Bits - Advice Please
salsa81
Posts: 68 Member
Guys I know this isn't technically diet / exercise related BUT I suppose it ties in with burning calories!
I need your help. Currently my loan girly is in a straight bar pelham bit with a curb chain. This bit is far too harsh for her for what we do together and I want to change it.
Recently we've had here in a friends' Dutch Gag but again it's a harsh bit. The bit has had to go back to friend as she has just bought a new pony and it didn't come with any tack and it's the only bit she had!
I've been thinking that I need a new bit for Shy and I know it's probably her owners' responsibility but TBH I don't think she'll ever buy anything like that for Shy (sounds awful I know but her SJ competing horse is her top priority and all money goes on him!)
Anyway, I've decided that I'll get her a new bit and I'm not sure what to get her. I was thinking about something like a Wilkie as when brakes are applied she tries to avoid pressure and throws her head up in the air, so was thinking a Wilkie with poll pressure might be the answer.
However, I DO NEED BRAKES!!! If we go to the beach, she gets rather excited so a simple snaffle is not the way to go!!
We only hack out locally and occasionally go to the beach (when the weather's nice enough) and nothing more taxing than that.
I wonder if any of you have suggestions out there?
I need your help. Currently my loan girly is in a straight bar pelham bit with a curb chain. This bit is far too harsh for her for what we do together and I want to change it.
Recently we've had here in a friends' Dutch Gag but again it's a harsh bit. The bit has had to go back to friend as she has just bought a new pony and it didn't come with any tack and it's the only bit she had!
I've been thinking that I need a new bit for Shy and I know it's probably her owners' responsibility but TBH I don't think she'll ever buy anything like that for Shy (sounds awful I know but her SJ competing horse is her top priority and all money goes on him!)
Anyway, I've decided that I'll get her a new bit and I'm not sure what to get her. I was thinking about something like a Wilkie as when brakes are applied she tries to avoid pressure and throws her head up in the air, so was thinking a Wilkie with poll pressure might be the answer.
However, I DO NEED BRAKES!!! If we go to the beach, she gets rather excited so a simple snaffle is not the way to go!!
We only hack out locally and occasionally go to the beach (when the weather's nice enough) and nothing more taxing than that.
I wonder if any of you have suggestions out there?
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Replies
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Which pressure is she avoiding, bar poll or tongue?
The straight bar pelham will put enormous pressure on the bars of her mouth and if her teeth havent been looked at for a while this will excaerbate the problem.
When I bought Dan he came in a 3 ring dutch gag which was horrible, but his teeth hadnt been done for 18 months!! As soon as any pressure was applied head went straight up! So got his teeth done (long long process) and have tried an eggbutt snaffle (no steering no brakes) a myler low port with curb chain (ok to start with but then nothing) Now we're in a jointed pelham, curb chain and roundings and hes absolutley fine. I did try him in a vulcnite straight bar pelham and he wasnt keen on that either.
I do find that I have to have the curb fairly tight though. I did even try a hackamore once, but he bucked! (not surprised)
Would suggest a jointed or rugby pelham maybe...? Myler bits can be trailled before buying but they're not cheap and for me they didnt work...0 -
If we school Billy (neck like a stallion! and attitude to match!) then we sometimes use a straight bar vulcanite pelham which seems fairly kind and gives the brakes we need. But I dont like riding him in it all the time so mostly ride him in a copper roller jointed snaffle with bars either side for better steerage. Also he has a flash and a standing martingale (actually a normal one with the noseband done up through the rings so it acts like a standing one) and this seems to control him from getting his head up and bombing off which he likes to do in an open field too often (if hes on his own hes fine but if there are others running you've had it). Its not completely bullet proof but what horse is and I dont like the idea of riding him oin the pelham all the time - that seems to encourage him to put his head down which in turn makes bucking easier (which he likes to do). We just tend to put up with the odd bit of speed and hold on tight lol Was v proud of him on Sat he stayed at the back of the pack all the time and only bucked once and my friend Claire didnt loose control too badly..Anyway prob no help to you at all but still...0
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I ride my 16.2hh Irish Draught in a KK Sprenger Dynamic RS Eggbutt.
All stopping comes from my legs.. He has to respect the half halt.. I do have the few flat out - no stops when out in a group. Its not badness, just excitement and he forgets the half halt and basically anything he's been taught and goes absolutely full belt.. A tad scary....
But he's just risen 6yr old, so he is really still learning.
Just rather keep the harsher bits away and get him riding from my leg, rather than my hands.
Know that doesn't work for all horses. In fact, only since moving to my current yard and getting a new trainer, have I moved to riding from the leg.. Blinking hard work - but worth it.. When Sol's is working, my god he's a dream.. When he goes like a bat out of hell across the fields - more of a nightmare..
So, no help to the OP. But maybe try using half halts with your leg and get him listening to your legs more.. May reduce the need for a strong bit!!0 -
Horses are individuals are nt they!!
When I got Dan he'd been driven, charged about as a riding school pony and had suffered a ruptured tongue where someone doubled it over tied it up and its nearly gone right through....
I'd trot him and as he'd been driven the trot got faster and faster and faster and the head would go up and up so there was NO brakes and NO steering!! I find that the jointed pelham is quite narrow so not much tongue pressure which is good and I sent him away for schooling and they worked with him and now he's about as good as he's going to get. At 20 years old I'm quite happy with hacking in walk with a litrtle trot...
I have Edward in a 2 ring gag, he was hunted a lot and apprently can get quite strong but I'm moving onto a loose ring bridoon as apart from being spooky he's ok but also he's only 10 and been well schooled!!0 -
HI Guys,
Thanks for the suggestions.
As far as I am aware, her owner makes sure that her teeth are don regularly so I don't think it's got anything to do with that.
I'm not sure which pressure she's avoiding but she defo puts her head in the air.
@Whisperinghorse - she sounds a bit like your Dan - I can't do any schooling in the field with her as she just gets faster and faster , sticks her head up in the air and avoids the breaks.
@Solly123 - I've tried working on half halts with her but again, head goes up in air!!
@ruralgirl - I know what you mean about holding on - at the beach there's no telling her to slow down there! She won't even walk on sand, she jogs and by the time we're off, I have lots of lovely blisters on my hands, despite wearing gloves.
I think part of the problem is that when she was used for SJ'ing she literally had tack thrown on her, was taken into the ring to jump a round and then nothing else done with her between one show and the next.
I've done a lot of work in the last year in slowing her down on hacks and jogging back home, which she has now stopped doing altogether. So now we're working on a nice steady forward going walk and trot pace - but she still keeps trying to tell me I'm doing it wrong! Whenever I apply a half halt, her head goes straight in the air!
However, at 24 I am proud of her in what she's stopped doing.
I've also got her a new saddle as the other one her owner had for her was far too tight. She used to do lots of turns at the mounting block until she was comfortable enough to stand me getting on and it must have been pinching her loads when we were out.
I just HATE having her in something that is far too strong and uneccassary at her stage in life and I fell awful about it.
I think I may have to do some more research and also have a chat with my friend down at the yard who has a lot more experience as she used to be a groom. I think something linked is the way to go and I was thinking perhaps a sweet iron might be a little more acceptable.
Wouldn't it all be lovely if we could ride all horses in a simple snaffle and be down away with all the other options?!0 -
maybe showing my age here, but a bit we used to try when I worked with hunters and had one a little too strong for the rider was a kimberwicke. It has a ported mouth piece, which some horses really enjoy because it gives their tongue more room, and you can adjust the position of the curb chain on the bit to increase/ decrease leverage. It is much less "curby" that the pelham and has the advantage of needing only a single rein.
Changing saddles may help your head in the air problem, too. That's a standard response when a saddle pinches. It may take her awhile with the new saddle to 'believe' that it isn't going to hurt her, too, so give it several rides before making up your mind.0 -
@grumpers, I remember Kimberwicke bits!! One of the old mares I learnt to ride on was ridden in one of those. Completely forgot that they existed!!
I'm doing some more reading and research and then I'm going to speak to a friend at the yard and she what she thinks - she's also looking for a new bit for her cob x clydesdale boy as he has a bit powerful neck and knows how to use it!!
Hopefully, I'll get something within the next month and let you all know how it goes. Thanks for all the suggestions though, each one being carefully researched and considered.0
