Views & your views on Kimberwick bits or advice please

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myhorses2015

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Hi All

Daughters pony is taking the mickey abit she pulls & pulls on her reins & he dont listern could become abit dangerous if im on my horse shes on pony & he does this Any advice on type of bit to use please thinking a kimberwick but not used before hes currently snaffled

TIA
 
I like kimblewicks, I personally feel like they give good breaks without the horse leaning on it. Of course, like any bit, they can be harsh but if it is going be used under your guidance it may be worth a try. I used to use one on a mare for XC, she would be strong and uncontrollable but the kimblewick gave me the breaks and steering I needed without her leaning. I found that she leant on pelhams and universal bits so the kimblewick is definitely my choice of bit.
 
Kadastorm said:
I like kimblewicks, I personally feel like they give good breaks without the horse leaning on it. Of course, like any bit, they can be harsh but if it is going be used under your guidance it may be worth a try. I used to use one on a mare for XC, she would be strong and uncontrollable but the kimblewick gave me the breaks and steering I needed without her leaning. I found that she leant on pelhams and universal bits so the kimblewick is definitely my choice of bit.
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Thank you shes only 6 hes a great little pony shes learnt loads on him but now he knows she can canter (on lead rein) when she comes of leid rein in school he takes the mickey dont listen to her steering sometimes but not all time & when she tell him to stop he dont listen little wotsit, is it a good investment then? She is still quite novice with where her hands are when shes trotting hands are not yet staying in correct place as i can see her thinking up down up down but can in correct place when walking not here there everywhere if that makes sense
 
they should be easy to lean on as they are straight and fixed, however my super strong mare goes well in hers out hunting! I mean, you don't have much in the way of brakes but she does actually listen instead of just trying to b*gger off. Tried her in a pelham, cheltenham gag, waterford dutch gag, tom thumb (that's worth a try actually, she does listen to that) but she goes well in the slotted kimberwick.
 
My little pony when I was 7 used to go in one for fast work to give me more chance :) She was still keen but it did work!
 
We put a kimblewick on my little Dartmoor stallion, so that the 7yo child rider could hunt him. He's great in it; soft and responsive. Tends to over-bend occasionally, but on him (built like a testosterone-powered tank!) it looks cute.

A kimblewick is basically a pelham, with fixed metal rings instead of leather roundings. The shank is shorter, so there is less leverage, so a pelham may be 'stronger', but IME it's the action, not the leverage that does the trick. It really encourages pony to bend onto the contact. It's also neater than a pelham, especially on a little pony head.
 
I like them. I hack my Sec D in a port-mouth kimblewick - she likes the room for the tongue and that it lies very still in the mouth. I also have an identical one with the curb stripped off, and she goes nicely in that too (may not be the textbook way of using but the ponies don't read the books- they just know what they like!!). If you can try both a mullen mouth and a port-mouth and see how he goes, which they prefer depends upon their mouth conformation.
 
Kimblewicks are useful , but in your ponies case I don't think I'd use a ported bit when the riders hands are still unsteady.
She is only six, and not every lead rein pony can make the move up to being a first ridden pony successfully at that age(or any age!).
Lots of fun lessons on the lead and on the lunge, train the pony to go to your voice, use a neck strap and maybe try a hanging snaffle?
The main thing to avoid for a little rider is losing their confidence, so I wouldn't be in a hurry to come off the lead rein quite yet, by the sound of things.
 
myhorses2015 said:
Hi All

Daughters pony is taking the mickey abit she pulls & pulls on her reins & he dont listern could become abit dangerous if im on my horse shes on pony & he does this Any advice on type of bit to use please thinking a kimberwick but not used before hes currently snaffled

TIA
Click to expand...

Always loved Kimblewicks, especially the flat side one with two extra options of control
 
Another vote for the Kimblewick. My horse can be very strong whilst jumping and hacking, so tend to use a kimblewick. So nice not having to keep yanking his mouth to get him to stop. Nicer ride for all involved :-)
 
I just wanted to add that for the pony, a kimblewick is quite a kind bit. I have one on one of my driving harnesses, which is used on several ponies. Even the fussy, and butter-mouthed ones get along fine with it - albeit with soft adult hands.
 
ozpoz said:
Kimblewicks are useful , but in your ponies case I don't think I'd use a ported bit when the riders hands are still unsteady.
She is only six, and not every lead rein pony can make the move up to being a first ridden pony successfully at that age(or any age!).
Lots of fun lessons on the lead and on the lunge, train the pony to go to your voice, use a neck strap and maybe try a hanging snaffle?
The main thing to avoid for a little rider is losing their confidence, so I wouldn't be in a hurry to come off the lead rein quite yet, by the sound of things.
Click to expand...

Agree with this- ported bit probably isn't a good choice for little unsteady hands
 
I don't think cambridge ported (as most are?) is much different to straight bar action wise? Not going to reach the roof of the mouth like a true port anyway, just more tongue room when the curb is in action?
 
I used to use one my welsh d when I was young and found it really helpful for a bit of control but being as your daughter is still very young maybe a Wilkie bit might be worth a try as a coup,e of the younger kids at our yard use these on strong ponies.
 
I used one quite regularly on little ponies with small riders when they had reasonable seats and balance - it gave them the confidence to allow the pony to go forward because they knew they could stop when they wanted. It meant they didn't learn to hang onto the rein of a snaffle all the time. I used either a rubber guard on the curb chain, or a leather curb "chain"
 
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