small mouth

Shavings

Shavings

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asking on be half of a friend this time
since you where all so lovely and helpful with me finding a bit

friend owns a 4 year old TB (like my self!)

but her boy has a low pallet and a small mouth

she has tired a far number of bits not of which he has been "comfortable" or happy with can any one recommend any thing?
i have put a list of what we have tired so far
i just add he is not strong by any means so doesn't need a "harsh" bit

egg butt snaffle (nut cracker)
french line
myler snaffle
Cambridge snaffle (other wise known as a magic bit)
NS team up snaffle
happy mouth peanut (only had a happy mouth one in tack room at time!)
rubber straight bar

any ideas would be most welcome
 
is his mouth small side to side, or does he have a short mouth viewed from the side?
(or all of)
Also how do his bars look, is there room there or is that also very tight?
Does the ideal placement of the bit in the inside of his mouth (teeth wise) line up with his lips on the outside?
Does he have delicate lips (ever seen chaffing on the lip edge?)

^Sorry, bad english but hope you understand my questions!

Also what noseband does he have? I had a horse with a short mouth and found he was much happier with the noseband higher than I would have put it, so it was more under his cheekbone. I only used a plain, but quite wide cavesson also as it seemed he was very sensitive around the jaws generally asides from his small mouth.

Edit; also does your friend have quiet hands.
 
As it stands he wears no nose band

He has to wear his bit with 2 creases in his lip as the bars are higher then the corner of his mouth (possibly not said that in the best way)

The vet told us this along with dentist and saddle fitter
All 3 also commented on how low his pallet is.

If that helps
 
Shavings said:
He has to wear his bit with 2 creases in his lip as the bars are higher then the corner of his mouth (possibly not said that in the best way)
Click to expand...

I always taught two small creases anyway!

Would it be possible to go bitless like a Dr Cook?

I have a very thin snaffle from Cottage Craft. (Copper enriched with lozenge loose ring)

Someone please correct me, but you could try a bradoon?
 
Ok,
a)I'd use the bit bank.
b) I've found a horse with fussy lips but no soreness may actually prefer a loose ring snaffle (seems counterintuitive to me, you'd think it'd feel pinchy) as opposed to eggbutt or d ring.
If your friend has very gentle hands one designed as a bradoon might be inoffensive to him.
I'd actually be inclined to try one like this:
http://www.horsebitbank.com/team-up-bit-12mm-diameter-45.phtml
and I'd try it both ways (ie also backwards). As he's not strong the priority being to get something comfortable in his mouth.

Rubber bits can really catch and pull on the lips.
I would definitely use bit butter on the edges.

edit: I'd also leave him with the bit in for half an hour before riding, let him get used to it. (There's a trick I've been taught about this which is to put a part chewed toffee on the roof of a horses mouth and leave him with the bit in, he will have exerted all the curiosity and salivated a lot trying to get the toffee off. However this was my grandfather and he was old school)
 
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My Anglo has a very small mouth and massive tongue, when breaking him I could tell he wasn't happy with a normal width bar, he just didn't relax his mouth. I bought a NS starter bit with the thinner mouth piece, instantly better and no longer objected to being bridled.
 
My TB has a tiny mouth, being 16.2 but with only a 4.5 inch bit. He has a narrow, short mouth with quite a low palate. He seems comfortable in a loose ring french link. When he arrived he was reluctant to open his mouth having worn a jointed snaffle previously. Since realising he now has the f.l he takes it quite happily. However I would also second the bradoon suggestion.
 
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