i just dont know

So I bought muss about 6 months ago, give or take and his old owner helped me find a saddle and buy all the gear as I trust them an they have a very good reputation in my town and if you get a horse from them, welll its practicularly that that horse is awesome. They never have or sell bad horses and every horse they sell is top condition and will go very far. I bought a 6 year old 16.2hh tb off of them.
Her sister had a saddle for sale and they bought it over, tried it on him, said it fit and we ended up paying for it fully mounted though I ended up having to buy bran new stirrup leaths and stirrup iron rubbers and well we shouldnt have paid 600 dollars when fully mounted and we ended up having to re-buy stuff.
Then the bridle, we bought a 99 dollar bridle, I love it its great they helped me size it to his head as I didnt know how and yesterday I was told by 3 people at my new aggistment he doesnt need to drop mouth piece on it and so we took it off and all he did was chew the bit all the time I was riding as he's never had the freedom of his mouth for a while im guessing.
Then we bought the martingale. My friends say it doesnt even keep his head down even if he did put it up and so I don't need it so I rode him without it yesterday and suprise suprise nothing happened.
So now this is down the track, he's lost weight, lost muscle, put it back on, changed alot and here I am with an english saddle that doesnt fit his and puts too much pressure on his wither. So i've bought a 600 dollar second hand saddle that I've forked out for and its no good. So i've now bought a stock saddle that seems to fit him soo much better. And I put some photos up on fb of us riding yesterday without the drop nose band and the martingale and the old owners daughter posted on one of the pictures, asking why we'd taken off the martingale and the drop nose. I explained he doesnt put his head up or seem to need them and she said 'oh it would keep his head down'. And I don't think they are happy about me changing all the tack, hell im not even sure whether or not he needs the martingale or the mouth bit on yet, im still trying him without them. But I just want to know, what should I expect him to do without the drop nose piece on? All these tack problems have made me very paranoid about buying horse equipment and maybe its just because he's lost his condition that it doesnt fit but still I don't know. Im trying to decide whether to keep the english and wait until he has more muscle and try it out again or just sell it and put the money towards a brand new english and get them to come fit one to his back so I know for a fact it fits.
This is all giving me a headache :/
Any tips advice?

If he doesn't need all those contraptions on his face, don't put all those contraptions on his face. Just my two cents.

I rode him again today without martingale or mouth piece. Honest words he doesnt need them. He doesnt open his mouth fight the bit ad half the time when im trotting he puts his head down, not up and a nudge brings it back right. As my friend said 'the less equipment on a horse the better'.

Yes. Who cares what the FORMER owners think about your decisions regarding tack, or anything else for that matter?

I agree if you have taken the gear off and he works fine then I wouldn't put it back on. I only use that sort of thing on one of mine who tries to avoid the bit sometimes. Otherwise your just wasting your time and money with extras you don't need.

It's none of their bussiness quite frankly. If they ask just say it makes no difference so your not using them. Or better yet. "he doesn't need them anymore". As for the saddle do you think he's likely to muscle out again?
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I agree, he is your horse now. Not there's. It's very nice of them to offer their guidance - but there is a point where you have to say no. You are not leasing their horse, or borrowing it. You paid for it, therefore he is yours.

As for all the extra tack - if he doesn't need it. Don't put it on. It would probably cause more issues when not because its probably a) just annoying for the horse the fact that its there. B) incorrectly being used - unintentionally.

Well I've noticed Muss enjoys going for rides now more then he used to. He is my horse so they can't make me do anything I find it so frustrating though that the saddle doesnt fit and that it puts pressure on the wither which means even if he doesnt gain muscle it probably never fit right to begin with.

Maybe just keep riding in the stock saddle for now until he muscles up again I have found nothing fits a TB better than a stock saddle, unless you can fork out for a custom fitted swanky saddle!Sounds like you have been putting your hand in your pocket a lot to please other people. If he is going along ok then you know yourself that you don't need xtras , sometimes less is more! Have fun on your horse - stop worrying about what your local experts think !