Couple of Q's, bitting and cattle cake

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Christmas_Kate

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Firstly, ponio seems to have a lack of steering where grass is concerned. He'll head for the nearest verge out hacking. he's currently in an eggbutt snaffle which suits him fine. The nutcracker gives enough brakes and he accepts it perfectly well. But I was wondering if there was a single jointed snaffle which might give the kids more steering? Bearing in mind he's a shetland so only has a small face...

*I have tried daisy reins, etc etc etc.... nothing works!!)

Secondly, would it harm him if he had a few crumbs of cattle cake a day? Just found out someone's been giving him this for the last few weeks (and i stress it's just a few crumbs when the cattle are being fed... apparently he looks 'sad' when their food comes out).

Thanks
 
Well, something with full cheeks springs to mind, though this could perhaps be hard to fit on a shetland due to their facial build?
I don't know, can you get mini versions of full cheek snaffles? (Our elderly welshie has a mini eggbutt snaffle......ickle tiny rings, so maybe?)
Probably won't make an iota of difference though, knowing the shetland strength & mentality! lol

Cattle cake I'm not sure of but I probably wouldn't! It's quite rich I think?
 
He has a small eggbutt which came with him, but have only seen small eggbutt snaffles, not full cheeks. I tried a full cheek on last pony (welsh cross) and it took over his face
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.
I was wondering about the half cheek or a hanging cheek? Though I'm sure I heard somewhere that these encourage poll pressure, and TBH he doesnt need that.
 
A hanging-cheek will give a little added poll pressure but won't help with steering as such. A half-spoon could be useful but you will probably run into exactly the same fitting problems?
I think it could be worth googling it a bit more, as somebody somewhere must make tiny bits for tiny ponies, being as lack of steering & heading resolutely off to the nearest grass verge is one of THE most common problems with small ponies!

I am not too good with grass reins but they should be quite effective I think, if added & fastened correctly. Maybe try an alternative method of fitting, which at the end of the day I think will be more effective than any bitting arrangement, which a small, stubborn shetland is still likely to ignore, no matter its tiny rider's efforts!
 
He throws his dummy out of the pram if I fit anything like daisy reins
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. Typical Shettie, doesnt like change lol.

I looked at dinky rugs website but they havent much of a choice in there.
 
My friend found a minature full cheek for her shetland, no idea what make it was but they are out there! It has smaller rings and smaller cheek bits.
 
Cattle cake generally has a sugar beet in which is obviously not soaked for length of time for horses.
Also very rich designed to get cattle fat quickly so wouldn't really reccomend it.
 
The corn we have for our cows is called More Milk 20 and is full of proteins and other things to increase the milk yield in the dairy herd. We have that in bulk, 6 tonnes a week. Obviously there's no ingredients to check as there's no bag but I wouldn't think it was right for horses.

However, we have some bags of start and wean for the calves and they clearly state "not to be fed to horses" on it. Full of protein and starch. I would absolutely be up in arms if someone was feeding it to any of mine, much less an extremely overweight Shetland like G.

I know they mean well, but I wouldn't allow it. However, plenty of people swear by Start and Wean for youngsters that they are trying to get condition on for showing. Never done it myself as the pursuit of rosettes has never been high on my agenda.
 
Agree on the full cheek will give better steering. BTW have you tried just plain old baler twine, up to the browband from D rings and then down to the bit to stop him going for grass?

I really wouldn't recommend giving him cattle cake. Its designed to get cattle fat quickly. If you really want to give him something give him a handful of Hi-Fi Lite, but (IMO) i wouldn't give him anything.
 
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is it possible to put a grazing muzzle over the bridle?

[/ QUOTE ]

Wouldn't have thought Katy could do this. Most muzzles are quite slim fitting and would catch on the bit I'd think.

Katy, have you tried a Tom Thumb bit for G? Snaffle with smaller cheek pieces for little faces. Oliver is wearing on in this picture:
DSC01880.jpg
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
is it possible to put a grazing muzzle over the bridle?

[/ QUOTE ]

Wouldn't have thought Katy could do this. Most muzzles are quite slim fitting and would catch on the bit I'd think.

Katy, have you tried a Tom Thumb bit for G? Snaffle with smaller cheek pieces for little faces. Oliver is wearing on in this picture:
DSC01880.jpg


[/ QUOTE ]

That doesn't look like a Tom Thumb to me, isnt it just a fulmer snaffle???
 
I always thought a Tom Thumb was a fairly severe curb bit but tried that same bit on our tiny pony & the tack shop I borrowed it from called it a Tom Thumb too!
(I called it a mini spoon bit or something equally banal! lol)
 
I think Tom Thumb is a brand more than a style isn't it? Bit like saying Neue Schule or Sprenger?

I've no idea. I do know some people have been aghast when I mention a Tom Thumb until they see it.
 
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