Is What bit a horse wears really an important question?

[poiuytrewq]

I have just put an advert out there for my horse. Its completely and utterly honest and i expected no replies apart from the fact maybe the perfect person for him may be out there!

So far the replies have fairly obviously been no good- One big question is what bit is he ridden in?
Is this really relevant? He's ridden in a really mild bit, this is because I feel like he would object to a stronger bit and he can be difficult enough at the best of times. He doesn't wear a mild bit because he's a dobbin he wears it because he can be a complete prat and would also had a tendency when worked up to evade by tucking his head into his chest- I think this would be worse in a gag or something for example.

However little old horse used to wear a universal gag- He wore it because he liked it, he went a bit wooden in any of the many snaffles and "gentle" bits i tried to use. You never had to use it, he had a soft mouth and just seemed to prefer it.

So on paper everyone would like the first one, but I sure as heck know which one I'd rather be sat on in the middle of an open space so why is it such a big deal for people.

 

[Red-1]

Nope, both of mine wear whatever I think best for the circumstances.

My BF just took Rigs out to trot the stubble. BF was on his 8th ever sit on a horse and Rigs is a turbo cob. So, he had a Wilkie snaffle and Market Harborough. Just to make things nice and easy. One rein, subtle extra brakes for a novice.

Same ride, BH is great in a snaffle but I wanted to be able to concentrate on my BF's welfare, so BH had a pelham on 2 reins so he was effortless. He hides behind it a bit, which was great for videoing one handed

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7409339546501991713

I have had several horses who end up doing everything in a snaffle, including eventing, this is the end goal, but I have no qualms about swapping and changing until we get there!



That said, I will still sometimes add a little something for hunting!

 

[webble]

I am half heartedly looking at adverts at the moment and would look and something in say a grackle and curb or gag and wonder why, it would make me think the horse was very strong so I dont think its unreasonable to ask but there are better questions to get the answer to what they want to know about the horse

 

[TGM]

I think asking what bit a horse is ridden with is a valid question. I wouldn’t turn a horse down on the bit alone but it does help you get a better idea of what the horse is like when you combine it with other information about the horse. It also gives you an idea what bitting options you may have in future. For example if a horse is strongly bitted just to hack then you might run out of options if you wanted to hunt, for example.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I don't think it matters but people have totally different ideas about bits.

My friend bought an Arab some years back and for some reason he was ridden in a double or Pelham most of the time with previous owner but apparently not strong she just preferred him in it.

My friend straight away put him in a snaffle he was fine so in some situations its not what the horse is happy with it's what the owner prefers.

 

[Snowfilly]

I think it’s one of the most important questions you can ask, especially if followed up with ‘why does he wear that?’

I was once told ‘he goes in a pelham because he’s fine 99% of the time and a **** the other 1%’ and so he was. Horse of a lifetime, but if I’d been calling for someone who wanted a novice ride, I would have stopped the call there.

I’ve also had ‘a fulmer for help turning,’ and I stopped there because I didn’t fancy the schooling work involved to fix turns.

I’d also be suspicious of something in a gag or strong bit for basic schooling, it doesn’t leave room to bit up for hunting or the like.

I also ask ‘why have you got a flash’ and ‘why does he need a martingale’ and find them enlightening and sometimes depressing.

 

[lizziebell]

Used to be very common practice on adverts (where relevant) to write “snaffle mouthed”. So it’s not an unreasonable question.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Nope, both of mine wear whatever I think best for the circumstances.

My BF just took Rigs out to trot the stubble. BF was on his 8th ever sit on a horse and Rigs is a turbo cob. So, he had a Wilkie snaffle and Market Harborough. Just to make things nice and easy. One rein, subtle extra brakes for a novice.

Same ride, BH is great in a snaffle but I wanted to be able to concentrate on my BF's welfare, so BH had a pelham on 2 reins so he was effortless. He hides behind it a bit, which was great for videoing one handed

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7409339546501991713

I have had several horses who end up doing everything in a snaffle, including eventing, this is the end goal, but I have no qualms about swapping and changing until we get there!

View attachment 145736

That said, I will still sometimes add a little something for hunting!

He is doing really well

 

[Barton Bounty]

I think I would be as honest as possible in the add to save stupid questions lol theres always one though

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I took a horse on based mostly on pity as all mine were, and that I didn't ride on the trial, when he arrived he arrived with this and strict intructions that he was never to be out of it..



I whipped it all straight off after one very short ride in it and put him in a waterford snaffle, he was strong but really nothing OTT so god knows what drugs the person who put all this on his face was on

 

[Barton Bounty]

I took a horse on full loan that I didn't ride on the trial, when he arrived he arrived with this and strict intructions that he was never to be out of it..

View attachment 145773

I whipped it all straight off after one very short ride in it and put him in a waterford snaffle, he was strong but really nothing OTT so god knows what drugs the person who put all this on his face was on

That is absolutely horrific

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

That is absolutely horrific

Honestly, what on earth they were trying to achieve I do not know

 

[Barton Bounty]

Honestly, what on earth they were trying to achieve I do not know

Blinking shocking

 

[ihatework]

It’s not a question I would generally ask as routine but equally it’s a fair enough question, especially for something being sold as a general riding horse

 

[maya2008]

I think it is relevant, especially in a horse being sold as tricky, although I have never asked.

From the other side, I have only ever sold on children’s ponies, but I’m always happy to say what bit they have (usually send it with them).

 

[catkin]

Fair question as it could give an insight into horse's temperament.

Also depends on what discipline the rider is interested in perhaps - do they want to school a Pelham-liking horse for dressage say where only some bits are allowed?

 

[Gloi]

Honestly, what on earth they were trying to achieve I do not know

I wonder what he did for them to put that on him.

 

[Nari]

It's a valid question if combined with asking why.