when do you bit?

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diluteherd

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I'm just starting to teach my baby life lessons of bitting - I just feel so guilty, he's 1 and I don't bit my babies till at least 2 1/2-3 years. But some shows can be fussy about colts and like them bitted and as I would like to get him to a few shows this summer I need to do this.

Just feels like I'm stealing his foalhood :(
 
Underway with my three year old now... Foalie has just turned one and no, I'd not consider it with him...

But... I don't show and have no idea of the requirements for showing colts... I guess if the dentist has checked him over, it can be made fun and rewarding, is part of regular in hand training so he'll behave on the rope rather than 'needing' the bit to control him, I'd go with the dentist's advice... Working on the principle that she is more likely than I am to know any consequences and have bitted show colts on her books... :)

Hopefully you'll get more experienced answers but if you're doing it to comply with regulations rather than to get him into work too early; it doesn't instantly strike me as being quite in the same league as shoving a small child up a chimney... :D
 
I'd only be using a very soft rubber bit, and I definitely not one to be hand handed with them. Im so worried he'll more than likely have headcollar on until the class is about to start then quickly whip his bridle on
 
I showed my two year old gelding last year in a little rubber snaffle BUT the lead rein was on the noseband so technically he was bitted but I didn't need to lead from it. He's nearly three now and wearing a happy mouth fulmer happily. My two year old colt (the older boys full brother) is showing in the same bit/bridle with a three way link to the lead rein. He still gets the nose pressure he's used to from headcollar but I have the bit there if he boils over and goes up. Colts should be bitted as yearlings but done sensibly and with advice from dentist I don't see a drama with it for a few show classes
 
Our showing classes don't make bits obligatory til the horses are 2, so we bit at around 18 months - earlier if we need a little more control in the ring, later (2y/o) if they aren't being shown.
 
My 4 yo mare hasn't been bitted yet and whilst she'll be learning to accept a bit shortly she will be working from a cavesson.
I used to own a welsh x arab colt and I showed him in a bit but with the rein attached to the noseband, IMO its all to easy to rely on the bit for control once its in the mouth and I want my horses to have soft mouths for their future ridden work.
 
I think I knew what I was going to do anyway,I'm cross with myself that the thought to possible bit him - in terms of a bit in his mouth being led off a nose band - even crossed my mind!!

I think I'm just going to check with shows before I arrive, if they say a colt needs to ve bitter then ill take my filly, if they say no its fine then Mr.colt can go.

If they all say colts need to be bitter then he can just chill in the fields for a few years till he is big enough :)
 
I'm currently getting my 2yo shetland used to a little showing bit- he loves it, likes having something to chew on! (couldn't take it off the other day!). A friend of mine bitted her filly at 1 because she needed the control at shows, her instructor said it was fine but have no experience myself.
 
not the done thing, and not what i planned to do (ben was going to be left to about 2 1/2 to be mouthed/bitted but he was a real nibbler as a babe and couldnt focus in walk for looking for something to chew, and telling him off just didnt work. I popped a bit in his mouth at 18 months and he was much calmer and relaxed to lead and content to nibble his bit, it was like a security blanket for him and for a long while if i tried to lead him without it he would start chewing on his leadrope so i didn't worry that i was rushing him, because it wasn't done to mouth, it was done with his interests in mind :)
 
My 2yr section D colt is bitted with a soft rubber snaffle. I incorporate this with his 10 mins of education he gets 3 x per week. Education is a bit of groundwork such as waslking inhand, halting, moving his quarters away from pressure and standing still etc. He's getting better all the time and the biting has been nipped in the bud (excuse the pun) :o
 
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