Pee Wee Bit - Any advice

[Bradsmum]

This year my horse started to fling his head up and down whilst out hacking. He has had his teeth, back and saddle checked and all is OK. Initially I made excuses for him thinking perhaps he was tired or even just playing. However he has persisted in doing this and I'm now afraid that perhaps it's a bad habit that is going to be hard to break. He is currently in a loose ring snaffle with a lozenge and I have tried him in a standard loose ring, an eggbut snaffle and a French link. Nothing has made the slightest bit of difference. He does not appear to be in any discomfort - still happy to go out, no resistence to having the bit put in, ears pricked whilst he's flinging his head up and down. I don't want to go down the route of gadgets but have actually started hacking out in draw reins (can hear the gasps already) and this did seem to help initially but now I have a bit of a battle going on and he's winning . This morning I saw this advertised and wondered whether anyone uses one or has any useful ideas.

http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/Admin/Images/98cfe3d2-1dd1-4688-ad1c-fe2c0493bf5e.jpg

Hot bowls of porridge for reading this far.

Thanks

 

[Django Pony]

I'd be more inclined to try a nose-net rather than a different bit.
http://www.equilibriumproducts.com/head_shaking/net_reliefreg_muzzle_net/
Or, if you wanted to try it without splashing out, Pedantic on here has a way of making a nose net from a pair of tights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRcTl3HGdSY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
FWIW I tried a pee-wee bit and had no brakes whatsoever!
Good luck!

 

[Midymahem]

I agree to trying a nosenet - my horse did this and still does on occasion when excited etc - but a huge improvement when I popped a nose net on!

 

[Bernster]

Agree on the nosenet - my friend's horse was a mild head shaker (worse in strong sunlight) and the net has worked a treat.

She has recently put him into a pee wee bit but not due to the headshaking, more due to the shape of his mouth. As it's a thin/rigid bit, some people think it's severe although he seems to be go well in it and is more comfortable than with other bits.

If the nosenet doesn't work, and this seems to be regular/uncomfortable, you may eventually need to get the vet out. Lots of articles about headshaking around though so hopefully you will find some useful info in those.

 

[Merry Crisis]

I use a peewee bit on my exracer, it is the only bit he will tolerate as he has a tiny mouth. He shook his head all the time in anything else, but good hands are a must with this bit. Google macs equine.

 

[canteron]

This reminds me of my horse who when young used to fling his head around and it was horrible. Having had all the relevant checks done, it seemed he was just finding concentrating for the length of a whole hack challenging and possibly was getting a bit of neck ache, etc and then it started to become a habit.

I used a market harborough when hacking - as it gets progressively stronger as the head went up, but isn't as fixed as draw reins - we also slowly built up the time he spent in an outline in the school and kept the hacks very very small and expected him to behave well.

Now 2 years later that is all well behind us. I think there may be many causes of this, but that is our experiences. I used a 'gadget' as it seemed preferably to me yanking on the reins. Anyway, it worked for us and now we are back to a gentle Sprenger bit and no gadgets!!

He didn't fling his head around in the school when the work pattern was quite different, so thats why I suspected it was a habit thing, not a bit thing. But I guess all you can do is work through it.

Good luck.

 

[Bradsmum]

Thanks for the replies. You have given me some new ideas which I will try. Will hunt out a nosenet at the weekend and see what sort of results I get. Canteron, your example really seems to fit my story and yes it is very uncomfortable. Like you I was thinking perhaps he gets neck ache but have been schooling to try to build up muscle etc so now think it is habit hence feel it is time to try something new. Depending on the results from the nosenet, I will look into the use of a Market Harborough but need to gen myself up first on how to use, when to use and the results it aims to produce Thanks once again guys, always good to get ideas.

 

[cundlegreen]

I would also look into the fitting of your browband, and also maybe try a comfort headpiece. I had no idea how much pressure the noseband headstrap put on the poll, until I happened to put my hand up on top of my horses head once. If you use a flash/ grackle, this could also be a problem. A lot of horses don't like the restriction.

 

[Bradsmum]

Thanks, I already have him in a comfort bridle and taken flash strap off the noseband so this should not be causing discomfort. Today took him out for a short hack we have not been on for some time thinking he would be interested in his surroundings but still had the head flinging up and down. Will defo try nose net at weekend.

 

[thespanishmane]

Have had pee wee bit on hire from horse bit bank - mine did head throwing etc. Did use Market Harbrough with fair success, but when having a serious strop didnt work too well. We too have had all the checks, but so far this bit is better for him. We can use very 'quiet' hands on him, and he appears to listen more. He was previously unstoppable, but is sooo much better now. yes, the mouthpiece is quite thin, but is set lower in the mouth. Give it a try!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I really like the Pee Wee bit for the horses that it suits, IYSWIM.
I've used it very successfully on horses with thick tongues and fat, fleshy lips, so very little room for a bit in the mouth. It has improved both steering and brakes for me and TBH, for those horses it NOT a severe bit because it is more comfortable than more conventional bits. Of course any bit can be severe in the wrong hands.
I have known a horse whose bit was too low in the mouth, shake its head, so perhaps when you are doing your checks, this could be worth looking at too.

 

[sophiebailey]

Hiya dragging this thread back up to ask a question

Had my cob in a peewee for about 4 months, he's going fantastically in it and it's much easier to keep him on the bit than with any other bit we've tried.

Here's the question - can I use this bit in ridden showing?! (I'm a showing novice!!!) I've got no idea what is and isn't showing legal. If not, what bit that IS legal is similar enough to show him in?? It'll be local level showing for fun