plz can you recommend me a bit!

loz9

loz9

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 October 2009
Messages
846
Visit site
what bit would you recommend for this horse?
Shes a 4yr cobx with not very much depth to he mouth (ie short lips) Shes built like a tank(im used to tbs& tbx) and knows it, so can be stong at times, but usually quite soft mouthed. Backed & ridden away in a french link fulmer snaffle with loose rings. Shes leans very badly on the left rein, which i know is primarily due to young horse balance issues that are being worked on, but i have a weak/painful left shoulder due to a previous injury so could do with some assistance. Shes just had a winter holiday due to the weather, etc so would like to start again & try to improve the leaning issue from the start, hoping the different bit will assist with the balance exercises!
Sorry bit of a waffly way of explaining her!
Hope you can help! Thanks
 
Ring the Bit bank The lady there i think its Jodie is fantastic. You can buy what she recommends its next day delivery and have it on a months trial to see how it feels !! Best consult a professional !
 
Hello,

Register with a bit bank and try out some Mylers. Really really great bits and kind to the horse.

If you don't fancy that I like the happy mouth Pelhams but the thinner ones I think Nathe ones if they still do them or my instructor ( natural horsemanship) likes the rugby pelham ( i think thats the name the jointed one) you only need to use it once or twice and very very gently just to encourage the horse to relax and soften. As you said it's more about schooling because no bit however severe will make you stronger than a horse.
grin.gif
 
TBH if shes settled in the mouth i would stick with the same bit and persevere with schooling. I appreciate you have a bad shoulder but she is only 4 and it takes years for a horse to engage and use the quarters properly, particularly one of heavier build.

One suggestion that may help- a french link loose ring snaffle with a thin mouth. Although then you will have less help with steering. But other than that, schooling and patience.
smile.gif
 
bit like mine!!! - but shes older so doesnt have young horse excuse!! - i too have weak shoulders and mine can take advantage by treating me like a rag doll - she is lovely in a ported pelham (elastic curb chain) with two reins but thats only as she respects the bit a little more !!! - i wouldnt recommend you put her in a pelham though. Mine is now in a neue shule training bit - nice shaped bit with a lozenge. she has full cheeks to help turning and a drop noseband - not tight but only comes into action if she decides to evade unlike a flash which just strpas gob shut. - would try something like lozenge - but really need to work on balance -

if she really is pulling you around you could go for stronger bit but be very careful with hands dont want to do more damage than good - know what you mean about needing help - doesnt half hurt when pulls shoulder about.
 
thanks for you advice! was thinking i should give the bit bank a call anyway, but as the arena isnt finished yet i wont really be able to try it out properly yet!
shes been a very complicated horse from the word go! very set in her ways & stubborn is an understatement! she is also immune to pain & has had some bad injuries that shes been oblivious to, we even question if she has pain receptors,which has a knock on effect on her training!
im very wary about using a pelham as shes a jekyll & hyde horse so i would be worried that when the switch goes that it could act against me. the hardest thing with her is when shes good she goes well (shes in a grackle as a regular noseband interfers with the bars of the full cheek,its actually done up loose. She has a very odd shaped head!) plz ignore my position!:
23509126.jpg

then you blink & shes doing this (& this is quite reserved for her!):
hehe3.jpg

everything has been checked, this is just what she does if shes not gettin her own way!
So i guess im trying to find a bit that will come into action when i need it to but not put the wrong pressure on when im trying to hang on!
 
Personally I would get a 3 ring gag with a french link and ride with 2 reins one on the snaffle ring so it acts in a similar (but slightly harsher) way to a loose ring snaffle and the 2nd on the ring below for you to use when you have problems.

It really is a trial and error thing though as all horses are individuals so what I did is ask my instructor for a list of possibilities and bought them all off the internet ended up about £30 for 6 or 7 bits and then tried them all. The bonus is I can chop and change whenever now and I actually use 3 or 4 different bits on a regular basis for the same horse.
 
AGGGGGH! Kimblewick? (A current FBHS recalled how she once broke her pony's jaw in one, never forgiven herself, wanted us all trainers to realise the strength in these bits.)
 
[ QUOTE ]
TBH if shes settled in the mouth i would stick with the same bit and persevere with schooling. I appreciate you have a bad shoulder but she is only 4 and it takes years for a horse to engage and use the quarters properly, particularly one of heavier build.

One suggestion that may help- a french link loose ring snaffle with a thin mouth. Although then you will have less help with steering. But other than that, schooling and patience.
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Totally agree! BS x
 
I would recommend a metalab full check with losenge centre piece .

I have one for my youngster, it is a fixed bit but has a ring for that little bit extra leverage if needed .

It has worked really well on my mare, on saying that every horse is different so may not work on yours. Only way of knowing is trying a few .


Not expensive either
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
shes been a very complicated horse from the word go! very set in her ways & stubborn is an understatement! she is also immune to pain & has had some bad injuries that shes been oblivious to, we even question if she has pain receptors,which has a knock on effect on her training!

[/ QUOTE ]

Is she related to Ron
confused.gif
grin.gif

i really recommend speaking to these guys , Jodie is great.
 
I wouldn't change the bit personally, as someone above said i'd focus on the schooling..from my experience no bit in the world will stop a horse leaping around like an idiot anyway if it wants to! If I run into problems I'd usually put in more groundwork - especially with a youngster, lungeing, long reining..is it possible she's getting bored of schooling? I don't know what other exercise she does but I know my youngsters have needed plenty of different types of work otherwise they switch off and start looking for excuses to be naughty!
 
I would stick with the same bit and get some fulmer loops to keep it in place so you can go back to the cavesson and get her going forwards more instead of trying to work on the bridle
smile.gif


Also...have you had her teeth checked? Her extreme reactions could be due to sore teeth/mouth probs especially considering her age and with her mouth clamped shut she can't do much about it.
 
I have tried the caverson with the fulmer loops but hav stil had issues which is why she has the grackle on. As i said above the grackle isnt tight & is in no way acting like a grackle, to be honest i could probably have no noseband on at all! (will try that too!)
Her teeth are checked regularly, along with her saddle & back, so no issues there!
 
thanks for all your recommendations/suggestions!
schooling/groundwork to overcome her leaning issue is my main priority, but could do with assistance on her bad days! I think il give the 3ring gag a go with two reins so i can ride her primarily from the large ring & if i need a bit more firm pressure i can use the other rein.
i do vary her work a lot as she does have a very short attention span (even for a youngster!) but needs exercising 5/6x a wk to keep her weight down. Her lunging has come on amazingly since backing (she used to run backwards at you & kick out!) & the long reining is gettin there. We also do leading work regularly to prevent her gettin over bolshy/strong & we do carrot stretches with her very often to increase her flexibility.
thanks again for all you help!
 
Hi again, Lozz,

Loads of us have tried to help, + loads of good advice on here (while some bits about bits is a little open to debate...), but at the end of the day, the best advice has come from not thinking about the bit.

My best suggestion is to get a good, qualified trainer to advise, + watch you both. You ride very well (albeit with signs of tension!), but please remember that you have a young, very nice mare, who hasn't learnt her job yet, + it's a tall order to bring a young horse on, if we're not too sure ourselves.

I think Leeds_Girl85 knows her stuff! Please re-read her post, + forget about changing bits, but rather concentrate on how to bring a young horse on. The best ones always are the most challenging, yet most rewarding, once we form a partnership (+ never forget that your mare is 'entire')

With sincere best wishes BS x
 
thanks for replying to my post again!
i have since chosen to stick with the same type of bit but change to a sweet iron mouth piece. Im hoping this will help her to accept the bit a little more without creating more pressure. Shes also now going to be taking a longer unforseen holiday (injury, typical!). When i do 'restart' im going to go back to basics completely as she has lost a huge amount of muscle tone so almost looks like she did before she was backed, & also to check she remembers everything.
& yes im aware of my tension, iv become quite a defensive rider with issues with both my mares, other one used to rear & youngster has thrown everything in the book at me, even laying down
shocked.gif
But ive had a nice break from riding this winter (other commitments) so am ready to get back on board & sort out mine & her issues! (with the help of a trainer)
Iv had this mare since she was 10mths old & want the best out of her, she used to be a naughty pain that i wanted rid of, but she has blossomed into the sweetest little horse (shes only 14.3) & i hope to achieve a lot with her!
thanks again xx
 
Hi again Lozz, + thanks x

Yes, try sweet iron (but i wouldn't spend money on buying one if you haven't already. Current Fulmer is good idea, with or without loops (some say loops defy action, others say they help action!)...(but grackle looks a bit loose at mo, which could wind her up)
The whole bit thing these days is out of control, + too confusing for all (especially our horses). (While manufacturist of latest 'fad' is rubbing hands in glee!) Your mare just needs to learn to think forwards, as do all youngsters, + she looks a lovely mare.

So i totally agree with Tangoharvey about always breaking/riding in simple snaffle. I would add that if we can't do that, there's something that needs looking at.

I ride + jump my lot (including xc) in a vulcanite, straight bar snaffle.

You do the right thing when she kicks off - great position, hands forwards, head to side. So now think about riding her forwards (she's not tracking up), + that, friend, i think is where basic problem is. My belief is that using a stronger bit will only exacerbate your problems, + she will go up more, as she hasn't yet learnt 'forwards', while strong bits encourage 'backwards'.

I'm so sorry to hear that injury has stopped you working together, but so glad you're soon going to return to basics, with a trainer, which is absolutely great!

Good luck, friend, sincere best wishes, + hope we've helped. BS x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top