Myler bit - what should I expect?

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Morland

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I have just bought (ebay) a Myler 29 32 bit (eggbutt wide barrel mullen with independent side movement - ie each side hinges up and down but it 'fixes as one piece for a stop').
I chose it because my horse fusses with his NS hanging cheek lozenge/french snaffle (too much movement in his mouth?), and the cambridge ('magic') snaffle I have been using recently seems unsubtle (straight mouth = not enough movement?).
I am hoping to get him working softer and more rounded.
Does anyone have experience of this bit and its effects?
 
Not this bit in particular no,but put my lad in the comfort snaffle after yrs and yrs in varying forms of french links...wish I had done it yrs ago :D
He is softer,dosnt back away,hang or lean,but takes a nice hold of the contact which is pleasant in the hand!My friend recently tried her progressing youngster in it and just using it the once she found it made a difference to the mare :D Not massively,but tbh they need to be ridden in the bit for a month to be sure they dont take a dislike to it!
 
I have my mare and my filly in Myler bits.

The mare has a very soft mouth but she can be nappy and whip-round. I got her a full cheek Myler and she loves it. I have found that it is easier to 'catch' her spins than in the loose-ring lozenge snaffle that she had previously. I'm sure the full cheeks are helping alot with that, but she is happier in her mouth aswell.

The filly ended up in a Myler too because she was really 'mouthy' in all the normal snaffles I tried. I then thought of putting her in the mare's bit and she was instantly settled in her mouth so I got her one too. I only lead her out in-hand but I'm very happy as even when she prances about I only need light pressure to keep her steady and she doesn't make horrible gurn-ey faces at me!

One thing to be aware of is that both of them needed a size down compared to a lozenge or frech-link snaffle.
 
Thanks for your replies - I think this bit does look too wide, I'll be so frustrated if it is! (51/2").

PS what a beautiful cat!
 
I have a hanging cheek mullen barrel myler. It's the only dressage legal bit my boy was happy in and that gave me any sort of control. He hates a jointed bit and would get his tongue over all the others I tried. It's not a miracle cure though, and we've still had to work hard on him accepting it without a battle and working properly. 5 years on we're almost there but after 7 years of nothing but hunting in a pelham it was never going to be easy!
 
Morland said:
Thanks for your replies - I think this bit does look too wide, I'll be so frustrated if it is! (51/2"). No-one had told me to go down a size but luckily I had it on trial and was able to swap it for one 1/4" smaller.

PS what a beautiful cat! Thank you. :D He's an Egyptian Mau but he's very naughty and pooed in my freshly mucked-out stable tonight. :mad:
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Up to no good in the snow. ;)
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The MB32 is a really useful bit to have in the tool box. However from my experience they either love it or hate it. The horses that tend to go best in it are the ones who are light and curl away from a true contact. It can turn others into wooden planks!
 
ihatework said:
The MB32 is a really useful bit to have in the tool box. However from my experience they either love it or hate it. The horses that tend to go best in it are the ones who are light and curl away from a true contact. It can turn others into wooden planks!
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Interesting. That describes my mare well. You can make her rear by taking up a 'normal' contact when she is standing and putting your leg on strong. I have to tell anyone that rides her to be very light with their hands.
 
Morland said:
Thanks for your replies - I think this bit does look too wide, I'll be so frustrated if it is! (51/2").

PS what a beautiful cat!
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Sadly i think it may be,unless your horse has a mouth as wide as a shires :D (they are huge) Bought my 16.3 a 5.5inch as that is what he is in a french link,it was huge,had to buy the 5 inch!
 
We just put our boy into the identical bit - although the 5' one. I had no problems particularly with the old bit - a double jointed dutch gag. But a freind said try it and lent me one. I have never seen such a change. Normally he's a bit above the contact until he warms up. And as he is predominantly a show jumper he needs to be able to move above the contact on approach so he can see what he's doing.

But in the myler he was deep, soft and round almost from the first step. He is clearly happy with it. He loves playing with the loose section in the middle. Loads of dribble - we was always fairly dribbly anyway! He will still raise his head to look at a jump if he wants to but his dressage and flat work is so much softer and rounder. I think we will go back to the gag to hunt as I don't have that much confidence in the myler's ability to apply enough brakes then. but otherwise - I'm a convert!
 
I have the basic one, for youngsters (can't think of the name of it).

First horse seemed happy in it.

Dizzy tried to ditch me when she wore it :(. I persevered for months with Dizz 'cos I couldn't think that this brilliant bit, designed for youngsters, etc. etc. etc., and fit her mouth, could be the issue. Took it out and put the good old mullen Happy Mouth back in and she was fine.
 
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