Which bit for a fussy mouth?

S

sparky1981

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 October 2010
Messages
383
Visit site
I'm really struggling with which bit for my connie gelding particularly on the flat.
He's very fussy with his bit. More so when he's excited or anxious but also when schooling. He's much better when focused jumping or hacking. I've had everything checked and I think it is just him. I've currently got him in a sprenger kk ultra loosering. He plays with his bits and chomps on it. I've been suggested a sprenger duo/nathe and possibly to try a drop noseband. He's currently in just a simpld cavesson. Any suggestions?
 
Not a drop noseband, not more gadgetry, just try to give him lots of flatwork, keep him happy in his work, and plenty of it, lots of hacking, it sounds like he wants to do a bit more than he is getting now, perhaps you should have a rolling six week plan, so you are not just doing the same thing with him
I suggest 101 Exercises for Jumping [best book ever] , 25 of these are flatwork, I think I got up to about number 45, and by then he was pretty good. There are others in the series.
Do you look to see if his gums are sore, and do you have the teeth rasped by an expert [ie not a young lady vet with a rasp and no idea]. An expert should explain what he is doing and if horse has any notable conformation/problems.
I like a soft metal lozenge bit myself. Sweet iron may help too, does he salivate when ridden in an outline, that is a good thing, of course.
 
Last edited:
I rang the bit shop who were v helpful and advised a myler hanging cheek low port for my Ish. They said horses that have big tongues and small mouths do well with them. Give them a call I'm sure they would advise.
 
Thanks for your reply I have had the best dentist in our area out 2 weeks ago. Nothing glaringly obvious apart from slightly sharp. Perfect mouth formation apparently. He is easily bored which is why I think he does it more on the flat and not while jumping
 
sparky1981 said:
Thanks for your reply I have had the best dentist in our area out 2 weeks ago. Nothing glaringly obvious apart from slightly sharp. Perfect mouth formation apparently. He is easily bored which is why I think he does it more on the flat and not while jumping
Click to expand...
Its not that nervous jig jig in the air business, as though he had been turned out in a field with a bridle and the bit caught in the mouth is it? [This is a nervous reaction]
 
My previous mare was v fussy in her mouth I tried lots of bits and ended up with a sprenger loose ring kk WH ultra. It's like all ultra but has a revolving wheel around the lozenge. It's BD legal too. It stopped the tongue waving and constant chomping
 
I have recently switched my Connie mare into a loose ring jointed Nathe bit. Best thing I've ever done! She spent 6 months in a full cheek jointed bit as was very green on the flat. She's now graduated to the nathe. Has a much better (steadier in the rein) head carriage & better frame (more 'up' in front). So definitely a positive for her!
I' m in the lucky position of owning a lot of bits - so have plenty to try. I used to travel a lot to Germany, so have a number of nathe, sprenger duo & kk bits.
I did pop the kk on her to just try that - she seemed 'positively disgusted' about having a metal bit back in!!! Lol! So I'll avoid that at the moment.
She schools, hacks & sj with the nathe snaffle. I also have a sprenger duo 'vienna' (2 ring gag), so I will try this if I need extra brakes for xc (not tried yet, as only had her 6 months).
I hope that helps, but I guess they're all different!
Nicky
 
debsflo said:
I rang the bit shop who were v helpful and advised a myler hanging cheek low port for my Ish. They said horses that have big tongues and small mouths do well with them. Give them a call I'm sure they would advise.
Click to expand...

I had this Myler for my large tongue, small mouth mare and she did like it better than a standard bit but last year I changed again under the recommendation of the Bit Shop to a Bomber tongue relief and she's much happier in that.
 
Have you tried going back to complete basics and tried some different types on him, e.g. straight bar, french link (lozenge is more comfortable), nylon, etc? Ported kimblewicks can be surprisingly useful though they're out of fashiom atm.
 
My ISH could be quite fussy in her contact, I found she much preferred the stability of an eggbutt snaffle as opposed to the a loose ring. She also way preferred the drop noseband to a cavasson and detested a flash, lol. She is currently going rather sweetly in a sweet iron scrob snaffle which surprised me, would never have thought to try if a friend had not lent me one to try. She is perfectly still and happy in the contact.
 
Does he need one? (I.e. Do you compete him in dressage/eventing/showing?) I only ask as I never quite found a bit he felt really good in, so I took it out of the equation. He is lovely in a bitless sidepull and so I haven't bothered trying the bit again. Obviously if I want to ride a dressage test I will need to use one again but he is very happy without it. I still school him properly, there is no difference to how I ride with it. Not a popular idea with everyone but just a thought.
 
Mullen mouth hanging cheek - it stays very still in his mouth so there's little for them to fuss about. It's the only one my very fussy boy would settle in for dressage (he's also happy in a Waterford as I think he likes the flexibility). I had to buy a Myler one as he has a huge mouth and it was the only 6 1/4" one I could find. You can get much cheaper ones but actually I think the narrow mouthpiece and the pronounced curve really helps as he has a huge tongue.

ETA - I'd also try a Micklem Bridle if you can borrow oone from a friend. It was revelation for my boy. I dismissed them as a gimic for ages before trying one and now feel guilty I didn't try one years ago!
 
Last edited:
My connie sounds quite similar to yours and he's ended up in a Myler too. We went for the low port eggbutt with slots, which isn't dressage legal but doesn't matter for me as I don't do dressage. I think you could get something similar that is legal though.

I gather connies have got fat tongues and lips so not much room for the bit. I think the Mylers suit because they are thin in the mouthpiece and the shape of them removes the pressure from the tongue. I tried my lad in quite a few different bits before we went for this one and he was never very happy. I didn't really fancy the idea of a Myler for some reason but he was happy in it straight away so that's what I've stuck with.
 
First flame do you have a picture of the bit?i tried the nathe he hated it!instructor said he needs a link and not straightbar. Some people have suggested a myler but no idea which one!may try not a loose ring to see if any better
 
My mare used to chomp on the bit but changed her to a Hilary Vernon loose ring Mullen which is a curved shape. Also found that she had ulcers. She now doesn't chomp on her bit😊
 
My young connie was a pain for biting all of his bits, so I had to tug them out of his teeth when riding him. I changed to a myler comfort snaffle and he doesn't do it any more. It seems to sit very low, but he is much happier. My other horse (Connie x) was fussy had all the expensive bits in, he leaned and rubbed with them all. I put a thin , cheap lozenge snaffle with no fancy shape in, he loved it ! He would get his tongue over a myler too easily. You will have to play around and see ! Mine so seem to all accept a thin lozenge bit fairly well.
 
Hi, we have been struggling with exactly this as well! And I see a few other connemaras mentioned! Our connie is very fussy in his mouth but did have dental work & ulcers back in September so is being rechecked again. I don't agree with using a flash on him as clearly he is trying to tell as something as when he is lunged in a bit he doesn't fuss at all! We had him in an simple eggbutt lozenge but isn't settled in it so have switched to one I had bought for old pony but never really used, its a Myler full cheek low port with hooks. With the Mylers they have independent sides so give much clearer signal as does the full cheek & the low port we are hoping he prefers as it gives tongue relief. As with any bit it takes a good few rides for them to adjust to the change but also with the Myler they have to realise the pressure/release system of the bit. Its worth reading up about it all first as they are quite expensive but more secondhand ones around now, our bit isn't dressage legal so if after a few more rides we feel he is happier in it going to purchase secondhand hanging cheek. After 2 rides he definitely seemed more settled in it. When trawling through the internet for comparison issues I came across a Carl Hester article which said he gives his horses a sugar cube prior to schooling to encourage acceptance/mouthing/saliva etc. not sure if its every horse, every time, but we are going to try this as well. Our next hurdle is what bit to use when doing cross country etc as he is very keen & strong, but hoping once he is more balanced & schooled he will naturally slow down!!
 
annagain said:
ETA - I'd also try a Micklem Bridle if you can borrow oone from a friend. It was revelation for my boy. I dismissed them as a gimic for ages before trying one and now feel guilty I didn't try one years ago!
Click to expand...

Hiya, sorry to sidetrack the thread slightly, but I was wondering did you get a large horse Micklem for your boy? I bought one but it was too small for my big lad, ended up using it for my older boy & he's usually cob size for everything - I'm gutted it's to snug for one I bought it for :-(

I've seen Micklem copies for sale in extra full & wondered if you knew if they were worth a shot?
 
_Annie_ said:
Hiya, sorry to sidetrack the thread slightly, but I was wondering did you get a large horse Micklem for your boy? I bought one but it was too small for my big lad, ended up using it for my older boy & he's usually cob size for everything - I'm gutted it's to snug for one I bought it for :-(

I've seen Micklem copies for sale in extra full & wondered if you knew if they were worth a shot?
Click to expand...

Yes I bought a large horse for mine. He's 16.3 and has a huge head (think full size headcollar on largest holes all round) and it is fine on him. It's on the bottom holes all round, but it does fit him.
 
Thankyou so much for replies. Will look into a myler. The sheer amount of different ones confuses me!we dont compete at dressage so could look at many different options
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top