Deciding on the right bit for dressage...suggestions please.

I need a little help in deciding what bit to school in. I recently purchased a 13 yr old Morgan, she has been schooled through 3rd level dressage (we think, could be further but she is underweight and needs some muscle before we really see what she can do)

Anyways, she rides in a double bridle well. My problem is that I am at lower levels in my own schooling, so won't be showing in the double for some time (other than Morgan breed shows.) I need to find the right snaffle for her, but so far the jointed snaffles (loose ring and egg butt) she is quite strong in.

Should I just continue to work with her in these snaffles and see if I can get her softer, or is there an other I should try?

TIA!

I am no dressage expert by any means, but have you tried a double jointed snaffle? My gelding will pull all day in a single snaffle, but relaxes more in a double jointed. Each horse likes different things, that's just what mine likes!

My personal preference is oval mouth (either loose rings or eggbutt), but I only work at Training level.

Your choice needs to be made from the list of dressage legal bits





Not sure how up to date that is, I think that there has been revisions. The trick, as with everything is to try different bits, have you got someone you can borrow from, until you find what she goes sweetly in.

Yes training has a lot to do with it, but by trial and error I found that Ace will go sweetly and softly in a Eggbutt french link, but she will hang on my hands and is really heavy in a loose ring french link. G Man goes nicely in his myler, but Ben hated it and at the moment is on the only bit I have that fits him properly, a single jointed Eggbutt, but I don't like them anymore, so will be playing around to see what suits him best, problem with him is he has a 6" mouth so no one else wears that size.

My morgan mare is also very strong in a snaffle, she does go well in the second one down in the right column on the list in the post above. Its an oval mouth ring snaffle, sometimes called a lozenge mouth, I believe. Morgans can sometimes have low palates which would make a single joint uncomfortable....

My mare loves her eggbut snaffle, single jointed it is a JP korsteel extra curve if I am remembering correctly.

We tried her in a french link snaffle and she hated it, she also wasn't keen on a snaffle with no curve.

JP Korsteel Tom Thumb Snaffle, Riding Bits, Loose Ring Bits, Eggbutt Bits, Weymouth Sets, Horseland

That is not her bit but it shows you the curve (sort of.)

JP Korsteel Eggbutt Bradoon Snaffle, Riding Bits, Loose Ring Bits, Eggbutt Bits, Weymouth Sets, Horseland

I beleive this is her bit.

Wow thanks so much everyone for the suggestions...looks like my next try is an oval mouth loose ring. I wish there was someone at my barn to borrow and try a few from, but everyone there rides in Kimberwickes.

Calico - I was wondering if the problem was a low palate, since her Weymouth is a low port. Would make sense why she's not so great with a single jointed.

Are you at a dressage barn? And they're riding in kimberwickes? O_o

I think your best bet is a lozenge/oval mouth. If you have the time to hunt for one, you can usually find some nice ones on ebay for good prices.

Lol, no Im the only one at my barn who does dressage. Most of the others are teens who go to equitation schooling shows. I love my barn, I do wish I wasnt the only one into dressage.

I just found one on ebay (where I buy most my bits, its the only way I can afford to try out different ones) and hit the buy it now button.

Woot! let us know how it works out for you.