How many of us ride in just a snaffle?

My mare is in a happy mouth snaffle for everything - she has a lovely mouth and excellent brakes.
My last horse had a snaffle mostly but for xc or large hacks I would use a tom thumb.
I dont think its always a reflection of someones riding - if you take a fit sharp horse into open spaces with fences or in a group then I would say most 'snaffle' only horses would need something stronger.
 
i do agree that some people out there will use bits and nosebands that they don't need just to be fashionable etc but i think that the vast majority of people use what they need/ what their horse goes well in...and i don't think that having a strong bit or a flash/grackle is necessarily a sign of a bad rider/bad schooling- otherwise all those people going round badders must be shocking riders? :p
my 6 year old is in a snaffle and cavesson but i am currently experimenting XC in a waterford. i CAN stop him in the snaffle but i do need to pull quite hard- i'd rather use a slightly harsher bit and not pull as hard... surely that is better?
my TB is in a snaffle and flash (he can be a bit gobby) and a martingale (so that my nose stays in one piece if he's 'on one'). XC and fast work he wears a little jointed happy mouth pelham which he goes nicely in. again, i'd rather take one pull in a pelham than 15 in a snaffle.
 
When I first got Hadleigh, my tb, he was a young unschooled baby. Although I always rode him in a snaffle I also used a running martingale as he had a tendancy to smack me in the nose due to a high head carriage!! When he was 14 I took him to a dressage trainer who basically took us back to basics. She worked on all the bad habits I had taught him and after a fairly short period of time his head carriage improved hugely and we did away with the martingale.
I fully understand the need to have the correct bit for individual horses and also the fact that different disciplines may require stronger/milder bits. In my case however, it was lack of knowledge that had me using tack which schooling made redundant.
 
I ride in a loose ring snaffle - my boy used to be hot headed when I first got him & loads of people on the yard I was at told me to stick a pelham in his gob - worse thing I ever did :( He is now so sensitive in the mouth because of it & wish I had never listened to the "know it all's" (I was quite naive back then & cos he was my first horse I thought listening to others would help - it just made it worse)
 
Both of mine are in snaffles, my mare is in a normal egg butt snaffle and my gelding is in a rubber mouth loose ring.

I do take a dutch gag with me when im going eventing because being a 5 year old he does get a wee bit excited when visiting new places.
 
Me, although that's because my horses haven't needed anything stronger. I think if you have a horse that does, then it's better to have a stronger bit than to haul their face off in a snaffle.

My first horse was ridden in a D-ring, and Dylan in a hanging cheek. Dylan also had a running martingale because he was prone to giraffe impressions when he got excited, and a flash because he liked opening his mouth to evade the bit.

My sister's ISH is in an eggbutt, and before I have a shot on him I'll be whipping off the flash and martingale to see if he actually needs them ...
 
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My new pony came with an eggbutt snaffle - fine - and a martingale. I'm not sure he needs it and I am a bit lazy about what I see as any additional kit...so I might start leaving it off as he doesn't seem the type to do excited head-flinging...
 
Mine is in a loose ring french link for everything except cross country when he has a cheltenham gag. Tried XC in the snaffle first but had no speed control he just puts head down like a plough and goes. With Gag a light contact is all that is required and he doesnt even try anything. Would much rather this than a hauling match which i would loose!
 
my youngster's in an eggbutt, snaffle noseband and no martingale - but just cause she doesn't need anything else. I'm not opposed to using other bits of equipment if it's genuinely needed
 
All of mine are schooled and hacked in a snaffle.
Fringe has a Pelham for jumping
B a kimblewick
Sonic and neue 2 ring gag bit
And Carlos still his snaffle cause he is a baby
 
It would be nice to ride everything in a snaffle but sometimes I don't think that is always possible. Koko was always ridden in a snaffle despite coming to me in a waterford ducth gag :eek:

I don't believe in martingales though, but again in some situations they are needed like at polocrosse with Andy, he was just too excited.
 
I use a neuschule (sp?) loose ring snaffle with centre lozenge for schooling and dressage comps, as its the only thing ive found he schools well in. He goes well in a dutch gag, mainly because of the poll pressure, but i wanted to be able to school in something that i could also compete in.

For jumping he goes in the dutch gag on the second ring. we've tried the snaffle but the complete lack of brakes is too much of a worry. He throws his head up and rushes, and ive found after alot of trial and error with various bits, he goes best in the gag with a running martingale.

Each to their own, in an ideal world i'd love to jump him in a snaffle to save faffing with swapping bits over, especially at combined training events. but this is what works for him.
 
I - 4y/o everything in french link hanging snaffle, have added a flash for jumping as she is working out how to set her jaw a little.

B - 10 y/o light cob school in french link hanging snaffle, hack and jump in Wilkie french link snaffle (are these actually a snaffle?) (xc/hunt in french link gag 2nd ring, just too exciting!)

L - 31 y/o ex hunter, used to jump and school in happy mouth straight rubber snaffle. xc, hunt, fast hack she had a straight happy mouth gag 2nd ring. Now have her in this all the time as it lifts her head and helps keep her off forehand, she is more likey to trip on forehand as artritic, refuses to retire, before I get jumped on, I can't use too much more leg due to the pyometra so riding mainly off voice.

Newbie - arrived in a waterford with a waterford gag for fast work, is now in french link snaffle for all school work including jumping, still in a gag for hacking for now and will stay in for xc but a french link gag on 2nd ring not 3rd, (big horse, 15 y/o rider not downgrading untill I am confident in both!)

3 out of 4 is ok I think.

I'm not a purist though and I think the fixation with no martingale, no flash, snaffle only can be inappropriate with the wrong horse in the wrong discipline, especially when you haven't had the horse it's whole life to shape it's thinking.

I prefer to see a horse or pony in a stronger bit with a rider who looks light handed and safe than a rider hauling on a distressed pony in a snaffle getting run away with or crashing into fences because horse leaning on the bit and going to fast on the forehand.

Similarly I would rather see an uneccessary martingale than a pony with it's head in the air threatening to go up which a martingale could help, fitted correctly a martingale can balance out wobbly hands but does not affect the horse unless it's required.

I also have noticed that a lot of the people who feel strongly about the snaffle martingale flash grackle issue mainly show. Most people who do a bit more fast or precision work may ride their own in a snaffle but feel less strongly about the different types of bit and additionals like martingale, flash ect.

I understand that for showing you want to display the horse and rider in as simple tack as possible but to apply the same values to disciplines like show jumping where precision is essential and the horse has more potential to i) get excited and ignore it's schooling and ii) get it wrong if not precise and cause damage to horse and rider, is potentially dangerous.

I also don't understand the hatred of tendon boots? I school without to strengthen tendons but hacking/jumping ect where there is potential for harm I put them on, I have broken 3 sets on various horses xc, fast hack and once show jumping, potentially that is 3 vets bills avoided and my horses discomfort/pain prevented.

OP I did get that you were not judging choice of bits but it comes up in a more judgmental tone from time to time and and I obviously don't 'get' it!!

Sorry, reeeaally long!!
 
I used to ride my Andalusian in a Myler snaffle and no noseband but when I decided to do some schooling and stressage he suddenly started to use his superior brain and became quite gobby so he now has a happy mouth snaffle and a drop noseband, he became a different horse. He schools, hacks out, SJ, X-countries, events and gallops down steep hills in the same get-up. No martingales breastplates or anything else like that as none needed.
 
Ride mine in a Myler snaffle (dressage legal) or sometimes a french link just for a change. Both gentle bits anyway. I do BE and BSJA in it no problem (including XC). Dont use a martingale or any type of drop/flash noseband either. I am a big fan of minimum tack - IMO the vast majority of horses dont need so much rubbish on with stupid, horrid bits. Personally, I stip them right back to basic tack and take it from there. Some horses do need something stronger, I've had 2 who were like this but most I always keep in snaffles. Too many people buy horses and then just keep them in what they arrived in. And way too many adults put Dutch gags on their kids ponies with martingales, flashes etc. for no reason - ask them and they'll have no idea why. I think they're paranoid that their kids will be tanked off with but the vast majority of ponies I watch at SJ are the opposite! And dont even get me started on kids with spurs...!
 
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I ride my HanovarianxTB in a snaffle, no martingale, and only a caverson noseband. That's it. I hunt him in a snaffle too! although i must admit he does get a tad strong when he's tired. Daughters section D cob, is in a pelham with two reins, he can be ridden in a snaffle BUT unless you ride him properly he won't oblige.......well, after all he is 18 and 'been there and worn the t-shirt' type of horse, and he can be strong when hunting.......x
 
Rarely. The closest I get is a Billy Allen bit which has a roller over the snaffle joint and 7" shanks. My horses both prefer a medium port Western curb bit which offers a lot of tongue relief and the release that goes with riding in that type of bit, they hate jointed snaffles snagging on their chunky tongues and will stick their tongues out if you put them in one of those.
 
Well, technically no, K has a small mouth and so I got a NS loose ring Bradoon with a lozenge, but only because it is thinner and so fits his mouth better. I don't use a noseband unless I have to, no martingale either.

I like the less complicated approach, I think I got it from my trainer who doesn't like anything on a horse if there is no need for it. Ie, there is no need to change K's bit, but my friend who has lessons has a 3 ring gag thing as she needs it. Who am I to judge? She isn't my horse and I don't have to ride her so I am not bothered what other people do with theirs (unless it is cruel!).
 
I ride in a headcollar mostly. Does that counts :o

I would always start with a snaffle and most have been in a snaffle (usually double jointed) but some horses don't like than and prefer the low port, which you can't get in a snaffle, so they've been in a cambridge pelham. I have soft hands anyways and rarely rely on the bit to stop of turn (seat and legs mostly) so they get what they find most comfortable to have in their mouth, if anything at all.
 
Surely it should be more about what the horse is comfortable and happy?

My nappy rearing little beggar is in a French link snaffle and is happy in it. He has a Cavesson nose band and is happy in that.

Whereas Fany is in a mullen mouth pelham, which she is happy in too.

Where is the problem, if the horse is comfortable and happy and the bit works? Why the obsession with snaffle bits? Not all are "gentle" or "comfortable" for every horse.

FDC
 
All mine go in a snaffle, no martingale and i don't bother to use a noseband at home. At a show its a simple caverson (although they are hard to come by nowadays) When i was younger with the exception of the ponys i broke in, all my horses were strong, in big bits, martingales, grackles etc. I now have much more polite hands, spend alot more time on the flat and my horses respond off much lighter aids, they will all stop off my seat aids alone. A pony i recently bought was very nervous & gobby, tongue over the bit, runs through the bridle, braced neck etc. so he had his mouth strapped shut and his head tied down. He is now in a full cheek double jointed happy mouth snaffle put slightly low to allow him to put his tongue over & no noseband. Having removed all the gadgets he no longer feels trapped & has little to fight against consequently he is much quieter in the mouth, starting to seek the bit and is working in a much lower relaxed frame without any ropes or pulleys. I also believe in this case that the mouth is a symptom of his state of mind and its the root cause (his fear, distrust & lack of confidence) rather than the symptoms that need to addressed.
 
I do all general riding in a snaffle... with the exception of hunting. No brakes whatsoever, so if I know we are going to go out for the day, in pops the kimblewick.

Ta da... beautiful, gentle horse in an instant. Plus, my shoulders stay in thier socket... (waiting for surgery for snaffle related injury :()
 
My mare goes in a straight bar loose ring nathe snaffle (even out hunting) and both my boys are in loose ring french links... all with cavesson nosebands, and no martingale/flash etc... i'm quite fussy about schooling a horse well enough not to need gadgets, and also not to rely on their mouth for brakes...

My mare came to me in a cherry-roller-mouth piece with a huge american-gag-type-cheek piece, still 'with no brakes' and one of my boys in a 3 ring dutch gag on the bottom ring, combined with a grackle noseband and a standing martingale??!!! Needless to say both of these combinations went in the bin and after a few years of patience with a snaffle but both are now perfectly mannered and happy as in their mouths...
 
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