Bruised bars - bitting suggestions please

[Tasha!]

I noticed yesterday my warmblood cross has bruised bars
So a new bit is obviously needed, but I'm a bit stumped. He's in a 16mm sprenger kk ultra currently. I school without a noseband, and put a loose cavesson on for competing. I'm happy with how he goes in his current bit, so need something similar. It's a gentle bit though, so concerned that any new metal bit will do the same. The plastic ones all look very thick though, and he doesn't have that much room in his mouth.

Bit needs to be dressage legal. Any recommendations?

 

[Micropony]

Has your trainer got any suggestions?

 

[be positive]

My very sensitive horse who has damaged bars is in a straight Nathe and Micklem which is a good combo for him, he is not happy with anything too chunky but did go ok in a hollow mouth german eggbutt snaffle at one time. I think the Micklem takes a little pressure away from the bars by holding the bit in a better place.

 

[Darkwater]

The Sprenger duo has the narrowest mouthpeice I could find in a non-metal bit (16mm), and it is slightly shaped on the underside so it takes up even less room over the tongue. Of the many I have tried, it is the only bit my sensitive young pony will tolerate - I really rate it. I personally use it without a noseband, as the pony in question has very little room in her tiny mouth, and she seems happier without one.

 

[ycbm]

I'm very sorry if this sounds a bit rude, but I can't think of how else to put it. How did he bruise his bars if he wasn't ridden with too hard a contact?

Shanked bits with poll pressure can allow you to lighten the contact so as not to bruise extremely sensitive horses, but of course they aren't dressage legal.

Are you sure this isn't more of a training issue than a bitting issue? Do you have a trainer you can ask?

 

[Tasha!]

There is bruising on the top as well as the bottom, so assume it's from the bit being too thick rather than contact, as he doesn't require a strong contact.

Ideally I'd like a sprenger duo/nathe type in a 12 or 14mm, but they don't seem to exist
A thinner metal bit would be sharper, which he doesn't need... guess I will have to get both and see which is better. Damn expensive horse!

 

[ycbm]

Crikey, he must have a tiny mouth if he's bruised the top too. Is your dentist taking a lot off his teeth? For one like that I think I would use the Jeffreys copy of the Myler bit with a very thin mouthpiece. To make it dressage legal you can cut the hooks off, or pay about three times as much for the Myler.


Surprisingly, most of the horses I've used it on don't seem to find it too 'sharp'.

 

[sjp1]

How about a Neue Schule Verbindend? Very thin, very curved allowing a lot of room for a low palate and a big tongue - but you don't need to have heavy hands. Thinner bits don't always mean sharper, just sometimes more comfortable if you have a horse with a big tongue and a low palate - obviously if you ride with a heavy contact anything is going to be harsh and thicker bits will be harsher for a horse with a tricky mouth conformation.

The hollow mouth German eggbuts are from memory - I used one in the 80's - very very thick - I had an Arab mare who reared a lot with one - at the time they were put forward as the best bits - I am not sure I would use one on anything these days!!

 

[Tasha!]

He had his teeth done a month or so ago... didn't consider that as a cause. Might get the vet to take a quick peek when he's out for my other horse next week, just in case.

I had a myler and a NS, but someone nicked em :/ also one that I can't remember the name of that I used to ride him in. It had fixed rings, only one joint but was curved to the shape of the mouth - wish I could remember what it was, as I'm sure it caused no issues.