he's been good as gold. Very light and soft in the hand. No pulling or arguing. Maybe just the shape of his mouth? Hopefully the bit guards will sort it.

A bit fitter would have saved me a lot of faff. I really tried to get one, but it's just impossible in this area.

 

[tatty_v]

He was starting to get rubs the other day after a couple long hacks, and he's been good as gold. Very light and soft in the hand. No pulling or arguing. Maybe just the shape of his mouth? Hopefully the bit guards will sort it.

A bit fitter would have saved me a lot of faff. I really tried to get one, but it's just impossible in this area.

I really struggled to find a fitter too (lots just didn’t answer my enquiries!) I eventually tagged onto a local yard who were having a day with Olivia Turner and she was fabulous. She’s since come out separately for another friend. I don’t know what area she covers but I mention her just in case

 

[Upthecreek]

A friend had some Bomber bit guards she wanted rid of. I gave them a shot today. He wasn't impressed at first, quite fussy and chompy in his mouth, but he gradually got used to them over the course of a two-hour hack, and he didn't seem too bothered by the end.

It's certainly a fashion statement.

View attachment 93090

I expect he’s upset that the bit guards are not red to match his bridle ? I have usually found the cause of rubs is the bit being too big rather than too small.