Suggest me a bit for a soft mouth!!

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hannabanana

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Okay so my slightly loony ISH has a soft mouth, he cannot stand a harsh bit, he shakes his head around and dances around with it in. When I bought him he had a thin loose ring jointed bit, so because it was thin, it was too harsh. So since then I have always bought him a rubber jointed eggbutt, which worked a charm (when he was calm), problem is, he chews the hell out of them, so they last 5 minutes, and the chewed rubber catches his tongue.
Furthermore he has a high head carriage, and when he gets all excited and wants to be away (but mummy says no) it always feels like I can't feel the bit (I know this makes no sense, sorry), head as high as ever. Im light handed and never rough so its not like im yanking the **** out of his gob.
So is there a bit that would be better for him that you could recommend? Or should I just stick to the rubber eggbutt?
 
Mine is just like this, today was an example of this, first time hacking at the new yard & a very excited Thorougbred on lots of lucious grass, she schools wonderfull in a hanging cheek french link, but i felt as if she took the pee abit in this today, i think il be trying a waterford the next time, as its only as harsh as you want it to be.
 
Hi
Firstly a bit will not bring your horses head down, that takes constant patient work.When we first had Captain he was so stroppy and strong he was in a Dutch gag, which just made him stroppier and stronger because he hated it! Then after a lot of schooling into a french link hanging cheek, via a jointed snaffle. Cappy is a Gelderlander with naturally very high head carriage, you have to teach them to lower their heads. There really isn't a bit that will train your horse's head down.

If you want a bit of poll pressure but kinder than a single link try a french link hanging cheek. It is not harsh, but does exert some poll pressure.

Fany is in a mullen mouth pelham, but she is exceptionally strong. We are working to get her out of it but she is stubborn and opinionated so it is taking longer than we hoped. This is a bit with a lot of pressure and I think it is very harsh, however it is the only one we have found that gives us brakes when Fany decides it is time to head for home!

But to me it sounds like your horse is more in need of schooling than different bitting.The most important thing about bits is knowing what not to use them to do. The bit is only part of the picture, as riders we should be using our seat and legs to talk to our horse, and what is coming from the bit shouldn’t overpower the information from your body. People who rely on bits to communicate are often actually not communicating effectively.
This article says it better than I can:
http://www.equiworld.net/uk/training/meredithmanor/choosingbits.htm

Have a look here they will let you try and then decide if the bit is what you need.


http://www.horsebitbank.com/

Good luck finding what is right for you and your horse.
FDC
 
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As above get some advice from a bit bank - there are one or two about (google them) and I have always had really good advice.

They advised a Sprenger training bit for my young horse which has been a really good choice.
 
Eriskayowner said:
Are they single jointed bits? If so, whenever you pull the reins, you shoot the joint into the roof of the mouth.

Try a french link/lozenge mouthpiece.
Click to expand...

Hey, yes its a single jointed, I was considering a bit with a double link, I've never actually thought about how many types of bits there is until now!

FanyDuChamp said:
Hi
Firstly a bit will not bring your horses head down, that takes constant patient work.When we first had Captain he was so stroppy and strong he was in a Dutch gag, which just made him stroppier and stronger because he hated it! Then after a lot of schooling into a french link hanging cheek, via a jointed snaffle. Cappy is a Gelderlander with naturally very high head carriage, you have to teach them to lower their heads. There really isn't a bit that will train your horse's head down.

If you want a bit of poll pressure but kinder than a single link try a french link hanging cheek. It is not harsh, but does exert some poll pressure.

Fany is in a mullen mouth pelham, but she is exceptionally strong. We are working to get her out of it but she is stubborn and opinionated so it is taking longer than we hoped. This is a bit with a lot of pressure and I think it is very harsh, however it is the only one we have found that gives us brakes when Fany decides it is time to head for home!

But to me it sounds like your horse is more in need of schooling than different bitting.The most important thing about bits is knowing what not to use them to do. The bit is only part of the picture, as riders we should be using our seat and legs to talk to our horse, and what is coming from the bit shouldn’t overpower the information from your body. People who rely on bits to communicate are often actually not communicating effectively.
This article says it better than I can:
http://www.equiworld.net/uk/training/meredithmanor/choosingbits.htm

Have a look here they will let you try and then decide if the bit is what you need.


http://www.horsebitbank.com/

Good luck finding what is right for you and your horse.
FDC
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice :). I know there will never be a bit to bring his head down and that requires schooling, plus I prefer not to use the bit to control him, definitely using body and leg is the way to go, just hes such a sensitive horse that you just have to think go forward and he will. I was just wondering is there a softer bit out there, made me wonder wether the eggbutt is still too harsh for him; causing him to not relax if you know what I mean.
 
Eggbutts aren't always all that gentle as they have a nutcracker action and as someone else said, the joint pushes into the roof of the mouth - my horse is very similar to yours and even the French Link she came in would cause her to stick her head up - I use a Sprenger KK which has a lozenge and she loves it, they are expensive though maybe try a bit bank :)
 
I dont really think your horse has any more a senstivie mouth than any other horses.
I think she is just more vocal about saying that the bit in uncomfortable for her. I wish more people would understand this and remove what is causing to problem, instead of ignoring what she is trying to say and still insist she needs a bit.

its suprising how well a horse with these sort of bitting issues can go once you remove the bit.
 
The bit bank seems like an excellent idea, shame I didn't come across it earlier! My lad is just so sensitive, problem is hes got to be able to 'feel' me on the reins (Just lightly) or else he does a runner. (Which I experienced yesterday when my reins snapped :O:O:O!), So its hard picking the right bit!
 
A french link may help but ultimately it sounds like he needs to realise that he should be working through his back and needs to get his head down. I had a giraffe pony when I first bought him but lots of lungeing with a bungee on has really improved his way of going. It encourages the horse to stretch down and work more correctly, I find.

You could ask your dentist for recommendations, as most seem to know what kind of bit would suit the shape of the mouth.

Mine DOES have a sensitive mouth (sensitive skin that reacts to anything new-all over, not just the mouth) and any kind of contact more than a really light hand rubs him raw.
 
I have a very soft mouthed sensitive ISH and after exaustive trials of various bits I have found her to be very happy in the Sprenger KK Dynamic Lozenge.

She tends to go on a bit jumping so for that I change to the KK Universal. Same mouthpiece, different cheeks.
 
As others have said a Sprenger KK ultra is a good bit, either the full cheek if you have steering problems or the loose ring or if as I suspect your horse is running through the bridle and not accepting any contact then the KK but in an eggbutt might be better to start with.

Your horse needs to accept the bit, contact your hands from the leg and go forward into that, he sounds as if he is afraid of the bit in his mouth and once he knows what you want and he accepts the contact then he should be fine. I recommend lots of lungeing with elastic side reins only connected loosely to start with and then gradually adjusting them shorter to the correct length for him.
 
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