Bits

[jaynedge]

What bits do you all use on your horses. I started off using a Myler low port snaffle on Magic, but find he is starting to ignore it now. I don't want to use anything to high powered on him.

I tried a hanging cheek french link on him last night and he wasn't happy with it.............lots of head tossing and jiggling!!! Mind you I felt it was a little large on him (5.5") so that may have had something to do with it. He also threw in a few bucks and wouldn't come back to trot from canter when asked! So he did several hundred circuts of the arena before we managed to regain some control!!

He has suddenly become very on his toes which he wasn't before and I'm wondering if this is the real him coming out now. I've owned him now for 8 weeks and am a little concerned that I may just have over horsed myself!!!

[Mindy]

I use a Cottage Craft full cheek eliptical link, £14.99, the best bit I've used. Kind, as no nutcracker action, encourages saliva and he never once tries to avoid it, always happy to work into the hand. Cheap as chips too!

[misstickle]

when I ride Tickle which hasn't been very often, I used a full cheek french link snaffle.............or a rope bosal so no bit.

[jaynedge]

Hmm......right something to think about then! I've had a look at the full cheek eliptical link and it looks great. I thought though that you only used that sort of bit with youngsters, when you are teaching them about bending and turning...........having said that it wouldn't do Magic any harm to learn a bit more about that!

[liberationsquare]

Piggy has been in an auregan for about a year now and i love it, really easy to use, works into the hand, no nut cracker action, warm in the mouth so the horse doesnt go arrrrgh! and also produces saliva. I love this bit!
I have used a myler comfort snaffle for my old man and swear by that aswell!

[Alliecat]

I tried all sorts of strengths of bit with Allie & belatedly discovered that the width of the bit was a HUGE deal. For a 16.2 horse, he had a very small gap between his upper & lower jaws, so narrow bit (that I always thought of as severe) was much more comfortable for him. Finally found one he liked best was a loose ring copper bit, with a peanut link & he wore that till he died.

Of current lot, Dennis is in a fixed ring French link, coz he is still learning to accept contact & doesn't like my collection of loose rings. Flynn (who's 14 now) is always in the Fulmer version of a French link, coz he's a big lad & the wee bit extra pressure on the sides makes him sharper in turns.

[bailey]

Both my boys have snaffles, Bailey a loose ring and Bug a fixed ring.

I remember trying to find the right bit for my friends horse who was rather head strong, it took a while but we tryed lots of different ones and he let us no which he was comfortable in and which he wasn't - see if you can borrow some different bits off people and just test them out I'm sure he'll let you know when you've found the right one.

[jaynedge]

Thats a good idea Bailey I will do that. Thanks to you all for responding.

Jayne
x

[lisah]

Hi Jayne

I will bring down a few bits with me on the 6th. Denise introduced me to this lovely bit for Denzel and he seems to be liking it more and more - he is happy to take a very mild contact now and I can still pull him up /hold him if going fast up the fields and tracks. I also have a lovely bit with a 'peanut' in it for Brian, and the bars are copper and it is the only one he has ever liked, seeing as he is on holiday until the Sprin you can borrow it if Magic likes it too.

As for Magic putting in a few bucks and stuff - maybe he is just letting you know how well he is feeling :-) We'll find out next weekend won't we LOL

See you on the 6th

Lisa xxxxx

[cadmus]

Lester is in a loose ring snaffle but Im looking for a bit more support as he is getting fit fast and fffff-in strong!

[valerief]

:(Todd uses a loose ringed snaffle when I'm schooling him or out on hacks.When were doing faster work like x-country or showjumping I tend to use a dutch gag on the second ring.I have a lot more control and he doesn't argue so much with it.Then again he's just as happy in the double bridle.
But it would be worth a try borrowing as many different bits as you can,thats what I did with Todd when I first got him.I tried all sorts on him,but like you I didn't want anything too severe.

[ldf]

I use a hanging snaffle on ML, its a straight bar happy mouth, she is very happy in it- but it did take some messing on to get it positioned correctly,

[denise]

I swear by the JP Bits by Korsteel, especially the Loose Ring Snaffle, my guys all go really well in them....even Gabbi. (It's the only snaffle she would be hay in) It has a shaped mouthpiece eliminating the "nutcracker" action. Good thing as well is that they are pretty inexpensive £10ish, well worth a try, If it doesn't work, i'll buy it off you
Good luck xx

ps...Let Lisa know what size you need and I'll get her to bring one along, see how you get on with it, I have a few?

[bingbong]

i use a myler level 2 snaffle with the slot thingys
i love mylers

i actually would maybe recomenend the combination one - it may look strong but its not really they recomend you use it on newly broken horses as it has the same kinda action as asking them to stand using a headcoller and they have big stops on them so you cant possably pull the mouth off the horse - doesnt put all the presure on the mouth it puts some on the poll and nose and groove as well
but a bit is only as strong as the riders hands though i guess

[jaynedge]

I was using a Myler comfort low port snaffle on Magic and he was going well in that, then sadly it got badly scorched in the fire, so was un-useable. However a friend lent me a comfort snaffle with hooks and he doesn't go so well in that at all. I suspect he needs the low port for tongue relief, so am on the lookout for another one!

Size wise in the Myler 5" is great, but I suspect in other bits he would be 5.25" as the 5" bits I have seem a bit neat, but the 5.5" one I have too big!!