I am getting ready to buy my first horse from the place I work. Which is a trail riding stable. The horse is being ridden in a Tom Thumb bit. I have talked to the boss and she says they are one of the harshest bits there are. A fact she did not know until a couple months ago. (Long story) I would like to change her bit once I buy her.
So which bits are one step down from a Tom Thumb? I don't want to get something that is to awful mild because she is stubborn. But I also don't want to keep riding in the Tom Thumb unless I have to.
Every horse prefers certain bits, and often we just don't know why. You may plan on trying several bits before you find one that he goes well in.
Here's what I did with a horse that was in a Tom Thumb. He was a direct-reiner, not a neck-reiner, so the tom thumb was absolutely disastrous on him in so many ways. I like to ride a horse in the mildest bit that they respond correctly in. My favorite super-mild bit is an eggbutt french-link snaffle. I tried it on the boy and I could tell he was really distraced by the movement of the two joints and didn't like it at all. So I dug through my box of "treasures" and found the old trusty single-joint loose-ring snaffle. I thought: that single-joint mouthpiece is what he's used to from the tom Thumb, and he has a nice roomy mouth to accommodate a single-joint nicely, so why not. He absolutely loves than plain old single-joint loose-ring, and responds like we never could have imagined.
You and I approached the problem from opposite ends. You want to go one step less severe (and I don't know what that would be). I went all the way down to least severe and stepped up one notch at a time to find the gentlest one I could use. I don't know that either approach is better than the other. Just mentioning that there may be two ways to approach the bit-change.
If your horse neck reins the you can stay with a leverage bit. I love a shortish shank bit with a Billy Allen mouth piece.
If your horse does not neck rein, then I would move down to a regular snaffle.
In any case, I would try the bit in an arena or round pen first, if possible. That way you can get an idea how the horse will react without being on the trail with no boundaries.
What I've done in the past is to ride out with the mildest bit I have but pack a different bit with me on my saddle so that I can change it over on the trail if need be.
@freia
The only reason I am trying to go down a step than starting mild is because; 1, where I live I only know of one tack shop. 2, after I buy her I am going to be a little short on money. But my aunt has a plain Snaffle that she would let me try. Shasta (My soon to be horse) rides fine in a tom thumb, no problems what so ever. Should I even be changing the bit?
@iridehorse
I planed to try the new bits out in my field. But she isn't the kind of horse that is going to take off. She's kinda lazy.
I don't see how a Tom Thumb is any "harsher" than other similar bits like the Argentine. It may not be as good in quality as some would point out but not any harsher.
A saying comes to mind, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". If it works for her, why not keep using it. Personally, I don't see a problem using one or one like it. Posted via Mobile Device
I get tired of the horror stories about the Tom Thumb bit. They are stories, nothing is ever witnessed. I've seen many horses successfully ridden with Tom Thumbs for years and the horses have seemed quite comfortable with them. They were sold as transition bits between snaffle and curb. When the horses did well in the TTs, why change to something else. It's the rider who can make it cruel, not the bit design.
I would say one step down would be the Argentine Snaffle.
The reason I say this is 1 the shanks are more curved, which gives the horse more of a warning. There is also 2 joints, which is a bit milder then 1. And this particular one I use has copper rollers that are honey flavored which is good for a busy mouth, and to increase salvation production. This is my go to shank bit. I love it! And no horse has ever turned it down.
Than maybe I won't worry about it. She listens really well in the Tom Thumb. I think I have light hands. She is neck-reined so I neck rein on her. But thanks for the bit advice lilkitty90! I will keep that in mind with my aunts horse!
i would say one step down would be the Argentine Snaffle.
The reason I say this is 1 the shanks are more curved, which gives the horse more of a warning. There is also 2 joints, which is a bit milder then 1. And this particular one I use has copper rollers that are honey flavored which is good for a busy mouth, and to increase salvation production. This is my go to shank bit. I love it! And no horse has ever turned it down.
My friend gave me a similar bit (only without gag action) and I didn't think I would like riding in it but I do. Both of my horses go great in it!
As for the tom thumb, I hate all the horror stories as well. Just think, before I came here the argentine snaffle (very similar to a tom thumb) was my go-to bit and I could ride just about any horse in it. I still think it's an awesome bit, but I have spread out into other bit variations.
I say if it's not broke, don't fix it. You can always keep an eye peeled for some second hand bits to try out at a later time, but right now I doubt you need to spend money on a bit that the horse might not even do well in.
My biggest problem with the TTs is that they are sold and advertised as "colt bits", "training snaffles", "breaking bits", etc. Yep, some horses do manage to go well in them, but I've seen a lot more horses that didn't.
Personally, I am not a fan of any shanked bit with a broken "snaffle" mouth just because I don't like the feel (or lack thereof) that they give me. IMHO, they are very limiting as a training bit because there is only so much you can do with them without sending conflicting signals to the horse. I much prefer a nice solid or billy allen/myler type mouth with a low to moderate port. I've never had a horse that didn't like and go well in bits like that....and I've ridden more than a handful .
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