Do you think I should try a different bit? *schooling query*

3Beasties

3Beasties

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I've owned Charlie for 6 years and during that time have always had trouble getting him to except the bit. During the first few years I owned him I wasn't particularly bothered, I was young(er) and didn't think 'working correctly' was that important. My views on this have changed since then although I never really had much success getting him working nicely.

I have started having lessons weekly and they are beginning to really help us both. The first few were quite frustrating as he refused to go into an outline for me when using my instructors techniques. Last week we had a break through after I showed her 'my way' of getting his head down, I got him to go 'on the bit' and by the end of the lesson I had managed to get him working long and low in walk, trot and canter which is something I have never achieved before. He is still not very consistent but we are working on this and it is slowly improving.

A few things worry me about the bit I am using, he is very mouthy, his mouth is always open and his jaw sometimes crossed, I can't put a flash on him as they make him rear so that isn't an option.

Another thing is he has a very dry mouth, he never creates a froth despite being in a copper bit.

My instructor seems to think that these things mean he doesn't like the bit I ride him in, but I'm not sure?! What do you think?

This is the bit I currently use

http://www.shiresequestrian.co.uk/shop/product.php?productid=733&cat=0&page=1

Can you recommend a different snaffle that might be better?

I think the main problem is lack of proper schooling but I guess if I had a bit that he did like it would make my huge task a little easier!

Cookies if you made it to the end and made any sense of my random rabbiting
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ETD Cos of silly spellings in title
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Have you tried a straight bar snaffle. Maybe a mullem mouth or similar. My old lad dislikes the nutcracker action of a jointed bit but goes really nicely in one of those. I also put my dressage horse in one occasionally which he seems to enjoy. Can't leave him in permanently as he takes the mick after a while!!
 
Hm, well Darcy is in a Myler Comfort snaffle which has sweet iron running through it, and it has made him slightly more moister in his mouth as before he was always bone dry and never salivated at all. But I'm having a bit of the same problem with him Re: consistency etc etc so who knows!
 
Have you thought about a drop noseband? Am going to try one with mine who is also constantly messing with his mouth and tongue- and just goes rigid with a flash. Am never sure about bits, tried loads with my old boy, not sure they made any difference tho, but maybe you could try a bit bank?
 
I agree with your instructor. The horse is obviously uncomfortable in his mouth. This is why he opens his mouth and why he rears if you strap his mouth shut. It would be a good idea to discuss his mouth conformation with your EDT. Did your instructor suggest an alternative to your bit? I often use a mullen-mouth bit for horses with fleshy tongues which struggle with jointed bits and have found that most horses like sweet-iron. You can try bits from a bit bank until you find something that your horse is comfortable in. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy schooling is when your horse is comfortable in his mouth, he sounds very well-behaved, not to say forgiving, if you can get him to work 'on the bit' even with these problems.
 
The difference in my horse when I changed his bit was amazing. I changed from a 'standard' snaffle if you like, to a Myler Comfort snaffle and there was a 100% improvement. It doesn't have to be a Myler but maybe you could try something that is shaped to the mouth and tongue a bit more?
My horse opens his mouth when resisting but it is alot worse with a flash as he fights against it so between me and the instructor we decided to opt for the open mouth. A drop noseband wasn't to bad for him.
Also. remember, you dont HAVE to ride in a snaffle, you are not going to be 'dressageing' it up everyday, you could change to something for a few weeks/months to help you get what you are trying to acheive and then change back again and see how he feels. There is nothing wrong with having a change now and again as a reminder to them what it is you are actually wanting.
 
I would agree with the others, it doesn't sound like he is happy with his bit.

However, my mare is similar to what you describe - she's funny in her mouth, crosses her jaw badly and rarely produces any foam. However, the big difference is that if and only if, you can really get her working into a good contact by forgetting about her head and concentrating on the rest of her body, the mouth issues disappear. When we go out galloping and she's enjoying herself, she will work into a decent contact and lo and behold, her mouth will produce a little moisture as well.

She doesn't like too much of a contact so I will begin riding almost on a loose rein and progress to working long and low. During this time I always ask with my seat and legs before I touch the reins to minimise pressure on her mouth. Gradually as she warms up I can pick her up a little and ride her more into the contact. It will take a lot of work to really get her into a true contact - we were getting to that stage a year ago but have had a few problems since then which have set us back.

I suppose what I am saying, is that if he's been unhappy in his mouth for a long time, or has ever been ridden badly in the past this might be a long standing habit and one of his evasions and only correct riding will help him. That said, I do continue to look for other bits to try on my girl and fancy trying a myler based on some of the above replies - its certainly worth experimenting with to see if you can find something he's happier in. Good luck, I know how frustrating it can be but there is hope
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[ QUOTE ]
Have you tried a straight bar snaffle. Maybe a mullem mouth or similar. My old lad dislikes the nutcracker action of a jointed bit but goes really nicely in one of those. I also put my dressage horse in one occasionally which he seems to enjoy. Can't leave him in permanently as he takes the mick after a while!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I have only ever tried him in a happy mouth straight bar but that was a few years ago and I didn't really school him in it
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Never really thought about trying one properly, will see if I can find one to try.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hm, well Darcy is in a Myler Comfort snaffle which has sweet iron running through it, and it has made him slightly more moister in his mouth as before he was always bone dry and never salivated at all. But I'm having a bit of the same problem with him Re: consistency etc etc so who knows!

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I didn't realise that the Mylers had Sweet Iron running through them, is that standard with all of them or just with some?
 
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I used to ride George in a very similar bit, but then I tried him in a mullen mouth hanging cheek myler - well the difference was amazing!

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He doesn't like jointed hanging cheeks so not sure if he would like the mullen mouth version or not. Am definitely going to try a normal mullen mouth snaffle though
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[ QUOTE ]
Have you thought about a drop noseband? Am going to try one with mine who is also constantly messing with his mouth and tongue- and just goes rigid with a flash. Am never sure about bits, tried loads with my old boy, not sure they made any difference tho, but maybe you could try a bit bank?

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I'm a bit unsure about trying any noseband other then a cavesson due to the rearing thing
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[ QUOTE ]
I agree with your instructor. The horse is obviously uncomfortable in his mouth. This is why he opens his mouth and why he rears if you strap his mouth shut. It would be a good idea to discuss his mouth conformation with your EDT. Did your instructor suggest an alternative to your bit? I often use a mullen-mouth bit for horses with fleshy tongues which struggle with jointed bits and have found that most horses like sweet-iron. You can try bits from a bit bank until you find something that your horse is comfortable in. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy schooling is when your horse is comfortable in his mouth, he sounds very well-behaved, not to say forgiving, if you can get him to work 'on the bit' even with these problems.

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Nope she didn't suggest an alternative
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I'm going to get a Mullen mouth to try as a few of you have suggested them.

I'm not sure we will ever find schooling easy
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but hopefully if we can find a bit that suits him it will become easier!
 
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Have you tried him in a mullen mouth? Much less to play with then
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Nope, going to try one though
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[ QUOTE ]
The difference in my horse when I changed his bit was amazing. I changed from a 'standard' snaffle if you like, to a Myler Comfort snaffle and there was a 100% improvement. It doesn't have to be a Myler but maybe you could try something that is shaped to the mouth and tongue a bit more?
My horse opens his mouth when resisting but it is alot worse with a flash as he fights against it so between me and the instructor we decided to opt for the open mouth. A drop noseband wasn't to bad for him.
Also. remember, you dont HAVE to ride in a snaffle, you are not going to be 'dressageing' it up everyday, you could change to something for a few weeks/months to help you get what you are trying to acheive and then change back again and see how he feels. There is nothing wrong with having a change now and again as a reminder to them what it is you are actually wanting.

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I'm going to look into hiring a Myler, don't want to buy one in case he doesn't like.

I don't always ride him in a snaffle, when hacking out with others I use a stronger bit. For schooling I think a snaffle would be fine, it's just finding the RIGHT snaffle. There's so many out there
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