Nathe / rubber / happy mouth?

metalmare

metalmare

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Has anyone found that using a bit other than metal has made a tremendous difference?

My horse is awkward about being bitted (I've tried several bits) and prefers to be bitless. But as the weather gets hotter I know he will dislike the noseband (it makes him head shake in hot weather) and also I want to get back to having a little more finesse.

I rode in his Wilkie today which is his favourite bit and he was very light and pleasant in it, once he'd accepted it was going in and then had a good chomp on it.

I just wondered, having tried numerous bits and mouthpieces whether it is in fact the metal he dislikes?
 
I meant, when you said about the hot weather approaching, are u sure we are going to get hot weather :) !!
 
Haha YES!!

Can't give much advice myself, other than I changed from a 'happy mouth' to a neue schule lozenge bit (not cheap), as contrary to my previous conception of the happy mouth, I found I really had to apply some pressure when it was in my hands to actually get it to bend, couldn't imagine it bending in my boys mouth at all, plus I think he found it too much of a mouthful. But really I think it depends on the horse, trial and error i am afraid. my old boy loved a mouthful with a big vulcanite Mullen mouth :)
 
Hmmm,

Food for thought. I think I will just have to get one and try, but for it to be a fair test I want to get exactly the same Wilkie as he has now, so I know the only difference is the material.

The only thing is, if he has been conditioned over a period of time to come to dislike bits, it may not be an immediate positive response.
 
I use a happy mouth on my warmblood so tried one on my Arab and it made his mouth bleed, he much prefers a thin straight bit or with a port as his got a small mouth with a large tongue, I know many horses that are fine in rubber happy mouth bits but obviously dont suit all.
 
Pinkvboots said:
I use a happy mouth on my warmblood so tried one on my Arab and it made his mouth bleed, he much prefers a thin straight bit or with a port as his got a small mouth with a large tongue, I know many horses that are fine in rubber happy mouth bits but obviously dont suit all.
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Yikes. They can be quite chunky can't they? Hs current wilkie is actually quite thin and he has got a largish tongue. The other possibity is I try sweet iron to see what he thinks of that.
 
I love nathe bits, we have a stupidly strong horse and all her life has been bitted with stronger and stronger bits but the only bit I have some control in is a nathe. I too have yet to find a horse who doesn't go well in one and have found them a lot less chunky than other rubber snaffles.
 
Kokopelli said:
I love nathe bits, we have a stupidly strong horse and all her life has been bitted with stronger and stronger bits but the only bit I have some control in is a nathe. I too have yet to find a horse who doesn't go well in one and have found them a lot less chunky than other rubber snaffles.
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That's worth knowing - I will hunt specifically for a nathe, then.

My pony is like this - he is very strong and although I don't know his past history I can only assume his mouth has been hurt at some point which is why he resents being bitted (he has of course had the dentist, etc).
 
To be extra careful to stop any possible friction we put vaseline on it before use as well, she is mega sensitive in the mouth but just loves the nathe. I'm trying to find a small one to try with my boy as I just love them so much.
 
Kokopelli said:
To be extra careful to stop any possible friction we put vaseline on it before use as well, she is mega sensitive in the mouth but just loves the nathe. I'm trying to find a small one to try with my boy as I just love them so much.
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Good tip!

I'm toying with whether to put a bit of honey on for a few weeks, to try and reverse the negative associations he has built up around being bitted, as at the moment it is a thumb in the corner of the mouth and force it in type job. What do you think?
 
Patterdale said:
I love my nathe but can't stand happy mouths, they're too big and inflexible.

The nathe is nice and slim and you can bend them in half, they're so soft.
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I'm definitely going to look for nathe then, thank you. Only 4 nathe bits on eBay, though, so I will have to do some careful hunting... Maybe use a bit bank...
 
I moved from a NS tranz angled lozenge to a Nathe straight bar and my horse is much more comfortable. Still tosses his head a bit (but I think that is partly and Arab thing) but he is very stoppable and accepts contact and at the end of the ride still seems comfortable in his bit.
 
The only bit I can use with my WBxTB mare is a straight bar Nathe! She gets terrible cuts in the corner of her mouth in anything other than this including a happy mouth. Amazing bit!
 
Hi,
I'm also looking for a bit alternative for my share TB. He us currently in a full cheek snaffle which is too big by at least 3/4 inch held in place by a grackle. He fussed and tosses and pulls and his default head position is giraffe :o
today was better as he lowered his head when we hacked out but I'm pretty sure he's not happy with the arrangement. Well no surprise really. He seems really sensitive so I don't think he needs a strong bit?

Have looked at the Nathe straight bar bit and it looks like a solution? But quite costly.

:):confused:
 
TrasaM said:
Hi,
I'm also looking for a bit alternative for my share TB. He us currently in a full cheek snaffle which is too big by at least 3/4 inch held in place by a grackle. He fussed and tosses and pulls and his default head position is giraffe :o
today was better as he lowered his head when we hacked out but I'm pretty sure he's not happy with the arrangement. Well no surprise really. He seems really sensitive so I don't think he needs a strong bit?

Have looked at the Nathe straight bar bit and it looks like a solution? But quite costly.

:):confused:
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But if it doesn't suit him, you can probably sell it on ebay for the same price you paid. That was what persuaded me. Was bidding on a 2 year old one and it went up to the same price (with postage) as new.

My horse did all of this and it was badly fitting saddle, sore back and neck. I am sure you have looked into all of this, but getting him working properly made far more difference than changing the bit.
 
bluewhippet said:
But if it doesn't suit him, you can probably sell it on ebay for the same price you paid. That was what persuaded me. Was bidding on a 2 year old one and it went up to the same price (with postage) as new.

My horse did all of this and it was badly fitting saddle, sore back and neck. I am sure you have looked into all of this, but getting him working properly made far more difference than changing the bit.
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Thanks BW. His saddle also didn't fit so I've found a 2nd hand one which I've paid for. He came with one which sat right onto his withers and was tipping. Today was the 2nd time I've ridden with the new saddle and he was going with a much lower head carriage. Personally I don't like having a horse's mouth strapped shut so my logic is that if he has a bit which fits correctly and is more comfy in his mouth that he can start to relax the neck a bit more. Anyhow sensitive issue and am proceeding with caution.
 
I tried everything in my old mare- then ended up in a happy mouth pelham. She loved it! Currently have a nathe Liverpool in my 4yo as he likes it best... It was the only one on eBay, and has just arrived from Germany... Used, good condition and £120!!
 
There's going to be hot competition on EBay for nathe bits after this thread :-)

Resoundingly positive reviews - I can't wait to try one!
 
metalmare said:
There's going to be hot competition on EBay for nathe bits after this thread :-)

Resoundingly positive reviews - I can't wait to try one!
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Indeed! Also considering one as my boy is very chompy and has taken a dislike to metal snaffles (ears back). He is in a happy mouth straight bar loose ring snaffle that I think is too thich for him so its a toss up between a nathe straight bar and the nylon black ones (he used to be in one of these before I bought him). No issues with brakes just the chomping - getting dentist out in a week as a precaution and he is just back in work but has always been a serial chomper!!! (I used to have to file down his happy mouth snaffle as he'd chomp bits out)
 
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