Young horse bit help

Clodagh

Clodagh

Rage, rage, against the dying of the light.
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I recently bought a 'backed' Welsh C from a wild field in Lincolnshire. I didn't see her ridden or even wearing tack, she was very cheap and worth the gamble, IMO.
I've had her for nearly a month now and have been working on basic stuff from the ground, with a headcollar. Last night I put a bridle on for the first time and either she had never worn one (or for a very long time!)or the bit, a fairly fat eggbutt didn't suit her.
I am going to put it on again today and have rummaged through my bit drawer and have found either a skinny, single jointed fulmer or a fat straight rubber snaffle. Which would you recommend?
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She just kept chewing and chewing at the bit and sort of trying to push it out of her mouth with her tongue.
Thank you
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Thank you. I had a d'oh moment this morning and got her teeth done, apparently they were pretty bad so that might not have helped, either.
We never used a mouthing bit when my parents were breaking in (donkey's years ago!), just a rubber snaffle with molasses on, do you think the mouthing bit is a big improvement? They have dangly keys I think?
 
I don't like mouthing bits, I think there's too much for the horse to play with and the potential to teach the horse to get its tongue over the bit.

I think it's better to think about your horses mouth, work out what would suit it the best and go for that.
 
We always use mouthing bits for 4 or 5 weeks prior to them being broken and then they go in a snaffle but we only attach the reins to the headcollar when we first start.
 
You want something that is going to encourage her to mouth her bit, produce saliva. Not everybody uses bit with keys, although this was more old school practice years ago, but sometimes it causes horses to fiddle around a bit too much and turns out to be a bigger deal that what it really is, you don't want too much going on the in mouth.

Its personally preference and of course what you think is best for horse horse. Your dentist should play a part in choosing a suitable bit, because they can advise you, on what type of mouth your horse has got, length and thickness of both lip and tongue, as well the pallet.

The material of the bit will also play a part, a sweet iron for example will give a pleasant taste, a copper bit will warm up to the mouths temperature quicker...so things like this will help a youngster accept a bit, or just simply warming it up before you put it in the mouth.

When getting a horse used to the bit, your not using it as a bit, its just sitting quietly in there, no reins or contact should be used so your not putting any pressure. A French link or a one with a lozenge will lay better on your horses tongue, this will not have nut cracker action and will work differently to one with a lozenge, this is something you will need to think about both while getting the horse used to a bit and when you introduce the reins and start applying aids etc. Also some people like to set the bit is slightly higher than the norm...just a tad, so the horse doesn't figure out how to get its tongue over the bit, which in later days you can drop down a hole.

I have always used a loose ring snaffle, this offers a bit of play, curved mouth piece, so it bends nicely around the corners to avoid rubbing, you wont need anything thick to begin with because your not putting any pressure on the bars of the mouth, so you don't need anything bulky anyway, some preferred to used a straight bar, this reduces the chance of the bit accidently banging on the teeth though, again this is why some people prefer to use this type of bit.
 
Thank you all. The vet did say, like most natives, she has a fat tongue and a small mouth so I may try the fulmer, its loose ring but does have a single joint. Next time I pass a tack shop I will look for something more suitable but hopefully the fulmer will do for a start for lungeing and so on, while I am using a cavesson for the control.
 
I think Fulmers are great "starter" bits for lots of horses. The cheeks can help with positioning and eventually turning, the loose rings provide a bit of mobility. That's kind of what they're "for".
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Rubber bits are almost always too wide for smaller horses, ones with thick tongues etc. I find this causes constant pressure on the bars and, worst case, actually prevents the horse from closing its mouth properly, which has got to cause tension and discomfort eventually. Some people prefer plastic bits for this reason, although you have to watch they don't get chewed up and rough. I had a fantastic thinish vulcanite snaffle which ticked all the boxes but I've never seen another one.

Most horses are fine with a double joint, most are fine with a single one.
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A few have a decided preference and need to be accommodated but you'll have to find that out individually.

I've (100+ horses I've started on my own, at least that many again as an assistant/dummy
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) not generally had trouble with horses putting their tongue over the bit UNLESS there is another problem.

I'm always curious about the claim sweet iron is "tastier". Why? I've licked them (What? I want to know these things.
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) and they taste bitter, vs the steel etc that don't taste at all. I'm not convinced horses salivate more in them because they "prefer" them. That said, there are some wonderfully made sweet iron bits and I certainly don't have anything against them.

I do have something against breaking bits and I haven't used them for decades, nor have I ever had anyone convince me I should. We spend most of our time with older horses trying to get/keep them quiet in the mouth, why encourage young horses differently? Chewing/fussing/playing is not the same as relaxed. But to each their own and if someone is using them successfully in their system, more power to them. Most people who break successfully have accumulated their favourite bits of kit through valuable experience.

So long as the bit is appropriate and fits well, it should work fine. The different schools of training have their preferences but I've seen as many good - and bad - horses produced by each.
 
Natives are renowned for having big tongues and small mouths/low roof to the mouth much like the warmbloods so I would def look for a thinner bit, actually I have found that native types often go very very well in the myler low port comfort snaffle, its nice and mobile so encourages mouthing but the little port helps to keep their tongues comfy
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and they are thinner than your traditional bits.....

http://www.shop4bits.com/item--Eggbutt-Comfort-Snaffle-Low-Port--89-2904.html

You can get lots of different cheeks with them, they're not cheap but I believe there is a Myler bit bank where you can hire them....
 
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