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HELP, bit troubles

4K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  QHriderKE 
#1 ·
I've been running my gelding in the martha Josey million dollar bit, but its not enough control. He's very heavy on the hands, and I need a competition bit. The million dollar bit will be fine for practice, but when we haul, we tend to get really excited, and I need a stronger bit. I've tried a nose band twisted snaffle bit, but that didn't do anything. I'm looking for something thats gonna give me more control, but still let him bend nicely. Please suggest bits that will help, thank you!
 
#2 ·
You have a training problem, not a bit problem. You need to get him focused on his job and paying attention to your cues. A horse can run through any bit, so you also need to learn how to control him with the natural aids of weight, seat, legs, and core. The reins/bit are to refine the line of communication and are not the brakes or steering.
 
#3 ·
I am guessing that someone more experienced than me is going to say, your bit is not the problem. Your horse isn't soft in the bridle. If your horse is "heavy" he is hard mouthed and not well trained. Go back to working on his training away from barrels in a gentle bit until you have all the control you need in a plain snaffle. Then work slowly up to control at speed.

Otherwise you are just going to go to harsher and harsher bits and your horse will learn to bull through them all.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Prairie is right. No bit will fix this, and in fact you are probably making the horse more wound up and nervous by using a stronger bit. You have holes in your training somewhere.

You said "when we haul" - are you talking about barrel racing (I think the Martha Josey million dollar bit is a racing bit). You need more arena time in a controlled environment. You mention that you need something that makes the horse bend nicely, but steering the horse's head will never make them bend. Using the bit alone to steer, a horse will drop their shoulder and be stiff through the body. Bend requires the horse to become athletic, stepping underneath themselves, yielding to the pressure of the inside leg, and moving that energy to the outside rein. Getting down to brass tacks, you need to use more LEG, and you need to get your horse supple in the rib cage before you will ever get them supple in the face.

It sounds to me like you need 2-3 solid months of lateral exercises in a simple snaffle bit in the arena before you are ready to haul your horse anywhere. If you're a barrel racer, maybe stop focusing so much on RACING for now, because you don't have control over your horse to think about going fast. It sounds to me like your horse is missing crucial steps in its training to be a barrel horse. My suggestion would be to stop running barrels and do some basic arena work. Barrel horses who only run barrels all the time become "tunnel visioned" - they know the pattern off by heart, so can start to ignore their rider thinking, "I know what I'm doing, I don't need to listen to you any more. Just sit back and enjoy the ride".

So therefore you need to prove him otherwise. Give him something else to do, challenge him. Set up your barrels every ride, but don't run the pattern. Practice small several circles around them (NOT running the pattern, maybe run down the long side until you reach a barrel and do 5 tight turns, then ride away), really kicking his rib-cage over and get him stepping under himself and bending, do some inside and outside bends down the long side of the arena, do some serpentines, lots of transitions, etc etc... Once your horse has started to settle down and relax after a few weeks/months of doing this, then start introducing the pattern again. Then every other day, do something else besides race. Do some other type of work. Force him to think that he doesn't know what's coming, so he has no choice but to always be listening to you.

So many barrel horses become arena sour like this. The answer I've found is to change up their work schedule.
 
#5 ·
For reference, this is the bit the OP is currently using:


I can only think of one bit more severe/stronger/harsher than this one and I am NOT going to even post a pic of if, for fear the OP will ignore all the good advice they're receiving and just slap that bit on their horse.
 
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#6 ·
YIKES.... Is that a combo gag bit...?

OP, having to use a bit that big is a prime indicator that a horse does not know how to give to bit pressure - a basic fundamental of horse training. Many, many barrel racers compete in simple snaffle bits, there is no need to a huge bit for this discipline despite what some might have you believe. I highly advise you put your horse back in a regular snaffle (if you absolutely need a strong snaffle, use a thick slow twist) and start working on the basics. This horse sounds like it needs to learn to give to pressure in all directions and you need to use way more leg than you are. Your horse may be leaning on your hands because you are a heavy handed rider and are not releasing enough.

Lots and lots of tiny circles will be your friend here. When you have control over the ribcage, the rest of the horse becomes soft. Barrel racing is NOT all about being the fastest, ripping around barrels at top speeds and yanking on a horse's mouth. This will never win you any buckles, especially because you are more likely to knock over a barrel if you have no control over the ribcage and thus no control over the hindquarters - a barrel horse needs to be able to rock back on the hocks and lift up the front end in order to gain that propulsion to send them to the next barrel and home.

My trainer always says that the reins control the shoulders, and the legs control everything behind them. You've only got partial control over your horse right now and need to leverage the rest of his body to be successful in this sport.
 
#10 ·
I totally agree that you aren't really having a bit problem. I'd also bet dollars to pesos that a major part of the problem is in the simplest step. Your horse's attention is not on you. When he is hard mouthed, you are competing with him for his focus. You want his focus and he's refusing to give it to you. In other words, you aren't his leader in his mind, or you'd automatically be worthy of his attention and have control of his feet. This is more noticeable away from home when he's hyper aware of all the unfamiliar things.

On the subject of bits, I'd suggest spending some time watching these videos. The ones on the physiology of the horse's head and bit basics and snaffles in particular should help you out.

 
#11 ·
I will also add, that it isn't a bit problem. The bigger problem is you need to definitely use LEG, and get him working his whole body, not just focusing on his mouth. It will make it even worse if you use a 'stronger' bit, trust me. That bit in the picture which is what you are using looks pretty 'strong' to me! So I definitely don't think it has much, if anything to do with the bit. The horse needs to use its whole body, and that starts with you, your legs and more pressure...just not on the mouth. You don't want the horse to just use his mouth.
 
#12 ·
I've been running my gelding in the martha Josey million dollar bit, but its not enough control.
Of course, we are assuming you mean barrel racing when you say "running".

In my opinion, a Martha Josey Million Dollar bit is one of the harsher bits you can use to control your horse. If that bit is working fine on a winning pro rodeo caliber horse, well, that's one thing. (Clearly it worked very well for Martha Josey's career and her horses.) I'm all about using the bit that works and gets the job done. But if your horse is heavy and running through your hands and you need something stronger in order to control your horse (which of course, that is what is happening to you) that's another thing.

I'm looking for something thats gonna give me more control, but still let him bend nicely.
There are nastier things out there than the Million Dollar bit, and they will probably work if you switch your horse to something stronger.

For a while.

Then what will you do when you horse starts running through that bit?

Then you switch to something stronger.

And eventually he runs through that bit. Then what will you do?

Eventually, you will have a ruined barrel horse that cannot be controlled with anything.

Your problem is not a bit as most everyone has already said. Your problem is training.

Your horse needs to be re-trained to listen to you and be softer in the bit. You need to go back to slow work (no more competing) and fix the problem.

I could run barrels on my horse Red in a neck rope if I wanted to. No, might not be our best run, but I've put enough training into him that I would 100% trust I could control him with nothing more than that. I could stop him at any time during our run, because he listens to me.

My younger horse Shotgun is currently in a smooth mouth snaffle bit. And he'll stay in that until he tells me something else would work better. If that ends up being his "finished" bit, so be it.

I use the bit that works the best for the horse and for the job at hand. But your horse still needs to be soft and responsive at all times. It is all about TRAINING.

Train your horse and go back and fix his holes, and you'll find you no longer have a bit problem.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I'm in the same boat with everyone else.

Go back to basics. If that means starting over in a roundpen with a snaffle or rope halter, then so be it. Your horse has 0 respect for the bridle, and clearly doesn't have a whole lot of respect for you either.

Slow down.
Less stuff on your horses face is better.
Watch lots of dressage training videos.
Toss that "million dollar bit". No horse should need that kind of leverage and gag just for PRACTICE.

Sounds to me like you need to step away from the barrels for a month or two, if you want to have a horse with half a brain in a year.

With enough time and patience, you can have a softer, happier horse, and quicker runs.

Honestly, it took me THREE years and many mistakes and screw ups to make a horse that breezes through in a smooth snaffle, runs in a three piece jr cowhorse bit, these things take time, especially if you are doing a lot of learning yourself.
 
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