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What bit would you suggest? Currently use a Wonder Bit

10K views 41 replies 12 participants last post by  QHriderKE 
#1 ·
Okay bit guru's. Need some advice here.

I bought Red last year in May. He is turning 7 years old this year. When I bought him, he was ridden in a twisted wire O-ring snaffle and a tie down. I ditched the tie down and the twisted wire, and went to a smooth snaffle.

While he does listen "okay" in the smooth snaffle, he listens better to the Wonder Bit.




The Wonder Bit also worked great to teach him how to break at the poll. His head tends to shoot up to the sky when something catches his attention (he is very ADHD, so that happens alot) and that's why they were using a tie down on him. Obviously, I want to fix the head set issue, and not just slap a tie down on him.

I have been using a German martingale on occasion, which really, really helps me teach him to lower that head and travel in a more relaxed and rounded frame, along with proper leg and body cues from me.




However, I don't want to ride him in the Wonder Bit all the time, because he does have the tendency to start to ignore the gag action. I'd rather save the Wonder Bit to use with the German martingale as "tune ups" when he needs them, and ride him in something else.

So, here's where I am looking for suggestions: On something that would be similar to the action of the Wonder Bit .... but without the gag, that I can use for our regular every day riding.

I have a twisted wire Jr cowhorse that I have tried, but that really is too much bit for him. He doesn't need that much bite. I think this bit may eventually be a good competition bit for barrel racing, but we aren't doing more than slow loping the pattern right now so he doesn't need a competition bit yet.

I've tried a sweet six bit (smooth mouth) that had a combo rope nose on it. He hated that! Threw his nose a ton, which isn't like him.

The majority of riding that I do is trail riding, with a focus on conditioning. We'll typically go at least 4 miles a ride, usually 5 or 6. He's got loads of energy and needs the conditioning to stay fit.

I guess I am big fan of using different bits for the different events I will do with him:
--daily trail riding / conditioning -- bit?
--training bit for barrels/poles -- not sure yet, but a Little S hack has been working well for poles
--competition bit for barrels/poles -- not there yet, but potentially a Jr. Cowhorse if he gets to the point where he needs it
--tuning up bit for breaking at the poll -- wonder bit + german martingale
--competition bit for reining and western pleasure (I just do these for fun at low key horse shows) -- bit? Or this could be the same as my regular riding bit.


I do have a non-gag bit that I bought to try a while back, but I can't remember what it looks like, haha. I will take a picture of it when I am at the barn tonight.

So, suggestions?
 
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#40 ·
I think a german martingale would be a good tool. I still use draw reins on Ruger every now and then. I don't use tools like that in anything but snaffles to be honest.

I agree that Red is a green horse. He is sensitive. Some horses are just like that. Selena is not, Ruger is not, but I have worked with many a barrel horse that is. There is nothing wrong with a personality like that. You have to take into account what type of horse you are riding. Example, I could beat up on Selena all day and she won't panic, buck, jump, or anything. I am currently putting 30 days on a mare for a friend, and if I smacked her or pushed her around like I do Selena I'd be on my *** in the dirt in a heartbeat. For her, a simple hindquarter disengagement is devastating. For Selena, that's nothing.

Red is a horse who needs you to get inside his head IMO. Seeing as he is green(er), I would do a ton of small, perfect, flexed circles. Just something simple like that and demanding perfection. It doesn't have to be a huge production with him I suspect.

I don't think you're doing much wrong here. You have experience and you know what you're doing so I don't believe any of the claims by Corporal were really correct about him being "bad". Saying a horse is sensitive isn't an excuse, it's a fact.
 
#41 ·
I think a german martingale would be a good tool. I still use draw reins on Ruger every now and then. I don't use tools like that in anything but snaffles to be honest.
I got our first ride of the year in on Thursday evening, and I used his snaffle with the german martingale. I didn't want to do any more than walking, because there was literally a slushy muddy layer on top of frozen icy ground, so we didn't do a whole lot, but he did pretty darn good, considering. And liked how the martingale worked with the snaffle. Crazy to think I never thought of doing that before!! ***duoh***

Was going to ride today, but 10 degrees with a cold wind is a little too cold. We planned to haul to an indoor tomorrow afternoon, but a blizzard is supposed to be coming through. If the roads are bad, we aren't going.

I agree that Red is a green horse. He is sensitive. Some horses are just like that. Selena is not, Ruger is not, but I have worked with many a barrel horse that is. There is nothing wrong with a personality like that. You have to take into account what type of horse you are riding. Example, I could beat up on Selena all day and she won't panic, buck, jump, or anything. I am currently putting 30 days on a mare for a friend, and if I smacked her or pushed her around like I do Selena I'd be on my *** in the dirt in a heartbeat. For her, a simple hindquarter disengagement is devastating. For Selena, that's nothing.
Exactly what I have been trying to explain.

My old horse Beau, if you needed to yank on him for something, he had forgotten about it 5 seconds later. No biggie.

Shotgun, my 2 yr old, if I need to get after him, he's back to being a "ho-hum nothing-bothers-me" after I correct him, like nothing happened in the first place. (Strange he's so laid back, because he's super bred to run barrels too.)

But Red? It's got to be presented in a calm, no stress method. No yanking. No yelling. Etc. He can't handle it.

Red is a horse who needs you to get inside his head IMO. Seeing as he is green(er), I would do a ton of small, perfect, flexed circles. Just something simple like that and demanding perfection. It doesn't have to be a huge production with him I suspect.
Exactly. I've figured out some of his quirks, but I certainly don't have him figured out all the way yet. Head game indeed.

He is a GOOD horse. He's just requiring some special handling. Makes me think of a cardboard box that says "fragile, handle with care" on it, LOL.
 
#42 ·
Yep. The more you say about Red, the more I think him and Squiggy have similar personalities.
You just gotta get into their heads, and once you're there, they're awesome horses.
When Squiggy has her ADHD moments and gets distracted by nothing, I've learned that if I do give her a little pop in the mouth or something of the like (I've even slapped her neck with my hand) it gets her attention. She's like a little kid that gets ornery or distracted and you need to give them a little scuff of the back of the head to get them to listen. LOL. Just like, "Knock knock, helloooooooooo anyone home?"
She has a little hissy and is grumpy with me for a few seconds, but she gets over it and we carry on.

I got her figured out a little. If I ride her with a running martingale and snaffle once every 5 rides, she is more consistent her frame and pretends to be a giraffe less.
I've also learned that if you exaggerate following her mouth at a trot and lope, she is more relaxed and lowers her head a bit. WOO.
 
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