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My horse has a snaffle bit but i don't think he likes it...

4K views 24 replies 8 participants last post by  Hoofprints in the Sand 
#1 · (Edited)
Posted via Mobile Device hey i have a three yo standie and i use a snaffle bit but im not sure he likes it any ideas of a different softer bit too use maybe? Or should i just keep using this snaffle bit ??
 
#2 ·
Well, some don't. Although there are about a hundred different snaffles, so it can be hard to tell. My mare doesn't like french link snaffles, is OK with 2 piece snaffles, is OK with a waterford (5 links), but currently seems happiest with a gag bit.

Trooper, OTOH, seems to ride the same no matter what bit we use.

Horses get a vote...:wink: I'd recommend borrowing a variety and seeing what gets the best response.
 
#3 ·
haha yeh that's very true lol yeh i have a two peice snaffle bit atm do you think an eggbutt bit would work better at all? Oh yeh what is a gag bit is it a gag snaffle bit or just gag bit ?
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#4 ·
My gelding doesn't like a single jointed snaffle either. He does, however, love a French link (double jointed) snaffle. He also goes great in a little S hack, but he listens more to leg cues anyway.

What kind of bit are you in now? Loose ring, D ring, eggbutt? I've found my boy likes an eggbutt over a loose ring.
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#5 ·
My gelding doesn't like a single jointed snaffle either. He does, however, love a French link (double jointed) snaffle. He also goes great in a little S hack, but he listens more to leg cues anyway.


Oh yeh what's a s hack bit?
What kind of bit are you in now? Loose ring, D ring, eggbutt? I've found my boy likes an eggbutt over a loose ring.
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#6 · (Edited)
Has this colt been taught to accept and use a bit? If not, thats probably why he doesn't like it. No animal is going to LIKE taking a piece of metal that has no meaning to them into their mouths. What kind of snaffle do you have? There are so many kinds out there. Don't be discouraged just because he doesnt like this particular one.

There are so many kinds of material. Rubber, german silver, copper, nickle, stainless steel, sweet iron, leather... and many diameters as well. Thicker snaffles tend to be less harsh but not always. And some horses just can't stand having something large and wide on their mouths. One of the mares that I ride hated every bit I used, until I realized that the width that was supposed to make things more comfortable actually bothered her. I switched to thinner french link and she started accepting her bit beautifully.

Another factor of snaffles is how many joints. No joints, one, two, or three are the usual numbers though you can find more. The cheekpiece is a factor as well. My soft mouthed mare prefers a double jointed half cheek snaffle made of stainless steel, but will go well in a mullen mouth as well. She hates thicker, single jointed, or O ring bits. Its really just a matter of trial and error.

If you experiment with your boy, I'd first recomment a D ring or full cheek, either mullen mouth or two/three jointed. You might also try rollers or keys on the bit to see if he likes having something to play with. Single jointed bits tend to have a nutcracker action, and I don't like to put young horses in them.
 
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#9 ·
he is a gilding and it either has one or two joints on it... Ok thanks for the tip i think the one i have at the moment is a thin French snaffle.. Thanks for your help :)
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#7 ·
This is the little S hackamore we use: Little “S” Hackamore with Adjustable Buckle

Like I said, though, my gelding works mainly off leg cues, so the hack or bit is there more for stopping power (he's green and likes to run through my hands when I ask him to stop, so the hackamore works to reinforce what I'm asking him to do with my seat).
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#14 ·
Sorry, I tend to call under four year olds colts ^_^ its good that he's a gelding.

If he is three year old and his owner has already ridden him a lot and used him for children, I doubt that he really has been TAUGHT to carry his bit with his tounge instead of to just let it sit there. He may be used to having one in his mouth, but the two things are actually quite different.

My next step after a french link would probably be the other 'extreme', a mullen mouth. I'd go for a full cheek or a D, and either sweet iron or copper to encourage him to salivate and make the bit more comfortable. Sweet iron/copper might be harder to find though, so stainless steel would be my next option. I also tend to have problems finding a 'cheaper' mullen mouth full cheek though, which may be a problem.
 
#15 ·
That sounds more like he just isnt used to a bit and will likely react the same way with anything you use
Sometimes younger horses find a french link easier to deal with than than the single joint that can 'nutcracker' if they lean on it which many young horses will do and Happy Mouth do a shaped mullen mouth bit that I've found horses to like
There are some good rubber bits on the market that are softer on a green mouth than metal but if you use one keep a close eye on signs of it getting chewed.
Putting something that tastes nice on a bit will encourage shy horses - honey, apple juice etc. to accept having the bit in their mouth - gentle persuasion is better than force.
 
#17 ·
Can you borrow some other bits and try them? Mia will get quite pissy about a 'mild' french link snaffle after a few rides, but has no problem with a 'harsh' waterford. And as others have pointed out, sometimes a horse just needs to learn how to carry a bit in his mouth so it won't bother him.

Also, where do you position it in his mouth? You might try a little higher or lower. Sometimes a one hole difference in the bridle makes a big difference to the horse.

The gag bit I currently use with Mia is like this, only with a copper mouthpiece:



She seems to 'understand' it well. When I realized how a gag bit functions, I set it aside because it seems to ME like it would be confusing - but I couldn't get around the fact that she seems very content and responsive with it.

I only own 3 horses. I'm not near smart enough to predict what will work for a given horse. All I know is to be flexible, borrow and try different things, and see what clicks with the horse. Like I said, 2 of my horses don't seem to give a rat's rear about the type of bit. But for 1 of the 3, it is important. Horses! Go figure...:wink:
 
#18 ·
^^That's not a gag, it's an elevator.

Has he had enough time to get used to carrying it? Is he properly trained in the bridle? Does it fit? A bit that's too big is kind of like a boot that's too bit, a real annoyance. Experiment with one piece bits, three piece and see if he likes them.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Is this what your gelding looks like when he's trying to get the bit out of his mouth? If so, he hasn't learned to accept it.




Excuse that bridle, it was my junk bridle that I use to get new ponies used to being bitted. It fit her terribly. This is my mare as a four year old, being mouthed. This was her 2nd time being bitted and she was still learning what to do with it. What I did, is I would offer it to her with a sliver of stredded carrot (her favorite treat) under it, so she could only take the carrot if she took the bit. The second the bit went in her mouth, so did the carrot. I would leave it for a few minutes without messing with her, then take it off. The second she released the bit, another piece of carrot went into her mouth. I only did that the first few times, just to make sure she understood the bit wasn't bad. Make sure you don't hit his teeth with the bit. He might be reacting to that.

I also spent a lot of time lunging her while she wore the bit, with the lunge line attached to her halter, not her bridle. My trainer told me to make the bridle become just 'another thing' that meant we were going to have a normal day. I even went out to catch her with my bridle instead of the halter sometimes, and we went on trail walks with it on, groomed with it on, etc. Soon she realized the bit didnt mean scary new things, and she started to even look for the bit when I came to get her.

At that point, I had already done all of her ground work. She already knew to yield to pressure on her poll, nose, etc- so I then taught her to yield to pressure on her mouth. If I applied light pressure (on the ground) to the right, I waited until she moved her head a little in that direction. Then I released. I did this in all directions, Back, up, dwn, side to side.

I honestly think your best bet after that step, is to find a trainer to help you. it sounds like your boy has a lot of gaps in his training.
 
#21 ·
Is this what your gelding looks like when he's trying to get the bit out of his mouth?





Excuse that bridle, it was my junk bridle that I use to get new ponies used to being bitted. It fit her terribly. This is my mare as a four year old, being mouthed. This was her 2nd time being bitted and she was still learning what to do with it. What I did, is I would offer it to her with a sliver of stredded carrot (her favorite treat) under it, so she could only take the carrot if she took the bit. The second the bit went in her mouth, so did the carrot. I would leave it for a few minutes without messing with her, then take it off. The second she released the bit, another piece of carrot went into her mouth. I only did that the first few times, just to make sure she understood the bit wasn't bad. Make sure you don't hit his teeth with the bit. He might be reacting to that.

I also spent a lot of time lunging her while she wore the bit, with the lunge line attached to her halter, not her bridle. My trainer told me to make the bridle become just 'another thing' that meant we were going to have a normal day. I even went out to catch her with my bridle instead of the halter sometimes, and we went on trail walks with it on, groomed with it on, etc. Soon she realized the bit didnt mean scary new things, and she started to even look for the bit when I came to get her.

That's freakin' cute :)
 
#23 ·
I would get his teeth checked first. Once that's done, take a good look at the way you're putting the bit in his mouth. Are you jamming it in and forcing him to take it in his mouth? Are you hitting his teeth? It could be that the previous owners did those things and made him fear/dislike the bit being put in his mouth. Are you positive the bit you're using is the correct width for his mouth and it's sitting in the correct place in his mouth?
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