single joint snaffle...really so bad?

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Brambridge04

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Having read some comments re the above, i changed my young mares bit so it had a losenge and she appears to hate.....had it a few weeks now and she went better in single joint......are they really so bad?
 
Tbh we just use whatever they are happy & go well in! Someone is always going to disagree with what you use!! For my girl & pony its a loose ring with lozenge for schooling & dressage (he hates a single joint!) & a waterford 3 ring gag for jumping & xc. Opinions differ widely on the waterford, but it works & he's happy!! xx
 
I break all of mine in french link full cheek snaffles but my latest one absolutely HATED it so I popped her in a plain single jointed eggbut and she is so happy and willing to learn in it. Every horse is different and as they say - bits are only as harsh as the hands that use them!
 
I think lozenge bits can place more pressure on the bars .. at their narrowest and most sensitive point..

We have changed FROM a lozenge to single jointed (fulmer) and are going very well and happily in it.
 
Brambridge04 said:
Having read some comments re the above, i changed my young mares bit so it had a losenge and she appears to hate.....had it a few weeks now and she went better in single joint......are they really so bad?
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So why did you change her to a lozenge, and why have you used it for a few weeks if she "hates" it, and you think she goes better in a single joint? There may be a mouthpiece out there in which she will go even better than in a single joint.

I don't see how it is possible to truly achieve an even contact if you are using a bit with a nutcracker action and two mismatching pieces in the mouth, and that is assuming that the rider is able to ride to an even "feel", so I use bits which at least start off sitting evenly in the mouth. There is a dressage horse on my yard (not my horse) which was ridden in a single jointed snaffle - the rider has been complaining about the horse being one-sided, she has changed his bit and hey presto she now has a horse which isn't constantly hanging on her left rein. Rocket science it ain't.
 
Brambridge04 said:
Both bits are sweet iron. Both full cheek..single joint 5 1/4 n losenge one 5 inch.....and she hates it.....
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Rowreach said:
....... Rocket science it ain't.
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err no it's an ART.. ;) happen to disagree as my horse goes better in a single jointed. HOWEVER I am very careful to only use my hands in an upwardly so the action is on the corners. (which was also true of the lozenge).
 
Our pony goes much better in a single jointed snaffle than french link. We've used both, and a happy mouth, and a bomber...and he's most happy in his single jointed bit. He's not strong and comes round very easily..so. If it works for him, so be it. My own horses uses a french link. Tbh, if they like the single jointed one why change it?
 
I kept her in it for a few weeks as she is fairly newly broken i thought it may take some time to adapt, but she really doesnt like it, yanks at reins, resists turning aids etc
 
Brambridge04 said:
Having read some comments re the above, i changed my young mares bit so it had a losenge and she appears to hate.....had it a few weeks now and she went better in single joint......are they really so bad?
Click to expand...

I did the same as you after reading a lot of comments on here that said how bad single-jointed bits were & lozenge/french link are better. The lozenge was the same size as single jointed (assume this was right!) & she just didn't go better in at all & was much more resistant so we've gone back to the single jointed & a happier mouth. Yep she's a bit one sided but I've never ridden horse that isn't to be honest..
 
I tried my mare with a loose ring with a lozenge as she was uncomfortable with the jointed but she really disliked the lozenge. I have now put her in an eggbut French link as recommended to someone with a very similar sounding horse in your horse magazine and she seems to much prefer this. I think the lozenge confused her and apparently the eggbut gives more stability in the mouth than the loose ring which as she is quite a sensitive horse I think reassures her.
 
You could look at one of the ergonomic single jointed snaffles like the ns ones they are shaped to eliminate many of the problems with single joints.
 
Brambridge04 said:
Having read some comments re the above, i changed my young mares bit so it had a losenge and she appears to hate.....had it a few weeks now and she went better in single joint......are they really so bad?
Click to expand...


Use what YOUR mare is happy in. My mare is happiest in a single jointed snaffle so that is what I ride her in. Give a choice I would prefer a double jointed snaffle, but went through all manner of those and mylers trying to find one she like and all she put her tongue over (which she doesn't do in a single jointed bit). I could have clamped her mouth shut, but instead settle for a single jointed snaffle and plain cavesson noseband - If it ain't broke don't fix it!:)
 
my mare came to me with a single jointed, thick eggbutt

she didnt like it and opened her mouth, so I changed to a loose ring bradoon with copper link - she was much happier in this. It could have been the action off the single joint, eggbutt or the fact that the bit was far too thick for her fleshy tongued mouth, but she's much happier now.

I've just changed her to a full cheek with a copper link and she also loves this, I've not tried another single joint with her cos I've not needed too

but every horse is different, if a horse likes a single joint - use it
 
Back to single joint today, long reined but didnt ride and was pretty wet and i couldnt be bothered.....and she seemed perfect in it again
 
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