Will your horse respond to your bit?

churumbeque · 08-16-2010, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wild_spot

Churumbeque,

I'll jump in as well.

A combination bit can be great for a lot of horses - It can also be very confusing for a lot of horses. It exerts pressure on every part of the face - The mouth, the nose, the chin, the poll. This can be too much for some sensitive horses, or can be ideal for horses who are too sensitive in the mouth.

If you do want to soften him up, I don't think the combination bit is the tool for the job. It is easiest and simplest to soften a horse up in a snaffle - As it sends very clear signals, and any release is communicated quickly and clearly to the mouth. It is harder to get a clear release with so many pressure points on a combination bit - And it is the release that teaches, not the pressure.

The combination bit may well work for him after you have softened him up and have him going well.

He was being ridden in a snaffle by someone who didn't understand gaited horses and if he were a qtr hs he would have been fine but now I am trying to get a headset and break at the poll. When he was young at a trainer they had a bit in his mouth and it was 30 below. They said the corners of his mouth froze. This IDIOT is a well known gaited horse trainer also , so I am wondering if frost bite could be contributing to him not being as responsive as he should. He is very soft for flexing and such just not a good head set and as much handle with the snaffle

Poco1220 · 08-16-2010, 08:06 PM

Thank you thank you thank you. I completely agree with using snaffles and even use one on my stallion. Let's face it if a horse doesn't wanna listen no amount of brute strength is going to change it's mind lol.
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stacieandtheboys · 08-16-2010, 08:10 PM

W_S

This is what smrobs suggested for me when I brought Lucy home from training with her http://www.horse.com/item/pinchless-...b-001b2166c62d It has worked wonderfully although I think we will need to go back to a snaffle for some more neck reining work for a while :)

Ray MacDonald · 08-16-2010, 08:21 PM

Thanks smrobs and wild_spot! Oh soo full of knowledge! :) And no one ever really explained The Snaffle to me :) I'm kinda dumb lol

And I think my mare does pretty good in a snaffle (she has a rubber coated D ring and just a O ring snaffle) And Duckie (the one who bucked me off) has a Dr. Bristle and usually I only need to use kinda light pressure with him.

wild_spot · 08-16-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

He was being ridden in a snaffle by someone who didn't understand gaited horses and if he were a qtr hs he would have been fine but now I am trying to get a headset and break at the poll. When he was young at a trainer they had a bit in his mouth and it was 30 below. They said the corners of his mouth froze. This IDIOT is a well known gaited horse trainer also , so I am wondering if frost bite could be contributing to him not being as responsive as he should. He is very soft for flexing and such just not a good head set and as much handle with the snaffle

First I want to say - A horse is a horse. There may be differences in carriage between gaited and non gaited, but there is differences in carriage between a QH and Arab, too.

Frostbite on the lips could definitely have created a lack of feeling in the lips. If that is the case, then throw traditional bitting ideas out the window. Give him a god in the combination bit, and see how he likes it. However if you are trying to create a higher, tucked headset like most show gaited horses - It may not be the best bit for it. Poll pressure tends to encourage a lower headset, whereas with a snaffle only contacting the mouth, you can adjust from a super low headset, to a deep one, to a high one.

smrobs · 08-16-2010, 08:49 PM

Since he might have the issue with his lips and/or bars due to trauma, he may be one of those horses that goes well with tongue pressure. Maybe some type of bit with a mullen or straight mouth?

wild_spot · 08-16-2010, 08:50 PM

^ Good idea - And if he doesn't like that, you could go the other way and try palate pressure with a high ported bit.

boxer · 08-16-2010, 08:57 PM

Fantastic post smrobs!!!! I agree completely and can't add a thing! This thread should be pinned I reckon!

churumbeque · 08-16-2010, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smrobs

Since he might have the issue with his lips and/or bars due to trauma, he may be one of those horses that goes well with tongue pressure. Maybe some type of bit with a mullen or straight mouth?

Trial and error does get expensive. I will start with the combination since it has several adjustments and I can add and relieve pressure in different areas. He did ride well with a gag and this is a version of that. It's also hard when you are on a time frame and the person training the horse is not available to answer some simple questions to help me determine a direction. I am picking the horse up this week and will know more later.

churumbeque · 08-16-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wild_spot

First I want to say - A horse is a horse. There may be differences in carriage between gaited and non gaited, but there is differences in carriage between a QH and Arab, too.

Frostbite on the lips could definitely have created a lack of feeling in the lips. If that is the case, then throw traditional bitting ideas out the window. Give him a god in the combination bit, and see how he likes it. However if you are trying to create a higher, tucked headset like most show gaited horses - It may not be the best bit for it. Poll pressure tends to encourage a lower headset, whereas with a snaffle only contacting the mouth, you can adjust from a super low headset, to a deep one, to a high one.

A horse is a horse but you ride a gaited horse totally different than the qtr hs frame and more contact. This bit can adjust to get there head up and break at the poll

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