Leather bit

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poiuytrewq

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I’d like to try a leather bit but they are ££ and bit bank type places (that I saw) don’t offer trials (understandable)
So I’ve seen two makes mainly. Fager and Trust
Any cheaper suggestions just to try one out?

I’m happy to pay for an expensive bit if it makes a difference but as horse may hate it I’d rather not at this point!
 
I have looked on ebay/Market Place, will try vinted!

I've not tried rubber or nathe yet, I may do If i can't find a leather one. Having read about them I like the sounf of the leather more than other materials as It softens and moulds with saliva and are warmer. They are suposedly good to encourage horses to take a contact.
The trust ones do look quite thick yes, I don't want thick! They are also the more expensive so I think If i do buy new I'd go for Fager who do a thinner mouth piece.
I have looked at the Kramer one and was tempted by the £10 off for Spring offer but It's not really what I want.
rara007- Yes its the flexibility and softness I'm after really.
 
poiuytrewq said:
I have looked on ebay/Market Place, will try vinted!

I've not tried rubber or nathe yet, I may do If i can't find a leather one. Having read about them I like the sounf of the leather more than other materials as It softens and moulds with saliva and are warmer. They are suposedly good to encourage horses to take a contact.
The trust ones do look quite thick yes, I don't want thick! They are also the more expensive so I think If i do buy new I'd go for Fager who do a thinner mouth piece.
I have looked at the Kramer one and was tempted by the £10 off for Spring offer but It's not really what I want.
rara007- Yes its the flexibility and softness I'm after really.
Click to expand...

Honestly, if leather bits were so great then they would be used more widely.
If you haven’t tried a bendy rubber snaffle then that has to be a first step.
They are now first port of call for any contact shy horses for me. Cheap as chips to buy as well.
 
I think they are probably a bit marmite from a horse's point of view. For that reason I would try for a cheaper one first in case your horse doesn't like marmite!

Having said that, a friend's ex racer was a positive nightmare for the first year of ownership with various bits, I had a used leather one I no longer needed and her horse transformed over night from a very grumpy fussy mouthed TB into an absolute gentlemen very happy to take the contact. He is the still in one today but obviously has had a couple of newer ones over the past couple of years, I am not sure what make she uses but I can ask later today if that might be any help? .
 
Shires do their Equikind rubber bits which are very neat and not at all thick.
Ok, they are definitely not chew resistant! But are available in lots of mouthpieces and cost around £28.
 
The equikind are nice little bits but not really similar in type for a leather alternative as it’s just a thin rubber coating over a solid core.
 
poiuytrewq said:
I’d like to try a leather bit but they are ££ and bit bank type places (that I saw) don’t offer trials (understandable)
So I’ve seen two makes mainly. Fager and Trust
Any cheaper suggestions just to try one out?

I’m happy to pay for an expensive bit if it makes a difference but as horse may hate it I’d rather not at this point!
Click to expand...
I think Kramer used to do something fairly cheap, more of a European thing.
Or do you want a leather bit with just the chin strap, that doesn’t require any bridle to ride in? Just caution if so, may find your insurance is compromised if riding out without any bridle / head collar, altho those War bits are supposed to stay on if fitted properly, Stunt riders sometimes use them. Always looks a bit risky to me!
Good luck
 
mariew said:
I've seen the lady advocating war bridle leather bits and subsequently yanking it the gob to get it on the bit 🙈 I can't imagine they last that long but wonder if they are easy enough to make yourself
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Only seen them in a re enactment-type thing, sort of ancient Briton on a Fell pony, but did stay in place despite a few mad charges for the cameras
. If I put a curb chain similarly tight on any of mine, I wonder if they wouldn’t go vertical, but yes, if you had a couple of rings, a solid stirrup leather might be re purposed? I kind of think rubber or polished steel might be far nicer in your mouth!
 
Beausmate said:
The racing yard I worked in used leather covered bits when they started the yearlings. Keep the leather soft with vegetable oil.
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Yes, stitching chamois round the mouthpiece to start them off. In contrast, leather war bits seem a lot tighter all around the lower jaw, can’t imagine a youngster appreciating that!
 
I’m very much not adverse to trying rubber or a happy mouth type.
I think with leather it was the “moulding to the individual mouth” line I read somewhere that had me… I’m a salesman’s dream 😂
 
Exasperated said:
I think Kramer used to do something fairly cheap, more of a European thing.
Or do you want a leather bit with just the chin strap, that doesn’t require any bridle to ride in? Just caution if so, may find your insurance is compromised if riding out without any bridle / head collar, altho those War bits are supposed to stay on if fitted properly, Stunt riders sometimes use them. Always looks a bit risky to me!
Good luck
Click to expand...
Absolutely not the no bridle option! They look nuts!
 
poiuytrewq said:
I’m very much not adverse to trying rubber or a happy mouth type.
I think with leather it was the “moulding to the individual mouth” line I read somewhere that had me… I’m a salesman’s dream 😂
Click to expand...
That is also the sales man patter for a chain snaffle. Just because a bit moulds to the mouth does not = nice.
 
rabatsa said:
That is also the sales man patter for a chain snaffle. Just because a bit moulds to the mouth does not = nice.
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That makes sense, my boy dislikes bar pressure so I actively avoid bits that mould to the mouth because I want to keep away from the bars.
He’s liking the Fager Greta with is a single joint, dead straight. There is a slight shoulder on the bit so if you use it one way up it reduces bar pressure and the other way up reduces tongue pressure.
 
poiuytrewq said:
I’m very much not adverse to trying rubber or a happy mouth type.
I think with leather it was the “moulding to the individual mouth” line I read somewhere that had me… I’m a salesman’s dream 😂
Click to expand...

If you try rubber be sure to feel it and bend it, someare harder than others. Happy Mouth is almost certainly not what you want, it's hard and rigid and if the horse is at all mouthy it quickly develops sharp edges.
 
Nari said:
If you try rubber be sure to feel it and bend it, someare harder than others. Happy Mouth is almost certainly not what you want, it's hard and rigid and if the horse is at all mouthy it quickly develops sharp edges.
Click to expand...
Thank you for that. I’d put some Happy mouths in my watch list so will get rid!
 
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