Changing bit for dressage

[Ben2684]

My horse goes best in a ported Mullen, however these are I believe not dressage legal.

A) does anyone know any bits that are dressage legel that use minimal tongue pressure

B) do people swap from non legal to legal just for competition or would I need to school also. He used to have a straight Mullen mouth but going back to that he has now decided is not an option, I presume having gotten used to the ported bit

Thanks, Ben

 

[Cowpony]

Can't help with the type of bit I'm afraid, but its best to school in the tack you are going to compete in. Otherwise how can you get the best from your horse in competition?

 

[Otherwise]

Which ported mullen are you using, it may actually be legal depending on who's rules the competition is run under? Bomber happy tongue, magic bit, myler ported snaffle and a trust ported snaffle are all legal based on the picture guide available from BD. https://www.britishdressage.co.uk/rules

I'd say it's not uncommon to swap bits for competing, I used to school predominantly in a snaffle but use a double a couple of days before and at a competition. It doesn't tend to work well if your using an illegal bit to cover-up a schooling issue but between two snaffles because one is arbitrarily deemed illegal you should be fine if you use it occasionally in the run up to the comp.

 

[rara007]

http://www.thehorsebitshop.co.uk/product.php?xProd=1424&xSec=15

I really like the above for tongue pressure haters

 

[Laura2408]

I use a bombers happy tongue which is dressage legal.

 

[gunnergundog]

Myler ported hanging snaffle is BE legal. There's two or three variations, here is one of them: https://www.horsebitbank.com/myler-33-hanging-cheek-1124.phtml

 

[eggs]

Another who uses the Bombers Happy Tonge relief. Mr Z and I were very pleased when BD changed the rules to allow ported snaffles.

 

[Ben2684]

Ooooh thank you everyone, the bombers happy tongue looks similar to what have already so I have ordered one on trial, I just hopes he likes it

 

[Walrus]

There are several ported bits now legal for dressage including myler mb33, bomber happy tongue, magic / Cambridge snaffle (I think) so you may be able to find a dressage legal bit to use all the time. I used to switch between a Pelham and snaffle when I first started dressage and it seemed to work, horses for courses and all that...

 

[Ben2684]

I unfortunately have brown tack to go with my brown jump saddle and black to go with my dressage saddle. Will still have to bit swap :-/ unless I buy two lol