which is the mildest bit?

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hannah87

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hi guys, i usually ride my horse in an eggbutt snaffle, but have borrowed some bits to try him in to see how he goes as always been ridden in the snaffle - just wondering which are the strongest altho they are all quite mild, and what the response from the horse should / could be
french link
french link with a copper link
straight bar happy mouth
have also been lent a gadget to try - i have forgotten the name so will describe it - a martingale with leather loop things that go through the bit - it apparently only comes into play wen they hollow and prevents them from doing it? ive never seen one b4 and not really sure about using its without some opinions first, thanks
 
no its def not a cheltnam gag , the part which loops thru the bit isnt attached to the reins, but to itself on its martinagale part - ive never seen one b4 and cant remember wat she sed it was called, was hoping sum1 wud know!!
 
The gadget sounds like a market harborough to me. It is a kind of martingale where the pieces of leather from the centre of the neckstrap go through the bit rings and clip onto the reins in a variety of positions. If the horse raises his head too high he pulls against himself. I have used one in the past on my old horse who used to pull with her head quite high.
 
yes thats the name of it!thanu haniki its been bugging me aaaaallll day! she gave it to me 2 try to stop my boy hollowing - wud it work for this do u think?
 
no offence but if you dont know what it is you dont need it ! Please do not use it, whatevr it is !!

Why are you wanting to change bits, what is the horse doing at the moment to make you want to change ??
 
Mild is a bad term to use in bitting - it depends on the shape of your horses mouth, and thickness of tongue. Added to that the severity of the bit depends upon the hands - which is why English people are shocked by western bits, yet they are always used with light contact.

Your single joint eggbutt is probably not ideal, as they are prone to the nutcracker action and pinching the tongue. If there is little space they also jab the horse in the roof of the mouth.

The straight bar happy mouth would technically be the mildest bit, as it only acts on the bars. However if your horse has a fat tongue, a straight bar can press on the tongue and make swallowing slightly harder for the horse.

My preference would always be to start in a nathe, which is cut away and more bendy than a happy mouth, so doesn't have above problems. Next bit I would then try would be a lozenge loose ring snaffle - because french links flop about and can pinch, whereas the lozenge is a superior double joint.
 
i know , the instructer was giving me the bits 2 try and just picked up the market harborough by accident and said i mite as well have it to try as well. was having a go with different bits as have only ever ridden him in the eggbutt snaffle and was keen to have a play with new bits just to see if he went better or was happier in a different kind - plus have heard its a good idea to chnage their bit regularly?i tried him in the copper one today and he went well
 
i personally would leave his but alone if he is happy with it. I have the roblem where I need to chage bit regularly, it is expensive and a pain in the ar*se !!!!
 
Coo my instructor laid a french link across my arm and pulled gently. It really hurt and left a mark where it had nipped for hours. There is no way I will ever put a bit in my horses mouth without testing it this way first again.
 
thats something i wud have never thort 2 do jojobah, going to try that tommoro - like i said tho gentle warrior as i have never ridden him in anything but the eggbutt i have nothing to compare it to so thort it was a good idea to try him in different ones jst to make sure he wasnt much happier in sumthing else, or maybe im being a complete fusspot!!!
 
Yes, a nathe snaffle is a very kind bit (thankies CSJ
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) and is about the mildest thing you could put in your horse's mouth. Ours now seeks the bit and her neck immediately lengthened when ridden in it. Interesting about the lozenge.
 
to understand his true going in a bit, you will need to use it constantly for 2 months, or at least that is with my H

Good Luck, its a new world, I would ask your dentist next time he comes about the confiomation of his mouth and what he suggests, that's what I done, I had been using a thick mouth piece which was totally wrong for my horse. He can also assess where the bit is currently affecting etc !
 
Yeah at the moment star is in a port mouth cambridge, which got her to happily give her lower jaw and relax as it is so still in her mouth. We are just starting to try her in a NS hanging lozenge. Early indications are fair to middling!
 
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