Bit Question

I currently use the IMUS comfort gait bit. The more I research there are a lot of different bits out there. Just wondering what bit you use and why you like it. Im having some problems with gaiting on a horse that never had that problem before we bought him. Im wanting to try something else as I can't get the previous owner to return my call. This horse is tender mouthed and I don't want something harsh...what do you use and why?

I use a loose ring french link snaffle because it has no nutcracker action like alot of other snaffles and mostly because phoebe my mare loves it lol

Use. A. Snaffle.

there are so many types of snaffles though...

And the imus comfort gait is a form of snaffle

D Ring. O Ring. Something mild. You don't need a shank on an un-finished horse.

If the IMUS works for you, keep it. If not, don't autmatically move to some 6 inch honker. It's how you ruin horses.

You may find, however, that a Jr. Cowhorse (non twisted wire) may help with the gaiting problem. It's good for getting the horse's butt up underneathe himself like you need in a gait. It's shanks are relatively short, with a milder gag action for proper head positioning.

There is also nothing caste in stone that says you have to use a bit either.

I have one TWH that wears a mechanical hackamore and the doll face I lost to a freak pasture accident, loved-loved LOVED his Dr. Cook's bitless.

He was just coming 4 and thought he'd "arrived" the day I put the Dr. Cook's on him.

My TWH that is 13 wore a 6" shank, very low port, bit when I bought him and he still does.

The TWH in my avatar is now 22 and has always worn a very low port bit with 8" shanks because he came with a Rodak motor as a coming three year old.

I suppose I could've forced him into slowing down and using a "kinder" bit on him. I can't slow myself down and I've always used long shanked bits so in our instance the 8" shanks don't begin to get on the cruel list.

When you're only 5'4" riding a horse that comes sliding in at 6:00AM from a night on the town and says "what'll we do next", having 8" shanks to hold him in check is much better than trying to fight his feisty self to slow down.

Anyway, the OP is correct to not start the filly in long shanks and she may, indeed, be happy with some form of bitless bridle.

None of my Walkers have ever had trouble "getting their gait and setting their heads", no matter what they were being ridden in

"I suppose I could've forced him into slowing down and using a "kinder" bit on him. I can't slow myself down and I've always used long shanked bits so in our instance the 8" shanks don't begin to get on the cruel list."

Laziness. That proves it.
Slowing yourself down? What does 'slowing yourself down' have to do with switching bits? Of course, your horse's mouth is probably rock hard now. You probably have no choice now.

"When you're only 5'4" riding a horse that comes sliding in at 6:00AM from a night on the town and says "what'll we do next", having 8" shanks to hold him in check is much better than trying to fight his feisty self to slow down."

This is just... No.
If you have to use 8 inch shanks for your horse to listen to you, there are holes in your training. This ^^ is how you ruin a horse. Instead of working with the horse and establishing respect, you jump in and slam an 8 inch wopper in the poor horse's mouth. My horse used to use 6 inch shanks and I hadn't a clue. Switched to a D ring, and no kidding, he's a doll.

"Anyway, the OP is correct to not start the filly in long shanks and she may, indeed, be happy with some form of bitless bridle."

She didn't say she was using shanks, and no, that's not the proper way to start a horse. You only use shanks as finishers.

"None of my Walkers have ever had trouble "getting their gait and setting their heads", no matter what they were being ridden in"

Then if that's the case, why are using shanks?

I'm not against TWH bits, I'm really not, but when inexperienced people throw them knowingly into the mouths of young and un-worked-with horses, it gets me. Bits aren't supposed to be 'magic workers'. They are supposed to be an aid in comunication to your horse. Throwing an 8 inch honker into the mouth of a horse who dosen't need it is like yelling in Spanish. If you don't understand or care, yelling extra loud isn't going to do anything.

Crow has a straight bar snaffle.

Or his regular halter.
Or a riding cavesson.
Or a muserola with a spanish curb,
Or a hackamore with a sidepull.
Or.. well.. whatever I feel like actually. I've even ridden him with only a string around his nose..

Uhm...
I th...
No, not even going to comment on that.

There are ways to slow down horses without bits. Learn to ride dammit! Or get a calmer horse.
Crow will run his tail off if I put an inexperienced rider on him, or even an experienced that's just used to pull the reins.. he's a VERY hot horse! Really stressed out-nervous wreck-"gonna run for my life if I get a reason or just because it's fun"-horse. Still I can ride him bareback in a halter in walk, gait , canter, gallop and even two beat pace with no problems to stop him whatsoever. His regular bit is a snaffle, he works just as well with a shank. Or bitless. Or whatever. Because he listenms to my seat, respect me and knows that the bit isn't a break, it's a mean of communication. If you need shanks for basic stuff like stopping, you're missing the communication.

There I comented anyway.