Thoughts on Happy Mouth bits?..yes another biting post...

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LouandBee

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Hi all,

Just wondered what your thoughts were on happy mouth or any other rubber or nylon bits.

I have a sensitive TB who goes fine in a lozenged/linked type steel loose ring snaffle but could go better i.e. take more of a consistant contact.
Thought I might give a happy mouth bit a go but I've heard a few bad things about them i.e. they can be chewed up quickly and then rub and that they don't tend to salivate much and then again it rubs.

Anyone got anything good to say about them?

Also, she doesn't have lot of room in her mouth so would a lozenged bit be better than the straight bar one? The straight ones look pretty chunky.

Thanks for reading:)
 
I'm not so keen on them tbh as they are very bulky for most horses mouths.
Re the consistent contact, is the horse at an appropriate level in its schooling to be able to expect this? If it is then perhaps consider a french link eggbutt to give just a touch more stability? I wouldn't go for a straight bar, if she doesn't have too much mouth space then it would prob give alot of tongue pressure which wouldn't be confortable. For my large tongued fussy mare I have found the shaped french link lozenge bits to be a total godsend! Either tongue saver from cotswold sport (totally bloody brilliant!) http://cotswoldsport.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_66&products_id=467 or if you don't need so much tongue space then how about the Neue Schule ones? http://www.nsbits.com/
 
I have 4 at present, my old dear will not have metal in her mouth but is a head case when she gets excited, couple with arthritis (sp) she needs to be kept upright and a strong bit helps! (fades away when retired so buted and worked). The Happy mouth has been a total god send for her, had her in one for 10+ years, no rubbing, lots of salivating, happy horse.

Had B in one for a while but it did rub, but then so did everything else!! Eventually got her into a metal bit and she it rubs less but she has very pink soft skin so not typical. nb she has very fleshy mouthy and actually prefers a thicker bit as it doesn't pinch her excess fleshy bits like a thinner one does.

The Shoe, loves french link snaffle, but very strong out hacking and xc. Previous owner experimented with various bits with exclusion of happy mouth, we tried french link continental (2 ring only) which is softer than what she came with from prev home and she loves it, salivates reasonably, works relaxed and calmly and slightly more brakes than snaffle. Is new development though so could just be a change as good as a rest! No rubbing though.

Icky went well in one when 1st backed but I wanted her in a french link snaffle and as small as her mouth is the happymouth just looked mahoosive so I went for a thinner metal one.
 
Hi - thanks for the replies.

She is (still) only learning the basics but I understood that without achieving a consistent contact it is going to be hard for us to move up the levels. A big part of the issue of course is me and my horrendously long reins but she is sensistive in the mouth and would rather avoid a contact rather than take a hold.

Thats what I thought about the straight bar one - too bulky. Its not that she has a large tongue as such just a small and short mouth, there's no way I could ever get a double bridle in there and the vet can't even open up a gag fully when she has her teeth done..so its a fine balance between too bulky and too thin/harsh.

Will look into the bits you've suggested - I did once try a NS lozenged bit and didn't notice any difference so stuck with my cheaper korsteel one.
 
what about sweet iron? When breaking my youngster I used Happy Mouths but she used to bite through them in about a fortnight....:-O

Shes been in a sweet iron french link ever since and is a very happy chomper!

NB it was quite hard to track down french link sweet iron but found on the web and it wasnt any more exepensive just not so many places do them in sweet iron.
 
my mare loved her happy mouth snaffle staright bar even though i tried her in lots of others (KKs etc), however some of them can get really sharp if the horse chews it- didn't have that problem with the straight bar though :)
 
Thanks - i've just ordered a lozenged loose ring happy mouth bit so will let you know if its a disaster. Thought its worth a try, hopefully she'll magicaly turn into a school master :)
 
Just thought I'd dig my post out in case anyone out there is interested.

I bought a lozenged happy mouth bit, although think it might have been a different brand. Anyway - used it once for schooling and can't say I noticed any difference but.........she crunched on it a few times and it now has rather sharp bits on it so I certainly won't be using it again.

Not impressed - perhaps they should call it a disposable bit.
 
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