Young Horse bit problem

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horsebenny

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I'm having a bit of a crisis of conscience at the moment - my new young horse (turned 6 last week but has done very little apart from being broken and turned away then backed and turned away) only seems to be comfortable in her mouth with either a sweet iron Tom Thumb or a vulcanite Pelham. I am have tried various other bits such as loose ring snaffles, French link snaffles etc and with all of them she is distinctly uncomfortable, tries to run through them and constantly throws her head around. In either of the two bits she is comfortable with she works quietly and seems far more settled. The crisis of conscience is because I can't help thinking she is very young/unschooled to be using either the Tom Thumb or the Pelham has anyone else had anything similar with a young horse - I am wondering if it's jointed bits she just doesn't like....

Thanks for your help!
 
If you take off the curb chain and just use a rein on the bit ring the pelham works the same as a hanging cheek snaffle.

Try this and then get a mullen, nathe or happy mouth snaffle if it works. Some horse go better in unjointed bits.
 
horsebenny said:
I'm having a bit of a crisis of conscience at the moment - my new young horse (turned 6 last week but has done very little apart from being broken and turned away then backed and turned away) only seems to be comfortable in her mouth with either a sweet iron Tom Thumb or a vulcanite Pelham. I am have tried various other bits such as loose ring snaffles, French link snaffles etc and with all of them she is distinctly uncomfortable, tries to run through them and constantly throws her head around. In either of the two bits she is comfortable with she works quietly and seems far more settled. The crisis of conscience is because I can't help thinking she is very young/unschooled to be using either the Tom Thumb or the Pelham has anyone else had anything similar with a young horse - I am wondering if it's jointed bits she just doesn't like....

Thanks for your help!
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I'm assuming she has been seen by the dentist recently? If she has then Personally... I would use whatever she is comfortable in. If she seems happier in these, then ride her in them. Just remember your hands are at the other end of the reins and bits are only harsh in the wrong hands. I'd rather be using one of the above bits sensitively and have my horse calm, than another more socially accepted bit and my horse hating it... This would be far worse. If you need to, have a lesson ride her in both of the better bits, and have some pointers from a trainer on which one to go for especially if you're a little bit wary of them, it will give you more confidence in your ability to ride her in them.
 
Agree with other posters - use what she is comfortable in and what works. Do you have an instructor you could ask advice from?

I can empathise with you as have bitting issues with my 6 yr old - he is a little more advanced in schooling than yours, but was been hunted in a cheltenham gag all last season, which has made him hugely over bent and on the forehand.

I have just invested in an NS Elevator that does seem to be lightening him, but the long term goal is to do some dressage, so need to get him back in a snaffle eventually.

Good luck!
 
Definatly try a mullen mouth snaffle, my horse cannot stand jointed bits either but goes beautifully in an aurigan loose ring mullen mouth.
 
Thanks everyone, some really good advice from you all. I'll try the Pelham without the curb and one rein and see how we go until I can get a mullen mouth...cheers!
 
I was riding my 4 yr old in a ported kimblewick with an elastic curb on loosely just to stop the hooks flapping about. I have tried so many other bits and this is the preferred mouth piece for her. I then bought a Cambridge snaffle and my next purchase is going to be a hanging cheek informed designs Mullen mouth as that has a big curve on it but still dressage legal so I hope she will like it.

So just because you are riding in a Pelham now doesn't mean you won't find anything better.
 
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