Starting youngsters. What bits do you use? Purely out of curiosity

Enfys

Enfys

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As I now have a youngster to start I was raking through my meagre supply of tack looking for a bit that would be suitable when I begin to do something with him. All I have are double jointed D rings or french link loose ring full cheeks.

Years ago, everyone seemed to use either a single jointed snaffle or a key bit usually with cheeks, I just wondered what sort of bit those of you that break / have broken, youngsters use/d?
 
In olden times I used to start my youngsters in soft rubber snaffles. These days I always, always start mine in one of my Sprenger KK bits with the lozenge. All my youngsters settle into these bits without any fuss and seem to enjoy the "flavour" from them.

I know they are awfully expensive - but to me they are absolutely worth their weight in gold....although, even though they say Aurigan is German gold, I'm not so convinced there is much gold-weight there
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Who are you planning to start?
 
Palomino colt (who still has no name
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Turns 3 in the middle of this month, and I'm not sure how much has been done with him, hopefully, not as much as that one I sent you details for. He wasn't sold as 'broken/green broke/well broke' or any of the other terms you see in the adverts here.

He's pretty polite now, and regardless of what he has or hasn't done I shall start from the beginning again anyway. He's still at the 'OMG! What's THAT?' stage around the place right now, and who can blame him after just 48 hours, I have two very tarty mares here though now. Slappers!
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Will be starting one soon in a Sprenger KK and she how she goes in it. With a bridle shy horse I found a rubber snaffle or sweet iron really helped. Was really impressed with a sweet iron.
 
To start with I use a straight bar happy mouth rubber bit. Then after groundwork is established and we are moving onto ridden work I change to a normal snaffle wether that be single or double jointed dependingo what the horse likes.
 
I got my baby girl going in a loose ring french link happy mouth, she seems haapy enough in it, although i wish that I was able to get one with cheeks as our steering is still a bit wobbly
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I have a sprenger copy full cheek with a lozenge and I have been pleased with the way my baby accepted it. At the very beginning I used a bendy rubber snaffle but he found it too bulky in his mouth so I changed to the lozenge.
 
I use the little plastic in hand bits as ours have all been shown in had early on and bridled, then a rubber straight bar, and now for steering Ivy has a french link fulmer.

I cannot abide the old fashioned key style ones and I don't like single jointed bits on youngsters.
 
I always start with a french link, usually with cheeks. It seems to encourage mouthing and is very mild.

Most horses are really happy in this, but a few have needed either something more stable (magic bit or single joint), or something with more movement (loose ring french link).
 
Usually a french link. Have used a simple snaffle as well but I hate that nutcracker action. Have also used a thin rubber one before, but it depends on how the horse responds to the french link usually.
 
With my huge experience of one - bitted with a rubber in hand bit - which I originally showed him in. Started long reining with a full cheek key bit, then changed to a copper/gold french link full cheek snaffle.

Now he has a gold bit with a lozenge with large rings for riding and the same but with small rings for showing - he much prefers this to the rubber bit.
 
Well, I dug deep (in my last unpacked crate) and found a lozenge bit, it seems that the colt hasn't had a bit in his mouth from his reaction. He looked absolutely horrified but didn't make a fuss.
 
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