Please recommend a bit? I'm useless at bitting!

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3BayGeldings

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My TB is 13, raced until he was 6, then was sold on, neglected in a field for 5 years so has only been a riding horse for 2 years. I've recently got him on full loan pretty much from the field. He's a lovely chap, very quiet and easy to hack out on. His only issue is that he likes to doss along on a long rein, if I pick up a contact he fights it and puts his head up and mouths the bit, he's even worse in the school. His mouth feels quite hard when he does this. He has done this since his last owner got him so a couple of years, and last had his teeth done two months ago, and sees the chiro every few months. He's sound as a pound, fingers crossed!

I've never had to choose a bit for a horse before, I've only owned one horse previously who went in a regular loose ring snaffle like the TB does now (sorry, I don't even know the bit's proper name! :o) so any advice or suggestions you can offer will be gratefully received :)
 
I assume you mean a single-jointed snaffle. When you pick up the contact, it is likely that the bit moves and pokes the horse in the soft pallet (roof of his mouth). No wonder he puts his head up.
I would get a few bits to try from a bit bank. I suggest French link and mullen-mouthed bits to see which your horse prefers. It might also be worth experimenting with different metals/materials.
You should also bear in mind that when a race-rider picks up the contact the horse is expected to go faster.
 
I'd say that most of it is down to him not being used to having a contact.

As a lot of TB's have big tongues for their mouths i'd suggest:

French link/lozenge link - lot of TB's go well in these, ours didn't really though! Although did go well on the Happy Mouth lozenge link version!

Peewee - ours went very well in this and also my bit of choice for my MW gelding who also has a big tongue. Not dressage legal though, depends what you want to do!! But highly recommended for horses with big tongues and i rate it very well!
 
i have a rather hysterical ex-racer and the only bit she really likes it a hanging cheek with central lozenge, on a Micklem bridle. She's very nice in this.
fwiw if the head going up becomes a problem, I find a longish elasticated standing martingale is a thing of wonder, just to get them out of the habit of escaping from your aids that way...
 
Re: bits I agree with the other responses, just to add that it might be useful to get a sweet iron bit and/or a bit with a copper piece in the middle (generally the link part of a french link). It should help him to accept the contact as it feels warmer and tastes more pleasant in their mouths than a normal bit. There are other metals you could experiment with but these are the main ones.
 
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