Changing bit... Your thoughts!

[BarnesBridge]

I've been thinking about trying my horse (11yo ex-racer) in a different bit for a little while now, I've only really started bringing him back into work in the last 3 months or so after he had colic surgery in 2014. He's always been in a loose ring single jointed snaffle (I never changed from the bit his previous owner rode him in), but since I've started schooling him more often, I have noticed he does chew on it quite a lot and I'm wondering if he might be happier and more accepting of something a bit softer? I've been thinking of trying a French link or a lozenge...? I must confess that my bit knowledge is pretty basic, so I would love to hear all your bit-related opinions and experiences! P.S. Teeth are up to date and he is fine to be bridled

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I've found it is really trial and error with horses! I'd prefer a lozenge over a french-link but the horse may not agree , if he's chewing and unsettled in the contact he may prefer more stability from either an eggbutt, hanging cheek or maybe a mullen mouth peice (straight bar).

Also another thing is to keep in mind sometimes they can chew when stressed or anxious, so not always in relation to the bit but more a schooling issue. Topaz is a mouth opener/ contact avoider, we did change bit to a eggbut myler, but also worked hard on improving the contact with still hands and getting her to take the contact forwards. My old show horse is a bottom lip flapper when excited , only when excited or concentrating hard, never attempted to school this out though as it never really caused us an issue.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I wanted a similar bit for my new horse as he was in a hanging cheek french link and I felt he was over bending so I bought a balancer snaffle from eldonian, it's a loose ring with a lozenge and the mouth piece is gold metal so it's warmer than stainless steel, it was only £24 and to be honest I was really pleased with it my horse seemed to like it and went so much better, I have recently even bought another one for my other horse and he also goes really well in it both horses have very soft mouths and it really suits them, if you Google it you can see a picture of it luckily my local tack shop sells them and I think for the money they are really nice bits.

 

[BarnesBridge]

I've found it is really trial and error with horses! I'd prefer a lozenge over a french-link but the horse may not agree , if he's chewing and unsettled in the contact he may prefer more stability from either an eggbutt, hanging cheek or maybe a mullen mouth peice (straight bar).

Also another thing is to keep in mind sometimes they can chew when stressed or anxious, so not always in relation to the bit but more a schooling issue. Topaz is a mouth opener/ contact avoider, we did change bit to a eggbut myler, but also worked hard on improving the contact with still hands and getting her to take the contact forwards. My old show horse is a bottom lip flapper when excited , only when excited or concentrating hard, never attempted to school this out though as it never really caused us an issue.

Thanks There's some really interesting points there.. I haven't really schooled him much at all in the 3 years I've had him (I used to hack mostly) and I hadn't thought about it being down to stress, although he's generally quite a laid back chap! You mention your Topaz, thinking about it Barney does open his mouth occasionally too. Think I might just bite the bullet and try a new one, I can always swap back if it all goes horribly wrong!! X

 

[BarnesBridge]

I wanted a similar bit for my new horse as he was in a hanging cheek french link and I felt he was over bending so I bought a balancer snaffle from eldonian, it's a loose ring with a lozenge and the mouth piece is gold metal so it's warmer than stainless steel, it was only £24 and to be honest I was really pleased with it my horse seemed to like it and went so much better, I have recently even bought another one for my other horse and he also goes really well in it both horses have very soft mouths and it really suits them, if you Google it you can see a picture of it luckily my local tack shop sells them and I think for the money they are really nice bits.

Thank you! I've just had a look at that now, it looks a lot like the one I was considering, the Neue Schule Team Up. You're right, it's a really good price too! Great to hear you've had such good results with your horses in it too

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Stress might be the wrong word, it could be he's just concentrating hard or finding it physically hardwork if its new to him (the schooling).

Trialling a few bits is always a good plan, I used the bit Pinkvboots has mentioned above before the myler and really liked it, but then decided to see if a stiller bit would help and it did . I put her back in the loose ring (acting as braddon) when trying a double and she went really well, so I'm hoping that our work on the contact has helped in general so she's better now in other bits too.

 

[rachk89]

I didn't actually thinking chewing a bit was that bad. Thought it meant they were accepting it but I am probably wrong.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Thank you! I've just had a look at that now, it looks a lot like the one I was considering, the Neue Schule Team Up. You're right, it's a really good price too! Great to hear you've had such good results with your horses in it too

they are very similar as the NS bits so it would be worth trying the eldonian one first as it's much cheaper, I used to ride my old mare in the NS verbidend snaffle I had a starter snaffle as well nice bits but they are expensive so worth trying with a bit bank before buying.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I didn't actually thinking chewing a bit was that bad. Thought it meant they were accepting it but I am probably wrong.

I think it depends on how much there chewing, a little mouthing can show acceptance of the bit but excessive chewing could be an evasion. I personally want a quiet wet mouth, but I guess it's a bit personal preference?

 

[smja]

My old show horse is a bottom lip flapper when excited , only when excited or concentrating hard, never attempted to school this out though as it never really caused us an issue.

Mine does this too...never even thought I might be able to school him out of it, it makes me laugh every time

 

[lindsay1993]

My mare chomps on her bit when anxious. It usually begins to happen once I start to pick up the contact and ask for a little more collection in the arena. Once she settles and forgets about the fact that I'm not going to ask her to do any serious dressage moves, (she used to be seriously schooled in dressage very regularly and competed quite highly with her last rider) she then stops the chomping. We have been working hard to get her to work without the tension and she's doing well. My mare also had a foal 6 years ago and he's now a bottom-lip flapper! I always thought it was quite funny, again it's apparently stress/tension/concentration related. His owners hate it and think he looks un-professional. He does it non-stop thought when ridden, which for me was quite distracting when I had a lesson on him listening to 'flap, flap, flap' for 30 minutes!! ;-)

 

[rachk89]

I think it depends on how much there chewing, a little mouthing can show acceptance of the bit but excessive chewing could be an evasion. I personally want a quiet wet mouth, but I guess it's a bit personal preference?

Yeah i suppose. Mine chews slightly but he does that when I have asked for a contact and when I haven't. I know though when he is unhappy he shakes his head a lot so he definitely isn't unhappy. He more or less puts himself round and on a contact when he is ready.

 

[BarnesBridge]

Thanks for all your suggestions, I think I'll try the Eldonian one first - thanks Pinkvboots. He is definitely chomping on it rather than mouthing. It's not constant, but it does make sense that he might be doing it when he's concentrating as he hasn't really been schooled properly in years. I probably need a few lessons again to be fair! 😂