Struggling to find a suitable snaffle for 4yo thoroughbred!

tobiano1984

tobiano1984

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He came out of racing at end of 2nd year, having trained/raced for just over a year. We struggled for a while with him not seeking the contact, he would chew and rattle the bit about a lot, backing off the contact and behind the leg. He's had lots done to his teeth now (wolfs out etc) and has been in a straight Myler comfort snaffle for months and he's finally working forwards and lowering and seeking the contact. However now he's really leaning on it and is a ****** to transition down (either just won't stop until he feels like it or if you really insist then the head comes up and the tongue flaps about) . He doesn't seem that great in loose rings as likes to rattle them about, although saying that he hasn't tried one for months so may be better now.

Any recommendations/anecdotes on bits for a young TB? We reschool quite a few TBs straight out of racing (as well as producing non-TB youngsters) and usually find they go fine in a loose ring or full cheek french link, this one just seems a bit more gobby and tricky. I also tried him in the early days in a straight nathe, but a) he chewed it to pieces and b) there were no brakes at all.

He also pours foam out of his mouth - too much, so I don't think he's swallowing properly when schooling - I'm sure the bitting must affect this! I was wondering about a NS verbindend, as I usually find they give a bit more whoa, and tend to sit quieter than normal loose ring french links. Plus room for the tongue that might help him swallow...

ps he's in a drop noseband.
 
I have a verbindend, it gives me less whoa but also a lot less confrontation. Well worth a try as we went through loads of bits (you should see my collection) to find the right one, including Myler comfort. We "downgraded" to the verbindend as the Myler was quite harsh being a very thin mouthpiece. Mine isn't a racehorse but does like a jolly good tank.
 
9tails said:
I have a verbindend, it gives me less whoa but also a lot less confrontation. Well worth a try as we went through loads of bits (you should see my collection) to find the right one, including Myler comfort. We "downgraded" to the verbindend as the Myler was quite harsh being a very thin mouthpiece. Mine isn't a racehorse but does like a jolly good tank.
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Oh that's interesting - yes I was also thinking that about the Myler, it's very thin and straight so must be a bit harsh. The confrontation is the issue - I'm happy to work on him listening to the seat etc and the brakes will come later, but don't like the fight he puts up if you try to stop when you want to! Will try the verbindend tomorrow...
 
Have you tried Myler low port MB04? A bit more tongue room with the port. I started with that, once the contact was established we went to the MB02 then the Verbindend. With plenty of cheaper types before I started spending serious money on bits!
 
All my Mylers are straight mouthpieces unfortunately! I think the ported ones aren't dressage legal (which is what we do generally). I think I have a ported cheaper bit so could give that a try and see if it makes a difference. Think I also have a Bomber snaffle somewhere which has a big port. I don't want to fiddle around changing too much though as he's only recently started working into the contact rather than faffing around rattling the bit!
 
No, the ported ones aren't dressage legal. That didn't concern me as we were never going to get anywhere if I couldn't alleviate the arguing and head tossing. The biggest difference was a really good vet that gave her teeth an excellent overhaul, the dentist never made any difference.
 
I faffed for years with mine, trying all sorts of 'fancy' buts, and then one day someone suggested a single joint eggbut snaffle. Different horse, and only paid about £9 for a second hand one from the tack shop! mine definitely prefers the single joint, he's now in a single joint hanging cheek snaffle, for him the stability offered by the bit rings seems important too, all that money I wasted on loose ring bits lol!
 
My late TB mare liked a chunky hollow mouth single jointed eggbut best and she was awfully fussy in her mouth and she was a different horse in this bit.
Current TB is not as fussy but leans more. He likes a NS full cheek tranz angled lozenge snaffle.
Both are/were awful in loose rings.
 
My (not a tb but has a tb-ish mouth) mare likes a NS demi anky or a very slim french link but when she was younger the french link was too mobile. Hence the demi anky.
 
I had a TB mare off the track who went best in a 4 1/2" eggbutt bridoon. She had a refined muzzle and just didn't like the bigger bits. Don't know if this will help, but at least it would be cheap to try!
 
wkiwi said:
I had a TB mare off the track who went best in a 4 1/2" eggbutt bridoon. She had a refined muzzle and just didn't like the bigger bits. Don't know if this will help, but at least it would be cheap to try!
Click to expand...

I have just put my mare in a tiny little French link with a thin mouthpiece. when the vet did her teeth, i had a good look in her mouth and it is so small, barely any room, she seems much happier in the small bit.
 
Update - I tried him in a single joint eggbutt snaffle and he was awful - any sort of pressure and he threw his head up and stuck his tongue out - he has such a low palette that I think the joint pokes into the roof of his mouth. Yesterday we tried the NS Verbindend, and although only walked and a bit of trot in the school (he was a bit footsore after racing around a new field at the weekend!) he seemed good - wet mouth but just some green slime rather than buckets of white froth. No chomping, kept in a nice low outline in downwards transitions. It's one of the thinner mouthpieces so that combined with the curves I think fits nicely in his tiny mouth... we will see!
 
Just to add I had a tb with a tiny mouth and also a very large tongue . He did wells in a myler comfort (the dressage legal one) or the NS team up in the thinnest mouthpiece. Slightly better with the Myler as the mouthpiece doesn't move as much as lozenge or links.

I don't subscribe to the view that thinner automatically equals harsh if it better suits their mouth conformation and it makes them more comfortable.
 
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