Time to bit untouched pony.

[HorseyTee]

So baby cob is now about 6 years old.
He is untouched in the sense that he's been a companion and only ever worn a headcollar. Never been started re bitting/backing.

Other horses I've had have already had tack so I'm new to starting from scratch in this sense.
I'd be keen to try to keep him bitless so if I did...Where to start regarding bitless bridles?
If I went down the bit route...what sort of bits are good starters?

I don't foresee him being a problem as I can run at him flapping tarp and he just rolls his eyes, he's had the boys sit on his back and not cared at all, and has been easy going with being exposed to everything so far.

As a beginner...How do I do it? Just try a bit in without a bridle being fastened just for a few moments, then build up?

Any other advice?

 

[daydreamer]

I'm at this same stage but with my 3 year old. He is my first youngster so I'm also not really sure how to proceed! I have sent pictures, video and info to the lady at horsebitadvice.com to so an online consultation about which bit to use as there are so many differing opinions on what to use to start with. You could also pay someone to come out. From what I have read straight bar rubber used to be popular but rubber doesn't encourage salivation so can catch on the mouth, some people like Happy Mouths but some people don't, some people go straight bar, some lozenge, some people want them to play with the bit but some don't!

I did have my instructor come out to see us and she gave me some exercises to help prepare for bitting.... use thumb and forefinger to put gentle pressure where the headpiece would go, when the head lowers release the pressure. Don't increase the pressure if they put their head up or wiggle, just maintain. In a similar way use gentle downwards pressure on the rope below the chin to get them to lower their head, release when they lower. Stand at the shoulder and use the headcollar to ask the head to bend around to you, release when they do. Then add a slight lowering of the head to this. Also put your thumb into the corner of the mouth very gently. If on the left side use the right hand to very gently hold over the nose, slip the left thumb into the mouth where the bit would go with the fingers under the jaw (it feels a bit odd). To begin with don't put the thumb in too far. Wait until the mouth is soft and quiet (might take a while, just move with them) and then take the thumb out. Do from both sides.

This is about as far as I've got, need to get my instructor out again! My lad is fairly straightforward too so I'm sure I could just pop the bit in but it is nice to get some extra advice.

 

[Melandmary]

The only advice I can give is that I put a little treacle rubbed on my bit so my 12 year old newly bitted quite enjoyed having her in. I used to put it in daily for about 5 mins at first and building up time. I also took the noseband off so there was less faff for her. My issue has been finding the right size and type of bit.... Can be costly. Borrow as many as you can that are suitable styles for a newly bitted. Oh yes and you can measure the size by inserting a wooden spoon and marking the length. Finally a bit with cheek pieces like a Fulmer or a great help with learning to steer ?. I am a total beginner in the bitting/backing process so the above are just what I have found useful

 

[paddy555]

I put reins on a headcollar and then move onto an English hackamore. I was intending then with the last one to move onto a bit but as he goes so well in the hackamore I just haven't bothered.

 

[saddlesore]

I just used a happymouth for early bitting and popped it on for a few minutes at a time and gave polos and then back off. Once he got used to it I would do other things with him on hand whilst he just carried it before progressing to long reining

 

[TheMule]

Measure the bridle roughly against her head. I like a little link bit- I personally use a full cheek Myler, but,
so long as it’s not too bulky, any bit can work. I personally don’t like rubber/ happy mouth as they are too thick for most horses.
No noseband, leave head collar on, just on with no fuss (a polo held with the bit can help them open the mouth if needed), leave for a couple of minutes and then taking it off is the most important part to get right- they don’t understand to open the mouth as you let it down as older horses do so very, very gently out and be prepared that they might throw the head up as you do it.
Clunk the teeth and you’ll have problems

 

[ihatework]

Leave headcollar on, take noseband off bridle, measure up against head and err on slightly longer side for cheek pieces. Leave the ends of the buckles out so you can quickly adjust if needed.

I always use rubber/plastic to start with - not for the riding/rein pressure stage but for the very initial bitting. Just until they have learnt to open their mouths to accept and take out bit. Then if they accidentally bang their teeth it’s less likely to cause an issue.

At this stage I also never use a full cheek (risk of getting caught) and instead use a D or eggbutt.

 

[PSD]

Measure the bridle roughly against her head. I like a little link bit- I personally use a full cheek Myler, but,
so long as it’s not too bulky, any bit can work. I personally don’t like rubber/ happy mouth as they are too thick for most horses.
No noseband, leave head collar on, just on with no fuss (a polo held with the bit can help them open the mouth if needed), leave for a couple of minutes and then taking it off is the most important part to get right- they don’t understand to open the mouth as you let it down as older horses do so very, very gently out and be prepared that they might throw the head up as you do it.
Clunk the teeth and you’ll have problems

Yep! I had issues with my fell with bitting because she didn’t understand she had to let go. No matter how slowly I did it she would panic and run backwards. Took a while to get her to understand she needed to let go of the bit but we got there. I’d forgotten how much work youngsters needed on the ground - I was very very lucky with my last one, always said she’d been here before! But this is why I sold the fell, didn’t have the time for the consistency they need.

 

[kidsandponies]

I learnt to and have successfully bitted both youngsters and our little companion pony using their headcollar, bit and shoe laces. It does require two calm, confident people thought. So with headcollar on as normal have shoelaces already attached to each bit ring. Gently encourage the pony to open his/her mouth and insert bit and then each person gently and carefully ties the bit in place to the rings on each side of the headcollar using the shoe laces. We do this a few times leaving the bit in place for a few minutes or so before taking off (be careful to encourage them to open their mouths when dropping the bit). We then start to lead pony out (we do a lot of ground work and leading out before we are even at the bitting stage) with lead rope still attached to headcollar, this part is all about making them feel comfortable with a bit in their mouths. Slowly we progress to putting a coupler on the bit with another rope on that so they begin to feel pressure on the bit but the one on the headcollar is still the main one. About this stage we introduce a bridle (without noseband) over the headcollar so we can stop with the laces. They are now so used to having a bit put in and out they don’t seem to bat an eyelid at the bridle. We then do away with the rope on the headcollar but use a three way coupler also attached to the headcollar so there is still no direct pressure purely on bit. It seems a bit long winded reading it back but it’s just the way I was taught and I like to take everything slowly anyhow! We play about with bits if they seem unhappy in their mouths, for instance last year we broke our companion pony in for my daughter and he was not happy in a rubber straight bar but is very quiet in his mouth in a jointed snaffle. I like to start with a rubber straight bar but be aware these are quite chunky so if your pony hasn’t a lot of room in his mouth he may prefer something slimmer with a joint/lozenge. Above all enjoy this next journey with your lad!

 

[milliepops]

Measure the bridle roughly against her head. I like a little link bit- I personally use a full cheek Myler, but,
so long as it’s not too bulky, any bit can work. I personally don’t like rubber/ happy mouth as they are too thick for most horses.
No noseband, leave head collar on, just on with no fuss (a polo held with the bit can help them open the mouth if needed), leave for a couple of minutes and then taking it off is the most important part to get right- they don’t understand to open the mouth as you let it down as older horses do so very, very gently out and be prepared that they might throw the head up as you do it.
Clunk the teeth and you’ll have problems

I bitted my 3yo recently, first one I've had to start myself for a few years, and this is exactly what I did. roughly measured, left cheekpieces outside of the keepers so i could adjust it quickly if need be. I had a KK ultra kicking about spare so that's what he's wearing at the moment, that's what i usually start with any older horse unless there's something immediately obvious suggesting it's a bad option, so seemed as good a choice as any.

He yawped and yawned a bit the first few times but very quickly got the idea and now stands happily without chomping or fussing, he just pauses momentarily before letting go of the bit when I take it off, but my competition horse is the same so it's habit for me to hold the bit up and wait for them to let go.