Can anyone recommend a bit for an ex-racer?

B

Berkeley

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 May 2009
Messages
835
Location
Kent
Visit site
TB keeps pulling allot. Its like a tug of war when we're out. She is currently in an egg butt snaffle and its near to useless.

Any suggestions?
 
Ours go in full cheek french link snaffles.wether metel or happy mouths all have a link or roller in the center as our tbs hate the nut cracker action of a normal snaffle.
 
My ex-racer's been a git for leaning and pulling, so much so he used to split his mouth. Now in a loose ring waterford that he can't get hold of, no more tug of war and no more split mouth! Might be worth a try.
 
Ditto the above re not liking nutcracker action. When I first got my ex-racer I rode him in a happy mouth 3 ring (using the ring under the main big one) as he could pull like a train. We have now progressed to doing fast work with just a happy mouth loose ring snaffle. Both bits have the roller in the middle and horse seems happy as larry :-)
 
Ours both were ridden in eggbutt snaffle and one clearly did not like the nutcracker action and goes best in a hanging cheek lozenge.

The other went better in the snaffle but very behing the bit trying to avoid it and is going well in a mullen mouth with the roller which is now dressage legal!!
 
I ride mine in a very thin loose ring lozenge snaffle which he loves. He has a very small mouth so normal thickness bits are too big. I found as soon as I changed the bit he was far happier in his mouth, didn't pull or stick his tongue out.

Def. didn't like normal nutcracker action.

He is hunted in a 2 ring lozenge dutch gag which suits him down to the ground.
 
Daughter used to have her ex racer in an eggbutt snaffle, then changed to a sweet iron eggbutt but her mare was always reluctant to pick up a contact and engaged in a lot of evasive behaviour.

Then she changed to this bit:

Sweetironlozengesnaff.jpg


But her horse is very soft mouthed and sensitive about hands, not much of a puller from what I can gather so I don't know if this will be the right choice for you, but it has made a huge difference to her horse imho.
 
Pulling as in too much energy and wanting to up the pace or yanking or leaning?

Could just be something that will settle in time if your ex racer is not used to hacking... if its all a bit exciting that is but yes you need brakes.

Do you know what is mouth is like, TB's tend to have quite thin sensitive bars, not necessarily fat tongues but can have a low palette, so anything too chunky or with a single joint might make a horse fight the contact thus just pulling away rather than coming back to you, so having a look poke around assessing the mouth may help, then you can decide much better if a different sort of snaffle will work more in your favour.

Loose ring snaffles tend tend to work better on those that pull a bit, as they can't lean as much yet with good hands you can tend to gage more on what's going on inside there mouths, you get more of a feel I think and can be more forgiving than fixed as sometimes they set there mouths against them.

For example Neue Schule do various loose ring snaffles that start (in some types) from 12mm but others from 14mm, so your getting thinner mouth piece which will work for both comfort and a thinner mouth piece for some horses can be a tad sharper, although their not your typical FL, the lozenge will work very similar, less direct action on the bars, but more spread across the tongue and the bars, and won't irritate the top inside of the mouth like it can with a single joint snaffle, also due to the metal used, solax, your less likely to get a dry mouth, in return a more relaxed one, which also helps with control.
 
Kenzo said:
Pulling as in too much energy and wanting to up the pace or yanking or leaning?

Could just be something that will settle in time if your ex racer is not used to hacking... if its all a bit exciting that is but yes you need brakes.
Click to expand...

she's 20, I've had her 4 yrs and all we do is hack so she's def used to it. She always done it but I have just put up with it but now I want to do something about it. She tends to pull as she has too much energy and wants to up the pace but other times she just leans.

So full cheek french link? or french link on loose ring...?
 
Have had my ex racer for 8 years and have always used a loose ring french link ever since I first got him - never used anythingelse.
 
Berkeley said:
she's 20, I've had her 4 yrs and all we do is hack so she's def used to it. She always done it but I have just put up with it but now I want to do something about it. She tends to pull as she has too much energy and wants to up the pace but other times she just leans.

So full cheek french link? or french link on loose ring...?
Click to expand...

oh right, I see.

Well if you like the added control (steering wise) of a full cheek, you could go with a fulmer (rather than full cheek) with a french link or what ever you feel your horse maybe more comfortable with, other option what you could try if you have not as yet, is loose ring snaffle with a cherry roller?, suppose if she's used to getting her own way and pulling a bit, it's something that will take time to try and get her out of the habit, so a change of bit may not help straight away.
 
Agree with the french link being good for TBs. I ride mine everyday in this full cheek snaffle with a revolving centre lozenge http://www.ejeffries.co.uk/product/132398/BICR23/_/Full_Cheek

I also have a Sprenger KK loose ring training snaffle, but my horse defies all logic and he prefers the full cheek snaffle.

I sometimes school him in a loose ring waterford because (being a typical ex-racehorse) he leans on the bit and doesn't soften easily, but as these are not dressage legal, I try to use the bit I would use in the test as much as possible.

When we start cross country I will definately need something stronger though. I'm thinking about trying him in a two ring, or a universal for cross country.
 
I have spent all morning trying out different bits with the help of someone who knows a bit!

I decided on a continental french link snaffle. I have put the reins on the ring under the loose ring for when we go out to the park and on the loose ring on calmer plods. The cheeck piece is on the top ring.

Unexpectedly, I also bought a very expensive Sabre bridle :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top