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not safe

5K views 36 replies 17 participants last post by  Gidget 
#1 ·
So I'm all about safety(for the most part) when riding. Anyways I have come across some issues again. First one is I think I might need a new bit as I have a Dee ring snaffle..works great for shows but not for trails! She roots and then pulls down and it hurts my hands sooo bad. I have whipped her and kicked her trying to get her head up and it doesn't work..I have to lean forward,gather rein and pull up and back....a few minutes pass and I'm doing the same thing...can anyone recommend a bit that might be a better match for me? I know she does great in a medium shank,high port curb...do you think that mightbe something I need?


Also,Gidget saw some black and white cows while my hubby and I were trail riding. Cows didn't mind Buttercup but when they saw gidget they came running up to see her(maybe they were thinking 'our long lost sister' since she is black and white :lol:) ...we were on the road...I had no time to do anything.We did a haunch turn and took off.I steered her over and slowed her down and got her to walk again but I don't want that happening! I got lucky that there were no cars around and that I stayed on as I wasn't prepared for what was going to happen.

Another thing is..my horse is soooooo competitive! My husband and I were loping back and forth in the pasture and well Buttercup was coming up and Gidget decided that wasn't going to happen so within a second we were galloping...again,this bit I have doesn't seem to help as I was trying to hold her back and slow her down....well I couldn't get her slowed down and I thought we were going to smash inside of this little hill..nope,we ran straight up it and then stopped :shock:...I looked around to make sure no one saw as it was embarassing buuuut they saw...Obviously you can see I didn't have control over her yesterday and it was scary...I need help as I want to enjoy riding and not take off like a bolt of lightning!...any ideas and advice? Please no crude/rude comments. I haven't had this happen since when I first got her so it's disappointing.
 
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#27 ·
i think i have made my mind up. I am going to go with the butterfly bit. There is some leverage but the bit is broken so i can have come lateral movement like a snaffle. It's going a step up and the bit isn't expensive so if it doesn't work i will go back to the snaffle. Honestly IMO I think I would feel a wee bit more comfortable with a shanked bit on a trail incase something happened. I will try it out and let you all know.
 
#28 ·
This is kinda late, and I'm glad you feel like you've figured out some solutions, but I had another thought about the cows that might be helpful...
Lacey used to be afraid of most other animals (not cows, she's always wanted to chase cows) and what's helped her is if I ask her to stop and watch the animals before she's actually scared, so she can think through the situation. Now she's actually started doing it on her own. There are lots of loose dogs on the trails we ride and she's learned to stop for the ones that are really scary and let them sniff her before we move on, but for dogs she doesn't find threatening, she'll just keep going. I generally let her choose whether to stop or not but sometimes I have her stop by a dog I'm not comfortable with but she is, just in case. I'm not sure how much choice I'd give Gidget because she seems like she's more highly opinionated than Lacey but it's something to try. Another thing I do with Lacey is we regularly "herd" the llamas she lives with. That's helped her figure out that most animals are more scared of her than she is of them. Now, when she sees an animal that really scares her, she generally wants to chase it since she seems to have decided that's pretty fun to watch them run away. hahaha
It's just a thought. :)
 
#29 ·
The butterfly gag bit is not a leverage bit unless you add a curb chain to the upper ring and they are made in such a way that adding a curb chain usually will pinch the corner of the horse's mouth.

A gag bit works by putting pressure behind the horse's ears. It gives lateral control at the expense of a higher head carriage and no way to comfortably get any collection. Horses do not drop their heads or bring their chin in with a gag bit -- they root into it quite frequently but give laterally. That is why barrel racers use them and that is why I use them for horses that over-bend and get behind the bit. It helps get their chin off of their chests. I do not believe that is what you need.

I would think that a Jr Cowhorse bit would work much better if your horse is not having a problem with tongue pressure.

If you horse needs relief from tongue pressure, you are much better off with a medium port (or higher) with swivel shanks or a Mylar bit that is designed to relieve tongue pressure.

Many people erroneously believe that a higher port is equal to a more harsh bit. It is not. The length and angle of the shank is the main determining factor for severity along with the ratio of the distance from the mouthpiece to the top ring and the distance from the mouthpiece to the bottom ring where the reins attach. Without that leverage AND a curb chain or strap, you do not have a true curb bit.
 
#30 ·
Ok I may be opiening a can of worms her but it seams a lot of people think that snafle bits are less pain full than curb bits. A curg bit dose not jab a horse in the ruff of the mouth like a curb bit dose. So changing to a curb is not changing to a stronger bit it is a bit that works diffrently. Or at least that is the way I see it.
 
#32 ·
I thought this link was kind of interesting (even if it is a little one sided) & it kind of applies to the discussion.
Bits and their Proper Use
Also, one of the girls on another thread mentioned something called an "eventing stop" which might be helpful to the OP if she decides to stick to the snaffle. You have tension in one rein and with the other rein you pull back like you would with a one rein stop. The idea is that it stops the horse with out prompting her to bend.
 
#33 ·
thank you fly :)

I rode today for a bit..not much as the weather was crap and work had me beat. But she seemed to do well. She chomps on her bit sometimes,could that be indicating that the bit I have bothers her or is she playing with it?
 
#34 ·
Just depends. The bit I use has copper inlay & my mare is always playing with it. If she seems relaxed when she is chomping, then she's probably just playing with it.
 
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