Single jointed snaffles v French link type!

cblover

cblover

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Teddy was started using a loose ring single jointed snaffle, with quite a thick mouthpiece. I went with it but was secretly wanting to change it to my Neue Schule centre resolver type snaffle. So last week I made that change and at first I thought his unsettled behaviour was just babyness and just him getting used to something different.

But....and it feels strange saying this, I think he prefers the plain single jointed snaffle. I've never had a horse where this has been the case. In fact I don't own a single jointed snaffle.....the one I was using belongs to the guy who has been helping me start him.

Has anyone experienced this? Horses are funny aren't they! Lol
 
Could it be what he is used to rather than what he is comfortable with? Revolver bits are fab in that you can use the two sides independently (I only use these now though I wish I has NS money...) but if a horse has only been in a single jointed that is fixed, they can feel 'funny' to them.
 
Maybe he does just prefer it! Single jointed bits used to be the norm, and horses went fine in them. The advent of the french link has led to the singe jointed bit being demonised, but I find that they suit some horses better than a french link does. Alf is in a single jointed eggbutt, with a very curved mouthpiece, and he loves it. He was always fussy in the mouth in a french link.
 
My 3 year old prefers single jointed, started him in a french link the more he did (not lots and only ground work, very light lunging and long reining) the more he would toss his head. I switch him to a single jointed and no head tossing very settled in the mouth
 
That's good to hear, thanks. Looks like I'll be buying a new bit this week. Just shows you should always listen to your horse....mine is definitely thinking different to me about this bit.
 
My mare is the same. She was in a hanging cheek with revolving lozenge took her out and put her in jointed copper revolving dee, then korsteel flexi jointed. Put her back in lozenge recently and what a b*tch she was!
 
cblover said:
Teddy was started using a loose ring single jointed snaffle, with quite a thick mouthpiece. I went with it but was secretly wanting to change it to my Neue Schule centre resolver type snaffle. So last week I made that change and at first I thought his unsettled behaviour was just babyness and just him getting used to something different.

But....and it feels strange saying this, I think he prefers the plain single jointed snaffle. I've never had a horse where this has been the case. In fact I don't own a single jointed snaffle.....the one I was using belongs to the guy who has been helping me start him.

Has anyone experienced this? Horses are funny aren't they! Lol
Click to expand...

I could have written exactly this for my mare. I've kept her in a link bit for weeks but made no difference. Then when showing she went great in a Cambridge Pelham. So have now switched to a myler Mullen mouth which still has independent rein action. Still soesnt like it. So going back to single jointed snaffle
 
Hi all, thanks for all your experiences. Auslander- that bit looks great and just what I'm after. But I need 6.5" and that kinda narrows down my options.
 
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