Bits by preference

[brigadier]

Saw a post by Mae asking for a kimblewick and it got me thinking about bits-

It would be useful to have a discussion about preferred bits as there are so many types on the market now and its a bit confusing when trying to choose. I am not making any judgement on the kimblewick in starting this message -it just generated my brain a bit.

My preferred bits are:
Schooling/breaking- loose ring french snaffle with drop noseband

Riding strong horses- loose ring french snaffle with drop noseband (slightly narrower mouth piece)/

Steering problems- A fulmer but have been looking for one with a french link without success so if anyone has got one or knows where I can get one!

Least preferred bits: Anything that is indistinct in action or uses pressure on the roof of the mouth (some snaffles do this)

Most pelhams as they encourage a horse onto the forehand in the long run.

Dutch gags as a fashion item!!!!

I dont like to see ponies with small children in Kimblewicks (they were designed for this purpose amazingly enough) as they always end up with upside down necks and rubber lips (the ponies not the children)

Anyone got any experience of the new dressage legal myler bits- would be interested.

brig

[Blonde Donkey]

i have a sweet iron french link loose ring snaffle - try saying that 10 times fast when you've had a few! - and a cavesson noseband on savvy as she is prettty good and does stop and steer quite well.
bracken has a dutch gag as she can't be worked in a snaffle wthout leaning on it and upsetting herself so she has it on the first ring down
the two we are breaking have sweet iron loose ring eggbutts

[salexis]

On Moomin I use a Sprenger KK ULTRA DYNAMIC RS eggbutt snaffle. It says it has been designed for small mouths (which Moomin has) and is a very mild bit as it has a central lozenge reducing the nutcracker action.. Because it is made from aurigan it makes her salivate loads.

I don't know whether all the Sprenger say about it is true (and it certainly wasan't cheap!!) but all I know is that Moo seems happy in it and that is good enough for me.

(Also I admit I love the fact it is gold and shiny! Magpie at heart I am).

bumft on this bit below....

www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=317&products_id=1292

[kateflashy]

pika's riden in a straight bar nylon snaffle
river has a copper roller
harvey has a sweet iron wonder bit
ali has a dutch gag
fred and star just eggbutts
candi has a fulmer
flash has a swales
they were all decided after many hours of trial and error

[duckles]

Yes, I used a myler for a while. It was advised as I was having a lot of problems with my horse grabbing the bit on right side and turning head to left. The myler did make a difference initially but once he got used to it, he could grab it in a similiar way to ordinary snaffle. I now use a french link (sprenger- its borrowed). I realised his problem nothing to do with bit so whether it would help/change anything in a non problem horse i don't know. Still have it and can send it to you to try out if you want.

Ps. Do you think drop noseband worth trying out??? Don't have problems with noseband but would it be worth a try?

[brigadier]

HI Duckles,
I would deffo think a horse should at least be tried in a drop if there is a problem somewhere as it could be pressure on the molars from the cavesson (assuming thats what youve got) so there is no harm in trying. My horse is a lot sweeter in one- much more even and light in the mouth.
Thanks for the offer of the bit(have a karma)- Im happy with what Ive got so dont need to change- I was just interested in peoples experiences of these 'wonder' bits! I like the look of the one salexis is using- very bling- if ever I was going to get a bling bit that would be it!!!!!
brig

[haffyfan]

Not a fan of bits...would recommend reading Dr Cookes Metal in Mouth says it all....If I was to use one though these days I would go for a waterford or cherry Roller as I have found in myexperience that horses like the moveability of the mouthpieces, despite their being severe in wrong hands tag.

Give me a bitless anyday...incidently both of mine after trying various types go best in a blairs pattern hackamore, again often considered to be severe in wrong hands compared to some bitless bridles but the horses have spoken on this one!

[zoon]

Brig - I had a 5.5" french link fulmer and sold it to Spotti. Thjink she's gone bitless now so may be worth asking her if she needs it anymore

[trojanwarrior]

I use the Myler hanging cheek comfort snaffle with Warrior for just about everything except showing, when he wears a pelham. I've also got one of their combination bits for fast work as he can be very strong, but I've found that using my body weight correctly with the snaffle work better!

[zara]

I too have a myler hanging cheek - dressage legal - comfort snaffle and both me and AJ are very happy with it. When I got him he had a single jointed hanging cheek snaffle, i know from previous experience that many arabs do not tolerate single jointed bits. i put him in a mullen mouth pelham for a while but he became too overbent and then started to resist with lots of head shaking. Since getting my Myler he is so much better, no resistance and with the independent side action I can stop his little "I'm leaping to the right and bucking" scenario! I would recommend a Myler any time Zx

[racaille]

I used to have Paco in an ordinary jointed snaffle but found that when I changed it to an eggbutt French link (they aren't called that here LOL) it changed everything. He goes much better in it. Have started Racaille in one too, and his little mouth seems happy.
Paco's been ridden in a hackamore (not sure what type) by someone else and went well but I'm a bit scared of it being too severe in my inexperienced hands. I've always assumed that since he opens his mouth for the bit straight away (as well as putting his head into the bridle , bless) that he doesn't hate it. This, of course, may be faulty logic!

[fimacg]

Chompy has a happy mouth loose fing snaffle with a roller in the middle

Figaro was ridden in a happy mouth pelham most of the time, a happy mouth straight bar hanging cheek snaffle for dressage only and a dutch gag for jumping, he was incredibly forward going but also incredibly strong being a clydesdale X and I had to use a strong bit to maintain a semblance of control.

I was at the RC area dressage on Saturday and saw a horse being ridden in a pelham with a flash noseband and martingale.

1) really not dressage legal
2) over gadgeting or what?

[brigadier]

Good grief- why was the horse allowed to compete- riding clubs have a responsibility to promote correct equipment and how can a test be marked with all that gear on the horse, thats really poor!

[maximum]

loose ring snaffle with copper lozenge and drop - which has been great he is so soft and light in it.

brig I sold a french link with fulmer sides a few months ago so they are out there

[brigadier]

Thanks maxie- I only want it for lungeing so it isnt that desperate and Ive run out of money!!!!! so its on my to buy at some point list!
brig

[Maes Seren]

Eddie has mylers, which he and Bertha like but theyre too big for Gem.

Dutch gags - we use one on Bertha for hacking as theres more control during a panic attack

Pelham - only ever ridden Eddie in one, his myler, which he loves

Myler MB02 - As i said above, Eddie and Bertha love it

Neue Schule Hanging Cheek - Nice bit, but Gems figured out how to ride thru it

Loose ring waterford - a god send after a ride in the NS!

Normal FL hanging cheek - not fond of it really, Gem hated it.

Thin happy mouths - Gem loves

[haffyfan]

As a bit of a bitless devotee these days, i just came across this bit which seemed rather interesting www.peeweebit.com/

I quite liked the sound of it although it looks a bit unusual in a kinda harsh way? Any one else got any opinions? (Don't think I'll be going back to bitted anytime soon btw)

[brigadier]

Hi Haffy-
Im not getting this bit at all, I understand how it is supposed to work or act on the lower jaw but I cant make out if the two rings to which the curb strap are fixed are also fixed to the rein rings or loose, if fixed then it is a pelham in disguise so a rider would be riding the horse on the curb which would give tremendous poll flexibility at first then loads of evasions.
If loose then its a mulham mouth snaffle with a curb strap-similar to the type used by racehorse trainers. I think in the blurb it said it was sweet iron which is perhaps the best thing about it but I may have misread that bit because I was too busy trying to work it out.

Not for my tack kit I think!
brig

[haffyfan]

Yeah Brig, the blurb sounds great but i couldn't work out the using it bit and what went where either!

[spotti]

I've been avoiding this post for a while because, being bitless, I didn't think there was much point in posting. But since Haffy has said about bitless, I thought I'd join in too!

Dr Cooks Bitless Bridle - amazing, Really easy to use. No pain caused AT ALL. Good steering, great brakes (only trotted in it, but was very easy to stop, even when she decided to run away from the wind!) and generally loved by both myself and Faith (she used to make it sooooo difficult to tack up by raising/lowering her head and clamping her jaw shut so the bridle was really hard to put on. Now, she actively puts her head in the bridle, even when I'm not ready for her, and is so much happier with it).

We did have a plain boring eggbutt snaffle before, which we didn't get on with. Tried a full cheek frenchlink, but didn't like that either. Has to be said that bitless has been the best thing we've done so far, and I have no intention of going bitted again any time soon (nice to hear what others think/find useful)

[brigadier]

Hi Spotti
Ive never gone bitless but would if necessary, I think its about making sure your horse is comfortable and looking forward to working for you without the fear of pain or discomfort. Yours clearly is much happier.
I really like to feel the horse mouthing the bit and relaxing its jaw, its like a fantastic method of communication for me but I have to have a horse that is comfortable with a very light contact, if I ws riding something that was fixed in its jaw or needed too much weight in the rein and all the usual exercises didnt work to get it lighter then I wouldnt hesitate to try one.
Again its about what works
brig

[flash7]

My horse has a single jointed hanging cheek snaffle but the only problem is that he can lean on it but I think the single joint is what he objects to. Any ideas what to try? I looked at the myler one is it just in stainless steel? I looked at the nu schule [spelling] hanging cheek snaffle but was wondering has anyone tried them? Thanks ;D

[zara]

Hi Flash, I would really recommend the Myler, AJ goes so much better in it than anything else I've tried. The one I have is stainless but has copper inlays in it, it is a comfort snaffle with a hanging cheek. I bought it 2nd hand off E-bay, my best E-bay buy ever Zx

[flash7]

Thanks Zara. I'll look out for that one.

*rushes off to google myler*

[fff]

I have Mils in a waterford baucher which has worked well as she has a nice habit of taking hold and leaning. I do school her in a french link snaffle when in the school (she listens in the school lol) Tx