How many bits do you use / have for your horse/pony?

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Vicki1986

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my horse responds well to change and if i keep her in the same bit for too long she gets too 'used' to it

showing... french link rugby pelham - just bought this am yet to use it hope it will go down ok with her.

hacking on the road / slow work ... happy mouth french link fulmer

lunging waterford snaffle

mock hunting... 3 ring waterford gag

fast work/ xc / in company... sweet iron & copper ringed french link tom thumb gag
 
I ride mine all the time in a loose ring french link but in the 7 years I have had her she has been in a french link fulmer, happy mouth loose ring and a french link hanging cheek. I have also jumped her in a dutch gag.
 
Wills has a fulmer for hacking and schooling, and a eng gag for any fast work.
Oshk has 1000010 bits, he gets bored, although for fast work now he seems to have settled very very nicely in the englih gag, as it has the snaffle mouthpiece, ridden from two reins out hunting it gives the happy medium and he has less to paddy with.
 
I try and do everything in a snaffle or french link. We do however have a huge bucket of bits from past horses. I haven't been XC yet on my new horse but she came with a Dr Bristol so that might be used. However her owners said they SJed her in a Dr Bristol but I am still using the french link.
 
I sometimes wish my horse would tell me what mood she is in or which bit she would like that day !! as sometimes i take her for a blast xc and her mouth is soft as anything and i wish id used a snaffle not a gag so they next time i be brave and use a snaffle and i return half dead cursing myself thinking never again !!!
 
Just the one a french link hanging cheek
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which he works really well in. Oh and the pelham for the odd showing class
 
Ummmm i have loads, probably 35+
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And i alternate a lot. I use Loose Ring and Eggbutt French link snaffles, Straight bar rubber Pelham, Myler Comfort snaffle with hooks, Waterford bits, Hanging Cheek, Full Cheek and Liverpool driving bits.
 
I have two

A Loose ring Waterford for schooling

&

A waterford 3 ring gag (which I use on second ring not bottom) which I use for jumping and hacking
 
lol I have three buckets full, some racing back to the 7os/80s which mum has kept, some pretty nasty polo bits and tounge numbers in there as well, crist we must have at least 7dutch gags, 5english, some odd military ones, every snaffle going and some rather odd looking hackamore types!!!!!
 
I have loads which I have played with over the years for Merlin, who has always needed a stronger bit for jumping than flatwork (at least if you wanted any control whatsoever).

However my new horse seems to go well in just the one bit - a french link - even XC! Heaven!
However I'm trying different types of french link - different lozenges, metals etc - to find the best match for him. Can't resist trying different bits.
 
I've got loads of bits but only use 2. Loose ring french link for schooling & french link dutch gag on the middle ring for hacking & top ring for jumping.
 
Would probably be easier to list what i don't have!! however last season all except 2 were in snaffles for all phases inc KK myler nathe and traditional types of french links.1 jumped in a long shank myler combi the other in a rubber loller pelham... i think poss 150+
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bits in collection( but i never sell them) from 3 1/5 -5 1/5 inches.
 
I have:

1 x single jointed egg butt snaffle
1 x french link eggbutt snaffle
1 x french link loose ring snaffle
1 x mullen mouth snaffle
1 x copper roller snaffle
1 x rubber loose ring single jointed snaffle

only two in use are first and last, both on different horses
 
To Many!!

Bendy rubber mullen mouth snaffle
Stiff rubber/plastic mullen snaffle
Myler comfort BD legal snaffle
Loose ring french-link snaffle
Loose-ring french-link sweet iron snaffle
Eggbut french-link snaffle
Rubber/Plastic Pelham
Metal single-joint pelham
Metal low-port pelham
Wilkie snaffle
Happy mouth 3-ring gag
Happy mouth hanging cheek
Hanging cheek
Happymouth eggbut
Loosering french link

I think that's it... Maybe not, but that's all I can remember
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RDA work = NS Comfy Contact Eggbut Snaffle
School work = Loose ring waterford
Hacking = English Tom Thumb with Lozenge mouth and 2 reins
 
ones that are not used, or at least very rarely

French link hanging
Single joint eggbut
single joint hangining
single joint D ring copper roller
 
I try to stick with a plain bradoon style loose ring jointed snaffle pretty much all the time.

Then for showing I have a rugby pelham.

That's it!
 
I think I must be a secret bit collector, I have some bits that i don't even know the name of, may actually post some pictures if anyone could tell me. At auctions round here you often get bits sold in lots so if there is one i want to buy secondhand to try before i buy the real thing i usually come home with 3 others i didn't want.

every day wise my gelding has a loose ring copper lozenge snaffle from cottage craft for jumping and hacking, £10.99,
a double with eggbutt bridoon and fixed weymouth for dressage and showing, £60
and a happy mouth mullen loose ring snaffle which came free with an old horse of mine to be led in when i ride and lead!
 
Castle - I have him in an eggbutt snaffle for everything now
Ali - Single jointed fulmer for everything
I have a load of bits which I don't use at all lying around in the tack room at the moment, must stick them on Ebay soon!
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i have a fair few from old horse, but new horse has 4
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kk American Gag with curb (hacking - jumping)
Another gag 0 but not sure what its called. its got rollers etc
Snaffle (not used very often)
German hackamore (hunting, sponsored rides etc)
 
need a lot because my boy works them out faaar too quickly!
my favs atm are
the kk ultra 3 ring,
and the kk snaffle,
but he goes well in, and i regularly use...
3 ring happy mouth straight bar
jointed snaffle,
waterford snaffle,
french link - when im feeling strong,
an english gag,
dutch gag,
full cheek


also have a few others i never use inc.
kimblewick
pelham
cherry roller
 
i have a very silly collection, dont use half of them! anyone want to swap any with me!!!

straight rubber mouth pelham
jointed happy mouth pelham
wilkie snaffle
bradoon
curb bit
2 x hackamore
dutch gag
western reiner bit
i only use the wilkie and one of the pelhams.lol!
 
Our pony is very sensitive in the mouth but strong and we tried a Kineton noseband (with her hacking bit, a 3 roller comfort Myler with hooks) this evening and what a difference it made! 5 mins with her mouth wide open and tongue flapping them super, calm work! Everything crossed that the huge improvement continues when jumping..!
 
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