opinions on bits, not what you think.....

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Peanot

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Do you think that as your horse gets more advanced that you need to use stronger bits or is it the old adage, `less is best`?
I ride my horse R in a french link loose ring whatever we are doing. My new horse was ridden in a Tom thumb gag thing while jumping and in a waterford for flatwork. I decided to use a Myler comfort snaffle to start and see what happens, well, she leaned on this. So I used a french link pelham, this was OK but still leaning a little. So I decide to use the old faithful, french link loose ring. I have been using this for 2 days, and she has been going really nicely - light and round. Lovely. Then someone has said that as their schooling gets better, they need stronger bits!!!
My horse R, goes lovely in her bit, works from behind, is light in front, lifts her withers etc and the new horse is starting to get to that point too. So why do some people think that you then have to have a stronger bit? Yes perhaps when I compete new horse SJ, then I may consider starting with a stronger bit, just for competition, but why when doing flatwork?
It is so confusing, what do you lot think? Thanks for your input.
 
If it's not broke, don't fix it. As your horse becomes more advanced, therefore softer etc surely it won't need a stonger bit. Not really seeing the logic in this. I ride mine in a eggbut french link and also have the myler bit. I school and hack in either. Sounds like your horses go really well for you so even jumping I doubt if you will need a stronger bit. Just my opinion of course.
 
normally because although they are performing more advanced movements they never got the basics right so the horse is balanced and requires to be held together by the rider more as it progresses instead of holding itself in balance and collection. In truth a horse correctly schooled in dressage terms will probably become more sensitive to the bit as it progresses. Although Dan was far from perfect as he progressed I was able to downgrade his bit several times, he started in a gag on the flat (that bad!) and ended up in a nice chunky loose ring lozenge snaffle in which he remains to this day.

Yes you may want to introduce a double at the higher levels for more refined aids but the true masters in my opinion who are able to perform a GP test in a snaffle.....
 
I'm no expert, but I have had my new horse ( a TB X ) just 5 weeks, and have manage to get him from a french link gag into a french link loose ring snaffle,: hacking out and schooling. Sometimes I think you have to be more confident and ride slightly different, ie using your body more, as I said I've only been riding 6 years, so a complete novice, but I'm really chuffed
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I don't know but I would have thought quite the opposite - i.e. as you progress through schooling the need for gadgetry should become less and less. I've never had any of my ponies/horses in anything other than an eggbut snaffle or full cheek lozenge (NS) snaffle. And I've not yet had any problems. I can't imagine needing stronger bits for anything other than e.g. XC (and that would be down to my incompetence in riding/schooling I'd imagine). Different horses go better in different bits for sure, but
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agree absolutely - my TB has been getting alarmingly difficult to stop when cantering on hacks -Rather than put him in a stronger bit, I changed from loose-ring snaffle to loosering french link which by removing the nutcracker action and it's kind shape is actually softer. Turns out he was hating the pinch of the snaffle so now he likes his bit, I have breaks again!

just goes to show, a stronger bit is not always the answer!
 
I`ve had my horse 5 weeks and we have been working on her, going back to basics etc. When I went to ride her for the first time, she had draw reins on and a Tom Thumb american gag thing!!! The time after, when I went to ride her on my own, I put the waterford loose ring on the bridle, this is what they used to do flatwork in. Now after 5 weeks, (with no draw reins), she is light in front, (whereas she was heavy in trot but lovely and light in the canter), she is lifting through her withers, opening her shoulders etc and all this with a french link loose ring. This is flatwork in the menage, and hacking round the lanes and the fields. So we must be doing something right.
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Well done to you too Jakesmydog, we both must be doing something right.
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