Noseband/bit ideas please

madhector

madhector

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www.darlingdressage.co.uk
Could do with some suggestions for a horse that I am working on at the moment. He is a very capable 5 yr old connie x tb, who is schooling and jumping well, came 2nd at his first ODE with a 33 dressage so does the job nicely. The only problem is he is really funny in his mouth....

If you ride him with just a cavasson he goes lovely and softly, bends nicely and is very easy, but he has his mouth open alot of the time.


If you put a flash on loosely or tightly he goes very fixed in the contact and doesnt bend or flex as well, and still tries to open his mouth against the flash


Grakle just results in him refusing to do anything!

Havent tried a drop as his owner hates them.


Bit wise he is best in a KK loose ring, anything thick makes him worse, thinner snaffles seem about the same as the KK. Single jointed is a no no. Have no give at all in a straightbar or anything rubber/nathe/happymouth.


So ideas?? Suggestions?

Feel like I have tried every combination and just ended up back where we started!
 
Why does the owner hate drops?! That sounds like it would be the best thing to try next TBH, can't think of where else to go...
 
She has this theroy that they restrict the breathing, and however much I try and convince her that if they are fitter correctly then they are fine she still hates them.

Forgot to say teeth all fine, back done recently and no other problems
 
Madness about drops. If you read Heather from NS info about bits and bitting then she says the only two nosebands worth using are drop or Mexican grakle as flashes are useless. I ride two horses who open their mouths both go very well in the drop. They will take a better contact and seem to fight it less.
 
Has he recently had his teeth looked at - 5 is a very toothy time of life - he may have a cap lingering that is making him uncomfortable. Thinking that because you find him very difficult in the grackle which lies accross the upper molars.

Keep up with the cavesson - I've recently stopped to confirmed head shakers by removing their Flash straps! The straps tend to lie on the soft sensitive nostril skin.
I'm a great user of the drop noseband with a Fulmer snaffle - it's how I was trained I guess. Because the drop is at the side of the face there is no effect on the nostrils. Drops should really only be used with cheeked bits though otherwise they tend to slide over the side of the bit and compress the rings.

Have you tried the unjointed snaffle with the Cambridge mouthpiece yet. For horses who hate joints it can be a saviour. It has a piece in it like a small Port.
 
How about putting him in something softer like a happy mouth or soft rubber bit? I would have thought if he is soft but has his mouth open he is evading contact for comfort not to be naughty.
 
The more you progress with your schooling and the more supple and engaged your horse becomes, the less open his mouth will be. If he is rideable in a snaffle and cavesson you are very lucky, even if his mouth is open a bit! Horses use their heads and necks to balance themselves and when they are at the start of their ridden education will use the bit for support. If you are patient and work on transitions, basic lateral work (leg yielding) loops, circles etc you will find that the mouth opens less. The more supple your horse becomes, the happier in the mouth he will be (due to his improved balance).
 
I would try a myler. The connies tend to have fat tongues so he could be opening his mouth as the only way to accommodate a bit. I would suggest the low port comfort snaffle although this is not dressage legal and you would have to swap to the plain comfort snaffle for competition. The low port allows more tongue room than the ns bit.
 
I have a similar issue with mine ... afraid part of the solution was a drop (not helpful for you by the sound of it!) as mine clearly does not like any pressure over his molars (teeth done every 6 months) and is definately much much happier with the drop.
the best bit I found was the Sprenger KK-Ultra Dynamic RS eggbut - shaped to give the tougue a bit more room and he is much more settled - relatively expensive but works so I am happy !
 
I personally don't have a problem with a young horse separating its teeth now and then (yawing is obviously different but I do find people tend to see ANY opening at all as a fault, which it isn't) but I do see your problem for dressage.

Perhaps you could have a more in depth chat with the owner re the options? There is a fairly considerable body of opinion that actually drops are more comfortable for horses than flashes, as they don't have to be done up as tightly to work properly and - particularly important with horses still changing their teeth - there is no pressure against the side of the nose where the molars are. In fact, at 5, the horse would have irritation and possibly caps in that area (this is not "bad" dentistry, it's normal development - not every change needs to be "fixed", it just needs to be accommodated in the short term) as a matter of course and might very well be objection MORE to the cavesson than anything else. I think you could make a sensible case for at least wanting to try a PROPERLY ADJUSTED (as in the top portion resting only on the bony part of the nose and not done up too tightly) in the short term as a training aid. Or live with the cavesson, again not too tight.

What does the owner suggest? Putting a flash on because it's "right" even though the horse is clearly telling you he's more comfortable without it, doesn't seem a good short or long term option.
 
can you not try a drop when the owner isn't about, see if it works and if it does then go all out on persuading owner it is a good idea.

Incidentally we have a mare who is very fussy in her mouth and best combo we found was a straight happy mouth (i know it won't suit yours) but with a loose drop noseband.
 
I would try an MB02 myler in a hanging cheek.Really thin bit with plenty tongue room and it is dressage legal. Agree re the drop. I wish more bridle manufacturers would make them.
 
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