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Need some bit suggestions

1K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  snootyfox 
#1 ·
Hi :)
So, I'm having some troubles with bitting my new one.
He's undermuscled on the right side of his neck, so to compensate he leans on the left.
Of course, I will be working on this- but I really need to find a bit he is happy in.
So far, I have ridden him in the following.
this :http://www.hooks.se/Assets/ProductImages/Large/500336/500336_01.jpg
this: http://www.overafarmstud.co.uk/contents/media/9008small.jpg
and a fairly thick single jointed snaffle (My instructors reccomendation- it was awful).

The neue schule, the second bit was okay, but I didn't get that "A-ha!" feeling. The first bit was a little worse, and the third was awful.

The horse is a 6 year old warmblood gelding- pretty big boy.

Any advice would be awesome. Thank you.
 
#2 ·
I would question if it is really a bit issue and not a few other things. Have you have his teeth looked at by a dentist? Does he have chiropractic issues which cause him to be holding a strange body shape? Is he able to move even free lunging or is the pattern held in his neck all the time? I would be addressing it with work on the lunge and riding in a simple snaffle (I prefer the fulmer but they are hard to find) to help him become more balanced. Walking and working on asking him to keep all his parts lined up straight on a straight line would be my first project after I ruled out a physical issue. Fancy bits can "fix" one issue and lead to more complicated issues and compensations further down the road. I have had several "crooked" horses who were compensating for a physical issue that people tried to correct with fancy bits. Just a thought... Good luck!
 
#3 ·
He's had his teeth done around 2 weeks ago and had a chiropractor look at him last Thursday :)
I'm not looking for a fancy bit to fix anything- I just want him to be happy, ie, not resisting and opening his mouth every time you try to take the contact :)
I'm just very bad with bits and am looking for some options- snaffle options : )
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#5 ·
What do you mean by "a-ha"? I use a bit similar to 2nd one you posted (both my mares preferred to 5 or 7 ones I tried). I didn't get "a-ha" (on a bit with round back and moving forward) till I put some time into lessons and building muscles. They also both stiff on one side, so need more work and warm up in certain direction. :wink: So unless he knows how to move correctly and the issue is indeed with the bit (BTW, what about his teeth and neck?) simple bit change won't make too much of a change or fix the stiffness to the certain side.
 
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#6 ·
I would use a fulmer (they are hard to find in the states now) which is a full cheek with a loose ring- this bit provides stability in the horse's mouth, the full cheeks fixed to the cheek pieces with keepers keeps the joint of the mouth piece in correct alignment no matter where he settles his head as he is figuring things out, and the loose ring forgives any movement in the rein from the rider's hand while everyone is finding their way. I would then go back to the basics. Make sure he understands the concept of going to the rein contact, accepting the bit and moves into the reins evenly- meaning steps off evenly with both hind legs. Uneven contact in the bit generally comes from two sources-either uneven rider contact (unequal in the left and right rein) or a crooked horse. The way to correct a crooked horse who is healthy and without physcal limitations which create the uneveness is to go back to work in hand and on the lunge to move his crooked parts back into alignment so he is straight from tail to nose. Refer to Podhajsky's book-The Complete Training of Horse and Rider. He was the director of the Spanish Riding School and explaines contact and straightness in detail.
 
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