TB bitting advice needed!

[rcm_73]

Any bitting advice appreciated for 15 y.o TB mare (has seen dentist). Likes to take control, leans, pulls, mouth open, tongue flies out the side when you apply bit pressure. Jogs on the home turn, ask her to come back & does the above plus jumps about on the spot. Give her a loose rein and she'll just go faster. Have tried alsorts hackamore (reared), tried happy mouth loose ring, french link baucher, copper roller d ring, dexter ring bit, myler short shank (SJ) kimblewick (for XC). Kimblewick seemed to be ok (port mouth). Need to sort something out for hacking/schooling preferably that I can use a market harborough with. Has anyone got a similar problem?? Open to any suggestions especially from those understanding the Thoroughbred brain, mouth conformation etc!!

 

[flyingfeet]

May not be exactly what you are after with regards to the market harborough, however a sweet iron tom thumb often works well in TB's.

They have a small mouth, with little palate space, so I would steer clear of single jointed and fat bits.

 

[Bossanova]

A soft rubber snaffle, fairly thin one if poss, may be worth a go- you wouldnt believe how much happier some horses will be with a soft mouthpiece and the good thing is that you can upgrade to a pelham/kimblewick in rubber should you need to. It has to be flexi-rubber though, not vulcanite

 

[princesskelly]

i have a jogging 21 year old mare the best thing i can do with her is just ignore her. i know it's hard but it does work with my mare and she can jog for hours! i ride her in a stright bar breaking bit. it has stopped her leaning and pulling. didnt stop her tounge though so she has a flash on now! i can go galloping and jumping in this bit and she always stops. good luck with it all.

 

[Frazer]

I have this problem, and also when im schooling will often snatch at the bit. I am going to try a hackamore with a fleece over the curb, to stop her to rear. Like you i have tried loads of different bits, and found a kimblewick useful, but doing xc still had no breaks. You could try a happy mouthed 3 ring gag, or a cheltham gag! Or a tom thumb, i have used all of these bits before, and they have seemed to work. Mine seems to just dislike any pull on the reins, going to her mouth. So am going to try a hackamore.

 

[Fiona]

My 5yo TB was in a fairly fat french link copper snaffle, but I have recently swapped her to a thinner lozenge type french link. Prob quite early days, but haven't noticed her snatching at the new bit, and seems fairly happy with it.
Fiona

 

[patchandloopy]

How about a sweet iron, loose ring french link, with a thin mouthpiece - also combined with a flash nosebamd??

 

[rcm_73]

Thank you all for your advice so far...probably try each one in turn or at least until I get some results! I'll be opening a bit shop on ebay before long lol !!!

 

[rcm_73]

What sort of mouthpiece would you recommend on a Tom Thumb? Seen them with various mouthpieces but I expect most without a single joint should be ok? Thanks for your advice.

 

[flyingfeet]

The tom thumbs usually come in 2 forms if supplied by Shires (99% are!). Either a dog bone link (similar to french link) or 'scrob', this is the same link with with copper rings round it.

The choice between the two is whether you want your horse to play with the bit, or if you want the bit to be 'quiet' in the mouth. The rings on the scrob can pacify a busy mouthed horse, but personally if there is no real problem I prefer this bit with the plain dog bone link.