Heavier Horses – what bit do you use?

[Gorgeous George]

George is a 16.3 shire x with a big tongue and fleshy lips, I have never really been able to find a snaffle bit that he is truly happy with that is dressage legal

For hacking and jumping we use a gag with a metal mullen mouth and roundings from the snaffle ring to the little ring below and this seems to suit him . Lately (and don’t shoot me down) we have been doing our flatwork in a Cambridge port kimblewick with elastic curb and he has been going really well and I’m really enjoying riding him on the flat – but of course it’s most definitely not dressage legal.

For dressage I tried a mullen mouth hanging cheek as thought this was close to a kimblewick – not impressed, he seemed really unhappy with that. The best so far has been a loose ring with metal mullen mouth.

So for those of you with heavier horses what bits do you use and why?

Thanks

 

[Kat]

What about a d-ring mullen mouth snaffle, maybe with a port to get as similar to the kimblewick as possible?

What noseband do you use? Might a drop help? They are dressage legal.

What about a myler? I'm not a massive fan but some horses respond really well and they do have dressage legal versions.

What does he actually do in the loose ring snaffle to make you think he is unhappy? Could it be that rather than being uncomfortable he is simply trying to evade you? He might realise when he's in the kimblewick that there is "no point fighting" but try his luck in the snaffle because you have less to use against him. I know a couple of horses like this, the mare I ride atm is angelic in a pelham and an absolute cowbag in a snaffle, the cob DH rides is a different horse is a double bridle compared to his usual full cheek snaffle. If like those two he goes nicely in a double or pelham with two reins you could ditch the dressage and try some showing instead

 

[Harriettie]

Having been round the houses with bits for several years - starting with a loose ring happy mouth and progressing through basic snaffles, hanging cheek, pelham, jointed pelham, to eventually a weymouth with my boy, I've come right back round to the NS loose ring snaffle with a lozenge.

He is a big boy with a fleshy mouth and its thin enough to fit nicely, with the double jointed action meaning that the roof of his mouth is not affected and plenty of room for the tongue.

Its dressage legal and we have done some novice tests in competition in it, so he goes lovely and soft and round in it.

I can also hold him, although we don't jump or do X country generally.

Sometimes less really can be more!

My lad is also called Gorgeous George, as if that makes any difference

 

[Archangel]

Neue Schule tranz lozenge. He absolutely loves it, I really think the loose rings make a difference. He was in a fulmer before when young and a bit rowdy. He is not heavy or strong to ride though (despite being a great lump), so the NS fine tuned him as it were.

 

[lochpearl]

Both my pure irish draught and my ISH are in the NS verbindend bits, they are dressage legal, the horses love the lozenge and go every nicely in them.

 

[Gorgeous George]

Thanks for everyone's ideas and suggestions so far - keep them coming, it's very interesting to see what works for other peeps

KristmasKatt- You are probably right about him knowing he can't get away with it in the kimblewick so he doesn't bother In the hanging cheek mullen he throws his head about, gets his tongue over the bit and drools a lot, BUT when he's not doing that he goes nicely - did think about a drop (use one for hacking/jumping), but worried he may be unhappy because he's struggling to swallow?

With the loose ring mullen mouth we don't have the fussing/evading he just leans much more and isn't as soft and round.

Harriettie - Thanks and I think there is a lot of relevance that they're both called Gorgeous George

 

[Jellybean50]

I also use the NS loose ring snaffle with a lozenge. My horse is shire x wb, and has the fleshy tongue...

We compete at BE and i use the same bit for all 3 phases.

Would definitely recommend..

 

[JennBags]

I have problems bitting Red for schooling - he gets very strong in a snaffle. I hack him in a rubber pelham, and sometimes school in it as well (*deflects bullets coming her way*).

The one I found best for schooling was a loose-ring french link happy mouth.

 

[Kat]

Based on what you say I'd go with the loose ring and work on the schooling then.

Although it might be worth trying something with a nice thin mouthpiece and a double joint (lozenge or french link or something) and maybe a curved mouth too (is it the NS bits that have a curved mouth?). So he has plenty of room in his mouth but you also have a bit more movement. The leaning would be helped by a less fixed bit.

Thin mouthpiece will give you a reasonably sharp feel and not take up too much space.

The big mare I referred to above is in a loose ring lozenge snaffle with the "bent" mouth (I think it is NS) at the moment and switching for a thinner double jointed bit for dressage tests does make her a little lighter.

 

[Miss-rose]

I had a similar problem with rose recently she has a tiny mouth with huge tounge and fleshy lips, I've just swapped her to an eggbutt myler with hooks and she loves it she's going fab at the mo, my mums just got me one without hooks for dressage. She's also a shire x. Also tried her in a peewee but she wasn't keen.

 

[Nancy1]

I have a 17.1 Shire x TB with the same problem. I used a Myler loose ring comfort snaffle with the wide port which she really liked as very thin so leaves plenty of room in her mouth. Also dressage legal. I also use a NS loose ring with a lozenge which she goes nicely in too.

 

[hollyandivy123]

best one have found is the myler comfort snaffle wide or myler mullen, both are dressage legal
i think the mullen is better less fuss in her mouth also the side move independent unlike a normal mullen. the mullen comes, D-ring or dropped or with checks

 

[lucemoose]

http://cotswoldsport.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=502

may give more room in the mouth for the tongue?

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

I ride my 18.1 shire in a loose ring french link snaffle, as it reduces him leaning on the bit and doesn't really need brakes too much.
As to whether it is dressage legal, I have know idea. I know about as much about dressage as Fella does about leaving a bucket full of carrots.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I like the PeeWee and have had 2 large horses very happy in it but it's not dressage legal.

 

[Booboos]

Cakey's schooled in a Sprenger Tornado (comes in a size 6), he's very happy in it, has brakes and can't get his tongue over it (with other snaffles he would constantly pop his tongue over the bit and back under again!). Dressage legal.