Starting a young horse, what bit do you use?

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Evil_Cookie

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Was thinking about it earlier, I've always started my young horses in a straight bar happy mouth and then moved them to a loose ring jointed snaffle once they were used to having something in there mouth and when you want to start teaching them what rein aids mean. But with all the special 'breaking' bits out there that are supoposed to encourage mouthing etc... with keys and copper... Was wondering what you guys do... and what the overall best bit for backing was? Obviously it depends to some extent on the horses temperament and mouth conformation... but generally...
Anyway.. what do you use?
 
French link loose ring snaffle.

Any hors ei buy, back, what ever (even if they come to me in a big gag,) they always go into a french link loose ring.

Lou x
 
I normally use a d-ring rubber snaffle or a jointed full cheek depending on the horse and depending on whether it has ever had a bit in the mouth.
 
Full Check French link for me too
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I normally go from straight bar happy mouth to one with a lozenge and cheeks (if steering help needed) or either loose ring french link happy mouth or Sweet Iron loose ring french link.
 
We have a straight bar with 'keys'. They have that in a few times for them to play with and then go into a FM snaffle to learn to give their mouth to the bit, the cheekpieces prevent their avoidance by opening their mouth and once that step is established (all before sadling or even longreigning) they get a sweet iron kk training bit with a copper lozenge, the double joint being nice and kind with soft hands.

THAT is the bit that they start to be actually worked in and go on to be ridden in for the most part. ....but we have a huge range of different bits so we can play around to find just what suits the odd horse that doesn't like the kk...

Like everthing, one thing does not always work for every horse and trying to force every peg to fit a round hole causes issues!
 
usually french link eggbutt- i don't like too much movement and like them to have a steady contact to start with.

but i have a huge array of different snaffles which i may swap between, depending on the horse.
 
I've used a loose ring french link snaffle on both Septre and Amber. I did have Amber in a straight bar happy mouth for a while as she did not seem too happy in the snaffle, but she prefers the snaffle now!
 
When I started Tarquin he hated the Full Cheek key bit that I used so I ended up using a soft rubber loose ring snaffle, then once he was happy with his mouth I used a happy mouth straight bar which he hated and then used a french link full cheek as he was getting too strong in the rubber bit. He was great in this but is now in a loose ring snaffle on the recommendation of my trainer as he was progressing nicely in his training. I can tell if he is not happy in a bit as he starts to be difficult to open his mouth to get the bit in and shakes his head when ridden. Now he is really happy. As a rule I started all my youngsters in full cheek french link snaffles.
 
loose ring french link happy mouth to start, then depending on horse go to copper version,or full cheek, or hanging cheek, but all end up back in loose ring french link
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Have used a mullen mouth, but don't have that in long as cobs/natives i've broken are very strong on the straight bar
 
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