What bit do you xc in?

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Gorgeous George

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Just curious really as obviously every horse is different. My friend rode George on Sat and did some xc schooling in his usual kimblewick bit and although he was very good/well behaved she said he felt uncomfortable in his mouth and he was chucking his head about a fair bit
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So on Sun she did a bit of jumping in the school on him and we put in his dressage bit (myler mullen mouth hanging cheek) and he was as good as gold
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When I got on I was suprised how soft and willing he was!

So next time I go xc schooling I am going to give it a go (I will take my kmblewick with me though just in case!). So I just wondered what bits people do use, and how many go xc with a snaffle?
 
Genie goes XC in a jointed fulmer snaffle, no martingale either. She's a bit odd in that she's more laid back XC! At the hunter trial on Saturday I actually had to kick! (Unhead of with Genie!)
 
My daugher does cross country, showjumping and dressage in the simplest of jointed loose ring snaffles. No, she hasnt got a youngster, she is currently doing BE100 and moving up to JRN/Novice next year on a 7 year old mare.

Aint she lucky!!!!!

My hard mouthed ex riding school cob needs a mullen mouth pelham with double reins, a martingale and the curb chain as tight as it can be without cracking his jaw. Yes, I envy her greatly.
 
My mare only needs a snaffle and tbh could probably ride her in a head collar and leadrope round xc or anywhere really -
My boy who i do loads of xc with is ridden in a tom thumb which gives me extra brakes when i need them - the rest of the time he is in a snaffle though.
 
For XC/jumping I swap into a jointed gag on the second ring, and a running martingale.

For dressage, schooling, hacking I use a standard loose ring snaffle, no martingale.
 
I use a standard snaffle usually. On XC I use a 3 ring (Dutch) snaffle. It can give you the extra hold you need, without changing the shape of the piece in the horses mouth. And it gives you flexibility to change from one ring to the next depending on how strong the horse is on a given day.
 
I school in a KK snaffle but do everything else in a waterford. I have jumped in a snaffle before but it wasn't fun and I'd rather not have to haul at my horse's mouth
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! We're both happy with the waterford.
 
When i first took my boy xc i put a gag in as i was sure he was going to take off... and he did, he just set himself againest it and went flat out (he is an ex racer) however after using his normal snaffle for sj i decided to go xc in it and hey presto he was as good as gold for me, now he hunts and events all three phases in a simple loose ring snaffle.
 
My horse does everything in a snaffle (one of those dressage-legal Myler ones) including XC. Also in a plain cavesson noseband and no martingale. I had a total stranger come up to me at my last BE event and say how refreshing it was to see someone riding with no "gadgets"! lol. I always always try to have the horse in the mildest bit possible and I hate martingales!! I've been riding a friends horse for the past couple of months and took his martingale of for BSJA at the weekend - tonnes better! I just find they fight it more.
 
my older horse jumps in a dr.bristol.

all of my youngsters do all phases in a french link, no martingale, no flash at the lower levels of BE.
they have been taught about the contact from day 1 and i can't see why i would need anything stronger in them.
 
A pelham, chain around me and him to hold us together, glue on my arse and a prayer book tied to his mane so as i go to meet my maker i can do it in style!!
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Hovis likes cross country - with or without me on board!!
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should say the anglo goes in a happy mouth straight bar- we have had her since a baby and I think then you can keep them in snaffles for everything.
 
Used to go XC in a snaffle - stupid idea, no brakes and no steering. Switched to a NS Universal, now have some semblance of brakes and steering.
 
Haha! I also hate martingales, my mare is loads better without one now
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My last horse went XC without a martingale, and regularly in a snaffle, although I did change to a NS universal as I could get him together a bit more in it. I will keep Lucky in a snaffle for as long as possible, although am not adverse to changing the bit if it stops having to haul, as I think it preserves their mouth
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I'm always in a Dutch gag - Snaffle ring for Dressage, 2nd ring for hacking and schooling at home, bottom ring for XC and SJ. I also always have a martingale with T and also always a flash noseband. He'll never bolt, but he needs a good kick up the arse to get going and a lot of power to keep him there.
 
I do everything in a French Link- although sometimes jumping I'd be great full for something a little stronger, but he's an older horse and fairly set in his ways so I wouldn't change!
 
Sorry to take away from the OP, but I am surprised at how many people use a martingale with an elevator type bit... it makes me wonder how many people know what they are using in their horses mouths?! (ooh, and Quick reply, not aimed at you Bramble!
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I use a KK universal and been using it in the school for about the last month aswel as we had steering probs, I want to get a KK loose ring snaffle so it has the same mouth piece
 
i use as plain copper lozenge snaffle for dressage without a martingale, and he stays in that for showjumping and hacking and wears a martingale, and for xc he wears a rubber mullem mouth pelham he gets abit carried away with himself! its a very flexible one though, i havnt found one the same, they all seem really hard but this one is soft and bendy
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Happy mouth eggbut french link snaffle for everything, plain cavesson and no martingale.

I used to wear a standing martingale as he really objected to a running one, but now he's grown up he can hold his head properly, and not upwards!
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I use the myler mullen mouth hanging cheek for dressage as well, but a waterford (he hates jointed bits,even with a lozenge) dutch gag for jumping, with one rein on snaffle ring for sj and two reins(second rein on bottom ring) for xc.

As Archie's STILL lame I took my friends horse to a riding club ODE a few weeks ago and he does all three phases in a nathe. He's an absolute star though and doesn't get his knickers in a twist about anything. I was told to wind him up a bit in one lesson but it's impossible! I think he'd be just as good in a headcollar!

I don't see the point in bitting up just because it's xc, some horses really don't need any more. I wish mine didn't, it was so lovely just changing my clothes between phases and not having to worry about the horse, but my life isn't so bad that I need to kill myself yet!
 
My horse wears a french link eggbut snaffle for dressage and XC. Sometimes I XC in an English Hackamore instead, as he seems to go well in this. I wouldn't be averse to doing XC in a headcollar with him tbh
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I used to do XC on my last horse in a nylon straight bar or a magic bit xP She was good as gold XC usually knowing that the whole point was she was allowed to let off steam between fences!
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My new horse went in a snaffle first time - when he was pretty unfit and very green so happily popped everything from a trot... now he knows the job and seems to think that it can be done so much faster...
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Took him in a pelham last time as it was all I had, but was as gentle as possible on it, will have to try him in something different though as I really don't want something quite so sharp, but don't want to be without control either! :/
 
In the four years I've owned Cheeky, we've gone from a pelham to a copper roller snaffle to a french link full cheek snaffle, and that's where we are atm. I'm very happy with him in it, and I occasionally use a martingale attachment on his breastplate at places where he's always very nappy because it prevents him rearing properly.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry to take away from the OP, but I am surprised at how many people use a martingale with an elevator type bit... it makes me wonder how many people know what they are using in their horses mouths?! (ooh, and Quick reply, not aimed at you Bramble!
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[/ QUOTE ]

I was just going to write the same thing! The action from the bit will be fought by the action of the martingale.

My horse tends to put his head down and tank XC so I use a gag with reins on the snaffle and second ring.
 
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