do you have to change bit regularly??

Vicki1986

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does anyone else have to change bit regularly??

my temperamental little mare has been going beatifully in her happy mouth fulmer with a peanut for about 3 months but now she's evading it and leaning on it - she always does this after about 2-3 months of going nicely in a bit she is comfortable in.
her teeth are good and up to date.

i don't know what to change to
confused.gif

ive gone through a couple of bits since ive had her waterford snaffles, gags (she was strong and unschooled when i got her) and she just seems to like having a change every few months.... is this common???
its a pain in the rear!!!
 
Yep!! I have 3 different Bits G regularly swaps through. He has a loose ring Neue schule, and JP snaffle full cheek and a Nathe straight bar! Generally jump in the Jp, but the others are interchangable!!
 
Varies from horse to horse

Of the two I compete (full bros) one loves his bit so never has a change, whereas the other needs a change to stop him leaning.

I don't think it hurts to change - the easiest way to keep a mouth fresh for dressage is to hack out in something else. This stops the nerve endings going dead.

If she was going really well in her bit, depending on how you have it set, you can either drop it down or lift it up a little, which may also work as its in a fresh area of the mouth.
 
i have the same bit as you, the full cheek peanut snaffle and change it for either a loose ring french link or 3 ring french link dutch gag, depending on what shes doing. i think its healthy to change every so often to stop them leaning and to give them something different to think about.
 
We use 2 different bits on our Hann x TB. Flatwork/dressage he has a loose ring french link snaffle & for jumping he has a Waterford. He goes well in those particular bits for those particular disciplines.
smile.gif
 
My mare quite like a change every now and then - i stay with the same type of bit (mostly) but alter little thing

loose ring happpy-mouth with peanut
straight bar h-m
hanging cheek myler

she wont tolerate single jointed bits and prefers happy-mouths.

when she was doing a lot of dressae/schooling i hacked in a hackamore

mares are funny things!!
 
At the moment I'm trying to find a bit that works for my ponio and I, so am changing every once in a while to keep testing new ones out! Since June I've used a full cheek snaffle, a cherry roller, a 3 ring gag and a pelham...got a kimblewick to try next!!
 
Yes, he seems to get "bored" of them. Usually starts nose-poking to tell us he wants a change. Then after a few months he's happy to go nicely in one of the old bits again. His current favourite is his mullen mouth pelham (was in a Myler comfort snaffle before) His teeth are fine and regularly checked.
 
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