What bit do you use.. and more imp - why??

AShetlandBitMeOnce

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So following another thread that was running about snaffles, the common opinion seems to be that many are mis-informed about the action of the bits they are using, it's severity or it's 'benefits'.

Which made me curious, what are you using.. and what made you decide this? I will happily go first - and fully expect some users to not agree with my choices :D

So I use...

1) Waterford rounded mouthpiece snaffle (controversial I know!) with cavesson for schooling, because he doesn't have a huge amount of space in his mouth and likes the flexibility. He does have a tendency to lean when he doesn't want to work properly and for now, this is the best option.

2) Short shank, straight bar pelham, used with double reins always and cavesson, for showing and really high pressure things like hunting, double rein is useful but he doesn't need a huge amount of leverage, respects this bit.

3) Copper Hartford swivel ring bit with a kineton for hacking, I really like this noseband but wouldn't want to exert the amount of pressure possible when he gets really excited in things like the above activities, primarily on his nasal bone. The bit has very mild leverage, and lays flat again his face to help with turning and keeping him looking straight and concentrating on me.


Your turn...
 
Single jointed happy mouth snaffle for my little Welshie, he doesn't like much else - we have tried the usual 'kind' bits such as lozenges, French link etc and he hates them
 
I've found over the years that my horse has expensive tastes. The bog standard french links, copper lozenges and even a mullen mouth weren't to her liking. Nor were any rubber covered bits or a happy mouth. She was then tried in a Myler comfort snaffle that she liked well enough and now has a Neue Schule Verbindend. I also invested in a Micklem and that has transformed her way of going. I have used a Myler ported snaffle with hooks and a curb if there was a possibility of really fast really exciting work in a group.
 
General schooling either a neue schule loose ring verbindend or turtle top - use it as he accepts it okay and i get enough control and flexibility from him in it if we are just schooling or hacking sensibly.

Jumping, fast hacking and anything fun I use a hanging cheek waterford. I tried a few stronger bits for jumping but he either ignored them or wouldnt jump through the contact but he is happy in the aforementioned bit. The hanging cheek keeps it steadier in his mouth and the waterford stops him getting too head strong, ignoring me and just doing as he pleases. I have schooled him in it a few times too and he is very accepting of it :)
 
1) For most things - 14mm mouthpiece, loose ring snaffle with a lozenge, with the lozenge set as in this one. Pony is currently happiest in this, combined with a Micklem or drop noseband, from trying various bits over the years.

2) For exciting things (hacking with certain horses/fast group work) he has a three ring gag, again with a lozenge, either with roundings or double reins, a light touch of the double rein is usually enough when he starts to rush. Again, tried various bits, and this is what works for him.
 
My big horse wears a straight Nathe with full cheeks and a Micklem bridle, he has a very sensitive mouth that was injured a while ago by bad handling, so requires something as soft on the bars as possible, a bitless is not an option as he is a headshaker so does not cope with pressure on his face.

The one in for schooling/ sale is in a dressage legal Myler, plain cavesson, he is soft and happy in this.

Of the rest in my yard all are in a simple snaffle for hacking and schooling, most with cavessons, martingales for competing/ xc/ fun rides and one wears a 3 ring gag for faster stuff as he can be a bit rude at times. They are a mix from a sec b first pony to an ex racehorse that is extremely strong, was a runaway when in training he was tried in various different bits but fights everything so is best in a snaffle and a rider that can settle him rather than taking a hold, he is relaxing all the time, does a decent dressage test, sj's and goes xc now without getting so strong and keen.
 
After much experimenting (been through a similar list to 9tails!!), the Neue Schule loose ring team up for my mare. She doesn't have a lot of space in her mouth and this is the one she accepts the most.

Gelding is in a french link full cheek snaffle. He originally needed it to help with turning, but have never changed it since as he seems happy in it.
 
Jumps (currently up to 1m05) in egg butt snaffle, cavesson noseband and running martingale just in case she gets a bit too excited- rarely happens. I don't mind running martingales since I was always taught they should only act when the horse really flings their head up and there's no pressure at all when they don't.

Hacks in a myler snaffle, no martingale or anything, not even a noseband at times. I often take a neck strap though, as she was taught to slow down when I apply pressure with that and it can help me if she ever feels a touch too onward bound.

Flatwork schooling often in a hanging frenchlink snaffle because she doesn't mind it and it's easier than chopping and changing bits. Cavesson noseband.

I use a harbridge training aid for flat schooling, very loose, particularly in situations where I think she might get very tense or excited as she throws her head right up when tense which has led to some excessive muscle development under her neck. The harbridge only acts when she really flings her head up high and gently persuades her to come back to correct working. My instructor was impressed by her improved concentration when it was used and I like the fact that it is quite gentle and there is nothing there for the horse to lean on.
 
We had a Sprenger KK Ultra 16mm, so Aurigan loose ring with a lozenge. He seemed happy enough in it over the years. He'd started out in a french link hanging cheek, had a stint in a pelham due to setting his jaw and walking off, then I put him in the snaffle. Thought it seemed nice and kind. He was in it for 8-9 years.

We also showed in either a pelham with two reins, but he learned how to evade this as he hated the action (tried several mouth pieces) so then we used a double for a couple of shows, before just doing the odd bit in a snaffle as he was happiest in that.

Then I felt like his attention wandered out hacking and we tried a Sprenger WH Ultra - Sensogan this time with the lozenge and a little roller in the lozenge, still loose ring. Honestly I didn't notice a difference, but in hindsight I think the poor attention was discomfort related as he retired due to arthritis a couple of months after changing bit.

ETA - we also had a full cheek copper enriched snaffle with a lozenge - I liked this for longreining as I found loose ring could sometimes pull through the mouth.
 
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A Neue Schule Verbindend (sp?) with loose rings for the majority of things. For hacking and schooling just with a plain cavesson noseband. For jumping I add a flash. I can't really answer why I use this bit - I tried one years ago on the horse and he liked it, he goes well in it. I don't know if he likes the metal, the shape or what, but he's happy in it so that's enough for me.
He goes XC and fun rides in a waterford snaffle. Last couple of times I've used a loose ring with rubber bit guards but I actually prefer him in (and he prefers) a full cheek waterford. Both of those with a flash.

He's a 15hh Connie X with a short neck who can get a bit cheeky when he's doing something super exciting, so I just find the waterford suits him better when I need a bit more control. He's well schooled and responsive, just gets keen and a bit c*cky. I also sometimes add a running martingale but not always.
 
Neue Schule Turtle Top. When I started her I used a french link, but she kept getting her tongue over it. I beg, borrowed and stole a variety of other bits but either the tongue would come over or she was obviously not happy.

Big head, small mouth and a low palate. In the end I spoke to the bit bank and this was what they recommended and she goes well in it. Still green, but very soft mouth so we'll see how we get on.
 
Millie has a 16mm KK ultra for hacking, and schools in a double (14mm KK ultra and NS Pacifier weymouth). Cavesson noseband, always, she's never hinted at opening her mouth in all the years I've had her. She is strong in the snaffle for hacking but I have good enough control, I'm usually doing ride & lead so steering with the legs etc is more important. We went to the double a couple of years ago for schooling as it helped to give a more refined aid and she accepted it well when I got the weymouth right. Drew her tongue back in others but that one is tilted backwards.

I used to jump her in a waterford and kineton.... she is strong, but didn't get on with gags or pelhams.

Kira has a cheapo french link for everything, and a drop noseband. I've offered her all of Millie's expensive bits, but she wants the 10 quid stainless one.
 
Fulmer snaffle on my 4yo ISH, helps with the steering on a baby ;)
On previous 5yo we went through several different bits including a Tom Thumb when he was in a particularly rude phase and thought he could set his neck and bog off when he wanted. A few weeks in that and we were able to change him to a wilkie for jumping and hanging cheek French link for dressage - hanging cheek gave the stability he needed to settle on the flat, wilkie helped to get him to sit when jumping and not get on the forehand which he was inclined to do.
 
Anything without ports, leverage or a single joint. I ride and drive bitless out of choice but sometimes you don't have a choice so I'd go for straight rubber, mullen mouth etc.
 
Big gelding (Ardennes) in a pelham for hacking with both reins on. He has a french link for school work but that might as well not exist when he decides to set his enormous neck and plod off in whatever direction he fancies. Not much schooling because he wasn't really ridden until he was around 10.

I only had to ride twice in the pelham for him to realise he couldn't take the P and now we can plod along on a loose rein and he's pretty well behaved. Tanked me when I turned for home the other day (reins were still on the buckle!), but he hadn't been out for a while so it was cheeky rather than nasty.

tbh - I doubt the pelham would stop him if he really wanted to go, but he's mild mannered and likes an easy life luckily.
 
My cobs in a Revolver lozenge snaffle, he tends to set his neck low and fixed and this helps keep his head up and his steering working.

The ponies in a cheap snaffle which he's not too keen on, but as his only job is walking around the lanes about once a month on a lead rein I'm not buying anything else yet.
 
New Fuzzy is very happy in a loose ring happy tongue bomber with std cavesson noseband, the bit suits her quite fleshy mouth and she goes well in it for hacking and the limited sj I have done so far.

FLF always went in a egg butt french link for everything, with a running martingale only added for drag hunting.

CF the little monster (RIP) went in a french link snaffle if hacking on own, sometimes adding a r/martingale if in company on home patch. However, for sj he required (and went very well in) a t bar waterford which stopped him grabbing the bit and buggering off to jump what he fancied. For xc I used a 3 ring gag with reins on top and bottom ring, with a flash noseband fitted too, this gave me more control, particularly when he decided to race off downhill.
CF lived for his jumping and even when hacking would try to bog off on occasions if he spotted a fallen tree....
 
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What have people got against single jointed snaffles?

Yes I have heard the rumours about nutcracker effect and the potential for the joint to hit the roof of the mouth but that can only happen if the rider pulls back on the reins which of course should not be happening!
 
So I use a single jointed Fulmer - the single joint is because my horses lower jaw is quite narrow, if I use a double joint the joints are parts of actually sit on the bars of his lower jaw - not pleasant

Fulmer because we do a lot of in hand work and this aids steering

Noseband - not required, if my horse opens his mouth it's because I'm using too much pressure and this us my cue to be more gentle
 
Mine came with a french link snaffle so I used that, she chewed and rein snatched the whole time until I switched to my current set up.
I now ride in an s hackamore which she is much happier in. My brakes are pretty much the same.The sidepull I tried she hated and cantered down the road in. She is chilled out as anything in the hackamore.
For more exciting stuff eg fun rides, gallop I hired etc I use an english hackamore. The muzzle vice action gets her attention better than the s when she's excited and tanking off.
For hunting I use a slotted kimblewick, she seems to prefer the plain bar (no jingle chewing) and I have half a chance to get her attention before she overtakes everyone! Lol I tried other bits and they were all no effect whatsoever
 
Neue Schule Verbindend (or Noo Shool Verbinger as it was referred to by someone the other day). She has a very fleshy tongue and she used to spend 3/4 of the session chomping and yawing in the fatter french link she came with. The other 1/4 was spent throwing her head up and down. The Verbindend was the end of a long line of tries and she is quite happy. In fact, it cured the running through.

I don't need anything stronger with her. I do stick her in a mullen mouth pelham when my son rides her but honestly, I could probably ride her everywhere in a headcollar. She stops on deep bum and legs. In fact, maybe I should school her in that, too. I was toying with a hanging cheek straight bar with a port on the advice of the dentist but she doesn't object to the Verbindend so I'm not even going to think of it.
 
I use a myler comfort snaffle for dressage & jumping at home. She hates it less than other bits
For jumping at shows and any cross country a NS Cheltenham gag with rope cheeks. It gives me control & keeps her head up but without a strong mouthpiece
 
So I use a single jointed Fulmer - the single joint is because my horses lower jaw is quite narrow, if I use a double joint the joints are parts of actually sit on the bars of his lower jaw - not pleasant

Fulmer because we do a lot of in hand work and this aids steering

Noseband - not required, if my horse opens his mouth it's because I'm using too much pressure and this us my cue to be more gentle

Our tb is in a single jointed snaffle for the same reason, a double joint of any type ends up with the join on the lower bars of his very narrow jaw.
 
Our tb is in a single jointed snaffle for the same reason, a double joint of any type ends up with the join on the lower bars of his very narrow jaw.
Same for my 4 yr old. Single jointed fulmer.

6yr old is in a Neue Schule Verbindend unless hacking in a group where he is in a Kimblewick

Both in Cavesson nosebands
 
Mine only accepts his Eldonian D ring lozenge snaffle. He seems to find anything else rather distracting and upsetting for some reason!
Fortunately he's a sensible chap and goes nicely in it for everything.
 
Copper roller full cheek snaffle. He was in a bog standard eggbutt snaffle before that and we thought we needed slightly more brakes for exciting stuff, so bought a Universal. It was too big, so we swopped it with his stable mate's bit and they're both going very nicely in them. Result!
 
My welsh cob mare came with a gag which she didn't seem particularly happy with. I tried her with a variety of snaffles but she was really strong - I could hold her but was using much more rein than I felt comfortable with.

Eventually tried a Kimblewick which is perfect. It means I can be very light with the reins and only bring the curb in to action when it's needed.
 
Cob is in a neue shule loose ring french link snaffle (the team up on their web page). Prior to this I was told they couldn't find a bit he would work in that wasn't a rubber mullen mouth. But he's nicely relaxed and responsive now!

Fell just has a basic french link snaffle too! But is less picky about metals.
 
For dressage schooling, hacking, fun rides, trec and a little jumping (not allowed to do much yet), ie for everything, I have forsaken my loose ring lozenge snaffle for a rope sidepull (bitless) with gel pad under the nose. I don't mind bits but my horse is going so much better since I started bitless that I haven't bothered switching back, he's turning me into a hippie! But we do do proper dressage schooling, promise!
 
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