Breaking the 'always ride in a snaffle' rule

[mbf938]

Hi

Thought I would find out other people's opinions on snaffles vs other types of bits, most notably curb bits.

I bought my pony 11 years ago and he came with a little list of 'Dos and Don'ts' and one was 'don't ride in anything other than a snaffle'. I rode him in a french link eggbutt snaffle for a year but was advised to move him into a hanging cheek snaffle with a french link as he was very strong when excited despite being well schooled and an experienced schoolmaster (he was previously a JC showjumping pony and an FEI event pony).I felt he went well in his bit and continued to use it. I also rode him with no bridle at all at times on the flat and over fences as well as just on a rope around his neck bareback and he was responsive and well behaved.

2 years ago I tried him in a hartwell pelham with 2 reins to prepare him for showing as I felt that, as I was older and knew him well, if I could ride him in a snaffle he should be the same in other bits as it is all about schooling and riding, not what you put in the horse's mouth. I was surprised to find that I could ride him through from behind a lot easier and could ride him from my weight and leg aids much better in his pelham with reins. I hadn't even realised how much weight I had been holding in my hands as he was still very responsive and forward going in a snaffle, but he started carrying himself a lot more in the pelham and coming forwards into the contact.

I tried to find a hartwell snaffle as I thought perhaps it is the mouthpiece he likes better than the double joints but could not find one. I then bought a kimblewick and removed the curb chain to make it more 'snaffle-like' and removed his flash noseband (on his snaffle, not show - pelham- bridle) and he comes into the contact so much better and can be ridden forwards into the contact that he accepts beautifully. Perhaps it is the mouthpiece that allows more room for the tongue (which is a shame, given that BD rules don't allow such a mouthpiece) but I have to admit that I always believed that a well schooled horse should be capable of being ridden to the same performance in any bit and I have revised my thinking on this now. His dressage movements are so much easier now and his lengthening and shortening of strides are easier to ask for and achieve.

Has anyone else had a similar experience and what are your views on the concept of snaffles being best and that a horse isn't well schooled unless he can ridden in all disciplines in one?

 

[Orls]

I think the sniffles only "rule" is rubbish (in my opinion only ) every horse is an individual and we shouldn't have blanket rules for them all. I ride my gelding between a French link sweet iron snaffle and a Pelham with the same mouthpiece when I want to do some fine tuning. You have to do whats best for your horse and if he is more comfortable and you are getting a better ride when he's in a Pelham then that's great!

Don't feel like you have to justify what you are doing to others, or continue with rules imposed before you bought him - it's your horse at the end of the day and if what you are doing is working then carry on!

 

[Rhodders]

always ride in what your horse is happy in, not all horses like a snaffle, my horse hates them, doesn't like the lip pressure I presume, I ride in a kimblewick, he's happy responsive and safe.
The "snaffle is the only bit" brigade drive me insane, in an ideal world yes, but yanking at my horses mouth trying to get some brakes in a snaffle is not a "mild" bit, its as harsh as it gets as far as I can see.

 

[dressedkez]

I think that I posted on a bit thread the other night - and commented that there is so much choice now - what the hell does one do??
I would like to think that most horses / people start off with a plain loose ring snaffle and see how they get on - using a flash or cross noseband if necessary to help improve the contact. Of course the riders hands all vary as well - and the need to ram the horse on the bit before getting it going forwards has a major part to play in all of this too....
Instructors seem to pay a large part in the bit a horse should have - and a bit like if a child is not progressing at school as they should be (in the eyes of the parent) then a new gizno / training regime - some Japanese Maths scheme - will be the panacur.......
I have learnt with raising kids that they all develop at different ages, and don't need crash courses in learning to help them catch-up, they frequently get there under their own steam, and so it is mostly horses as well......Young horse not making an outline in the school with the normal loose ring snaffle - well we must try something new......sweet iron, Myler, gold encrusted with diamonds, or no bit at all? It is all a bit of a mine field really - Sorry no real advice to proffer (after this ramble) but gut instinct just get the horses to go forward is possibly the key......Now that is a another thread completely, who still uses the old fashioned key bit to 'mouth' horses when breraking? hardly anyone I would suggest - but there was possibly some merit in approching breaking this way? Comments?

 

[touchstone]

My mare is far happier in a pelham than any snaffle, let the horse tell you what it prefers.


Just seen dressedkez's response, and while I would agree that sometimes bits are seen as the quick fix, I think more people are generally aware of their horse's mouth conformation nowadays and some horses resent lip bar or tongue pressure, so it is good to have the choice of bits to accomodate this.

My mare responds far better to curb pressure than to pressure on the bars and goes happily with no issues, nose pressure she detests and hates bitless or any tight nosebands.

My dad always mouths his traditionally with a breaking bit, I tend to use a sweet iron snaffle and there has been no marked difference in the 'mouths' of the horses. I always school a horse to be forwards going rather than hauled in, the difference I find is whether the horses are truly comfortable in their mouths or not, and no matter how much you might want to stick with a snaffle, if a horse is more comfortable and working well in a different bit I'd be happy to use it.

 

[Toast]

Ride in whatever you think your horse is happiest and goes the best in. If my sister always rode her pony in a snaffle she'd have her arms ripped out of the sockets and the pony would take the Mick. she's happiest and goes well in a 3 ring gag. Do what's best for you and your horse!

 

[Elsiecat]

I think a jointed snaffle can be a fairly harsh bit! Especially in the wrong hands. I don't understand why every Tom, 'Richard' and Harry sticks them on kids ponies. The nutcracker action on a well behaved pony and a kid with unsteady hands isn't fair! Not saying all kids have unsteady hands or all ponies are well behaved, but there's a good group of them!

My horse prefers a ported kimblewick.
Pony loves her lozenge.
Other horse is in a snaffle as its what he came in. This summer we'll be trying him on other things to see if there's any changes. Nothing wrong with snaffles though.

 

[zoelouisem]

I think sometimes people get hooked upon the fact horses need to be in a snaffle.
I think a stronger bit in a strong ponies mouth is milder than a soft bit in their mouth.
My daughter has her own pony and another shes riding for a friend. her own is not strong at all, shes ridden in a rubber egg butt snaffle, she can take her in any situation XC, hacking in large groups showjumping and she just doesnt pull not that shes a dobbin she can be fizzy but doesnt pull.
The other pony shes riding isnt naughty but loves to jump alot!! When she had him in a snaffle whatever she did he wouldnt come back to her (hes beautifully schooled on the flat just gets ever so excited, hes ridden in a kimblewick just been between jumps when she asks him to come back he does without her have to really pull, i would rather her ask him gently that have to haul on a snaffle.

 

[dressedkez]

I think sometimes people get hooked upon the fact horses need to be in a snaffle.
I think a stronger bit in a strong ponies mouth is milder than a soft bit in their mouth.
My daughter has her own pony and another shes riding for a friend. her own is not strong at all, shes ridden in a rubber egg butt snaffle, she can take her in any situation XC, hacking in large groups showjumping and she just doesnt pull not that shes a dobbin she can be fizzy but doesnt pull.
The other pony shes riding isnt naughty but loves to jump alot!! When she had him in a snaffle whatever she did he wouldnt come back to her (hes beautifully schooled on the flat just gets ever so excited, hes ridden in a kimblewick just been between jumps when she asks him to come back he does without her have to really pull, i would rather her ask him gently that have to haul on a snaffle.

For children and lots of adults it is of course all about 'hands' and going forwards......being repetitive - yawn......