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Type of bit for a horse with a great mouth?

1K views 10 replies 10 participants last post by  PoptartShop 
#1 ·
Hi folks! I'm shopping for a bit. Cash, my new guy, is totally excellent and light in the fac. In fact, he goes fine in a halter, which is why I told my trainer I'd like to just use a sidepull or halter with him, but she wants us to use a bit for now. Her reasoning is that we're going to work on developing cues that are more head-based than leg because I'm missing my lower right leg, and we want to be able to cute movements just as precisely as if I had all my parts.

Since he is so light, I don't want to lose that by doing more than he needs. I've been looking at bits and I'm confused about what the most gentle options are. Some people seem to think a mullen mouth snaffle is lightest, while others prefer a French link or single-jointed snaffle. I'm hesitant to use a single joint in case I fall and can't let go fast enough (since I'm still regaining my balance). And looking at the French links, it seems like the thin piece, while avoiding the nutcracker effect, could feel severe against the tongue or palate.

Has anyone used a basic mullen mouth, either rubber or metal? Are they as gentle as they seem?

I've ridden him in a mild single-jointed snaffle, and he was fine, and I've also ridden him in a halter, and he was fine. I believe he was ridden in a short-shank curb by his previous owner.

He has absolutely no issues with running through a bit, stopping, head tossing, anything like that. He is lovely on a loose rein and is most familiar with neck reining. So I'm not trying to select a bit for correcting anything -- just the opposite. I want a bit that will allow me to give him very clear cues but that isn't doing anything on its own and isn't going to ruin any of his lightness.

Any advice?
 
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#2 ·
I forgot to add: the single-joint snaffle I rode him once in gave him a sore at his mouth crease, so I believe it's too narrow (it was my previous horse's). That is why I'm getting a new one, not because of how he rode in it. I'm not going to put it back in his mouth and will use a halter until I get a new one, but since I'm shopping for one I've been reading about the different types and that's how I confused myself.
 
#3 ·
Gentle depends on the horse. One may hate a mullen mouth but love a french link. Another may hate a single joint but love a mullen. You can start by figuring out what type of horse you have in both personality and mouth structure. I find those with nervous or unsteady mouths do better in mullens. Smaller mouth tend to like more joints, but not always. It even depends on the brand of mouth piece. They may hate the way one kind of single joint sits in the mouth but enjoy another brand. Then after mouth pieces you get to look into cheek pieces. After a while you can get pretty good at matching bits with horses.

If you are unsure, borrow bits. Ask your trainer if you can try them on, as friends, some tack stores will let you rent bits to try.
 
#5 ·
I agree it is a bit of trial and error to find a bit that the horse seems to be most happy in.

With most horses, I have found success with this snaffle bit:


I like the double joint, versus a single joint. The roller keeps them entertained, and the weight of a bit is a little heavier so they can feel my cues easier.

So that may be a starting point for you, to find a snaffle bit.

However, with that said, short-shank curb bits can be very mild too. And if your goal is to advance and refine your cues, there are certain things you can do (to be soft) with a curb that you just cannot do with a snaffle bit or a sidepull/halter. The whole intended purpose of a curb bit is refinement, although there are many who "advance" for the purpose of control.

As always, it is not so much the BIT that is mild or gentle, but the HANDS that are controlling it. ;-)

Would be best (and cheapest) for you if you could borrow some bits from your trainer to try, to see what your horse has a preferance for.
 
#6 ·
Borrow some bits if you can. A single joint snaffle should not poke his mouth. When they watch horses with it using X-rays, that doesn't happen. It moved down into the tongue, but with less pressure than a double joint snaffle might:



Was the single joint snaffle you used an O-ring? They tend to concentrate pressure on the lips in a smaller area, and a D-ring or Eggbutt might work better.

Somewhat off topic, but it applies given your concerns about the bit: Sheepskin, for me, give me much better grip with my seat and thigh than plain leather does. I call it "butt velco". I don't always use it, but the full size sheepskin gives my rump and thighs far more grip than riding without. If my horse goes from a walk to a canter, I just automatically go with it. That may be because my normal saddle is very slick:



Without it, I really NEED my stirrups to stay on when anything unexpected happens. With it, I'm pretty comfortable riding without stirrups.



That might help enough with security that you can open up your options for choices in a bit. Good luck to you regardless!
 
#7 ·
I second what everyone else has said - it's all a matter of your horse's preference, really.

For instance, Lacey needed a mullen-mouth-type bit due tot he hard melanomas she had in the corners of her mouth. She seemed to be unable to feel a bit in her mouth, until it was pinching her, which scared her and didn't help her work well in a bit.
I can't link to a photo of the kind of bit she did like [I'm doing jury duty and they're a littttle particular about what websites you visit! haha], but it ended up being a mullen mouth snaffle with a port for her tongue. The bit itself started out life as a "Rugby Pelham" but I had a farrier cut off the shanks and it turned into, essentially, a snaffle.
For her, a straight bar mullen mouth snaffle was SUPER harsh. I never saw her gape her mouth in anything, except the times I tried a straight bar mullen mouth on her!

Fabio, on the other hand, needs the wiggliest bit out there. He has a lot of anxiety-stuff going on, and tends to use the bit as a "pacifier" if he can grab it. No matter what, his body will be as solid as the bit. If it's a mullen mouth, he'll be like riding a board. If it's a 2-piece snaffle, he'll be sort of soft, but not very, and so forth.
So far, the thing that's worked the best for him is a Waterford snaffle. It can be a harsh bit if one isn't careful, and I definitely don't think Cash needs one, but it's an example of "whatever works."
With a Waterford, he can't grab it in his teeth or lean on it, and he's pretty relaxed in it [for him, haha] because he can't brace on it.


Anyway, if Cash did well in a single joint snaffle, I'd try finding one in his size and seeing how he does. I also like that bit Beau posted - I used that one on Fabio for a while before switching him to bitless, then into the Waterford [he does well bitless, but, before we ceased riding for a while, we were working on movements that necessitated direct contact - no shank/poll action]. Anyway, I used that bit on him for some time and we both really really liked it.
I'd offer it to you, except it's a 5 inch and it sounds like Cash might need a bigger size? But, if you measure his mouth and he'd do fine in a 5 inch, I'd be happy to send it to you! :)
I also have a 5 1/4 inch single-jointed snaffle that I'd be happy to "gift" to you too. :) ...if you'd like!
 
#8 ·
I agree about borrowing a few bits to try, if you can. My horse was really light, but for some reason she just hated the jointed snaffle. I tried a French link snaffle on her (actually it was a Dr Bristol bit), and she liked that. The one bit though, that she really seemed to like best was the low port curb Kimberwicke.

But, like everyone else has said, it all depends on your horse; the thickness of the bit, and so on.
 
#9 ·
Personally if he is great in a bitless, then keep hin that way. I'm actually going to get my girl to transition to bitless, she has only been backed for 8 months or so so it shouldn't be to hard. But if your horse is happy, and safe and he listens to his cues well then don't change a thing.
 
#10 ·
I'd stay away from any leverage bit (anything with a shank) if he's soft and light enough to go bitless.

The "fatter" the bit is, the more gentle it is (more surface area). Some horses like fatter bits, some hate them. It comes down the the shape of the mouth, however, if you look for a shaped bit like this:


It will lay in the mouth nicely, and is a bit fatter than your regular snaffle.

Metalab makes a nice bit similar to the one I posted, so it's not an expensive bit to get your hands on.
 
#11 ·
I suggest a snaffle bit as well, perhaps a D-ring. They're one of the more 'gentle' bits.
However, I would definitely try borrowing a few and see how your horse does in them. You'll know if he doesn't like it!

Also...if bits don't seem to 'workout' for him, I'd keep working bitless.
 
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