Urgent Bit Advice Needed

[Lisa Dyson]

Morning All,

I have put a thread on about bits before and about Mylers but I just don't know what to try next.

I've ridden Jasper in various bits and none of them seem to be right. We started with a french link eggbutt snaffle which he just leant on and didn't really listen to, we then tried a loose ring jointed snaffle which he seemed to back off from, then onto the mullen happy mouth which he really liked the only problem now is that he no longer has any respect for it so if he wants to go faster there's not alot I can do about it. I've tried a couple of mylers (the comfort snaffle in various versions) but the one that he did like is no longer in production. I am now trying him back in the jointed snaffle which he really objected to yesterday so I have come to the conclusion that he doesn't like the nutcracker action.

He is a worrier when it comes to the bit so I need something with a bit of strength without it been to harsh.

Has anybody got any ideas on what I can try next??

Any help would be appreciated,

Lisa.

:(

P.S Just to let you know Jasper is a 7 year old cob who I don't think has ever been properly schooled so I am now trying to do this.

[Lgd]

I had a problem a bit like this with our younger mare as she would just run through a JP snaffle like it was not there. I dislike bits with a heavy nutcracker action and had a drop cheek snaffle belonging to Claire's old 13.2hh pony. Put it on her and never looked back, the amount of poll action is minimal and the nutcracker action is reduced considerably compared to an ordinary snaffle so contrary to what some people think it is actually quite a mild bit. She wore this until about 3 months ago when I was advised by my trainer that because of the stage she had reached in her dressage training (Elem/Med) I needed a different bit action. She has now transferred happily into a french-link eggbutt snaffle with no recurrence of the tanking.

[sozzie]

I remember reading of Heather's bitbank website that cobs and other natives can have little space between the tongue and the roof of the mouth so a 'nutcracker' action wasn't always suitable.

The two cobs i ride have sweet iron loose-ring jointed snaffles which they seem ok with but if they were mine i think i would try different bits as they do have big tongues and the roof of their mouths are low. The 5 year old may be having wolf teeth problems as she's had her teeth rasped but is still a bit mouthy with the bit occasionally.

Keep on looking for something suitable, i'm sure you will find it eventually- if you use a bit bank you won't have to pay for a bit till it is the right one unless it's a special one.

[eml]

I have found that a hanging cheek mullen mouth snaffle worked well on a pony that didn't like jointed bits but was just too strong for an ordinary mullen mouth snaffle. When we go out to exciting places (very strong!) we use a globe pelham with elastic curb. I have also had success with hanging cheek frenchlinks and agree that cobs often have smallmouths and can't cope with jointed snaffles. Good luck in your trials.

[Jillybean]

Originally posted by sozzie
I remember reading of Heather's bitbank website that cobs and other natives can have little space between the tongue and the roof of the mouth so a 'nutcracker' action wasn't always suitable.

Can you give the ad for this site cos my Highland is in an eggbut at the mo and i have found that if he really really wants to go somewhere the bit seems to have no effect on him!

Thanx!

[ros]

And of course, if all else fails you can always try the good old rubber Pelham. (Nice to see eml also uses elastic curb!)

[wendi]

Hi the address is

www.bitbank.co.uk

[Bebe]

My mare sounds similar, she despises jointed bits, even french links. She goes really well in a rubber mullen mouth pelham with elastic curb but recently I've found I'm not needing to use the curb rein so she's in a rubber mullen mouth 99% of the time. If we go somewhere new or I know we're going to be doing a fair bit of cantering I'll put the pelham back in, probably more for my peace of mind than anything. It works for us.

Amanda