When do you bit your babies?

Casey76

Casey76

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My "baby" (all 15 hands of him) is 21 months old.

This winter we are just leading out and about, and introducing voice commands on the lead rope etc.

At the moment I have no need to bit him, but I'm starting to wonder when it should be done.

:)
 
Ha! Well I bought him at 7 months on the premise that he would finish at 15.2... however considering he will keep going up until he is 4 or 5 I really dread to think!

I'm only 5' so I really wanted a small horse, not a giant :rolleyes:
 
Where are you leading him? If off your property I'd check insurance as may not be covered in a headcollar.

Can't help on age as my littluns are all getting used to bitless and bits will come (as a backup if anything happens to me) at a later stage.
 
We're not going too far at the moment, just building confidence being away from his mates, so just a few hundred metres on the farm tracks at the moment.

TBH I have no idea what the rules are in France for riding/leading etc. Certainly no one has said anything to me for leading my older horse, and we walked for miles around (and around, and around) the village when I was doing rehab work with him.
 
i bitted missy at 2 and a half and lead her down the road and back off a head collar with the bridle on top. she was very foaly when i got her at 2 so i didnt do much with her... she 4 now and she still looks very foaly :o
 
This is the little monster in question :D

cd9cea0a-7248-4f3a-970a-c86821268b23.jpg
 
I bitted Willow as a yearling in preparation for showing. :)

ets: she has had a light eggbut snaffle in, and seemed to settle very quickly in this. She was shown in a nylon bradoon, but didn't like this quite so much so was quite fiddly with it, and kept managing to flip it over in her mouth, turning the cheek pieces inside out!
 
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I keep getting told to do it in their 2nd year... However, I have so much control in just the headcollar I am wondering why? I could just go down bitless route as I don't see any need to bit her for any shows we are doing...

I guess it depends on your plans and what rules you have to follow.
 
cob&onion said:
I bitted my colt last year as a 2yr old, he didnt like the soft rubber bit, he too kept flipping it over in his mouth!
Click to expand...

I thought I was going mad! Thought I had put the bridle back together inside out and back to front! (after putting the baby bit on)

Took it off, sorted it out and then it was the same after two mins... I then caught her in the act!

Glad it's not just me! :p
 
I have one the same age as OPs and she is 16hh at the moment. I have no actual need to bit her as she walks along beautifully in a headcollar. I will however bit her this year as I feel it's part of her training and as she will be sold, probably as a 3 year old, I want her to be at the same stage as most other youngsters.
 
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