Need help choosing a dressage legal bit

[showjumper-zoe]

What dressage legal bit would you recommend for my mare (going to ask instructor but want to get a basic idea)

She is in this currently
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m222/showjumper-2k6/cheeck.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m222/showjumper-2k6/mouthpeice.jpg

Also she is STRONG but not heavy in the hand just forward going, I hack her in an american gag but not for anything else

[showjumper-zoe]

Bump*

[jaydevon]

quite a long way down there is a list of all dressage legal bits...
http://www.sustainabledressage.net/tack/bridle.php

[Stella2]

A hook is not permitted (I can't see one in the picture :confused: ). Neither is a port. A full cheek, hanging cheek or plain (dee ring, loose ring etc) snaffle (single or double jointed) is fine. Maybe try him in a hanging cheek with whatever mouthpiece he currantly likes.

[showjumper-zoe]

A hook is not permitted (I can't see one in the picture :confused: ). Neither is a port. A full cheek, hanging cheek or plain (dee ring, loose ring etc) snaffle (single or double jointed) is fine. Maybe try him in a hanging cheek with whatever mouthpiece he currantly likes.

It's a hook like this
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m222/showjumper-2k6/hook.jpg
what type of mouthpiece is similar to the one I posted before

[Stella2]

Ahh yes I see, not legal I'm afraid. Your mouthpiece looks like a classic Myler. The Myler snaffle without hooks is legal. They sell it in The Saddle Shop, Gateshead.

[showjumper-zoe]

The Myler snaffle without hooks is legal. They sell it in The Saddle Shop, Gateshead.

I was looking in there today but couldn't see a myler that looked dressage legal:confused: Would a myler full cheek without the hooks with a mouthpiece like this
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m222/showjumper-2k6/mouth.jpg
be legal? She like myler but if can't get a myler dressage legal will have to try something else.:)

[Stella2]

The basic Myler snaffle is legal. I think its called the MBO1, but the staff will advise you, they know what Myler is legal. Full cheek bits are legal, so if they do a Myler basic snaffle mouthpiece with full cheeks, that will be fine :)

ps - the MBO1 is like the one you have pictured.

[showjumper-zoe]

Ah ok thanks:D:D:D:D

[Stella2]

No probs, let us know when you are entered :)

[showjumper-zoe]

Haha, I am trying to put it off but someone on the yard is insisting. My lesson got cancelled today because of the ice:( I think i'll do my first one at Holmside Hall as I don't know really where else does it.

[mogadoga]

You dont need my help Zoe, Stella did all the talkin!

We dont have all of the mylers out in the shop, just a few to show what we have. If you call tomorrow heather could help you out by seeing what we actually have.

We also do a 2 week trial. You puchase the bit, and if brought back within the two weeks you will get your money back minus a £10 trial fee.

[mogadoga]

Holmside park do it too.. leaflets are in the shop for that one. Also todburn equestrian do http://www.todburnequestriancentre.co.uk/events.asp?Page=1

:)

[Stella2]

There is not much around in unaffiliated winter series. Druham dressage at Holmside Hall is on Saturday and the next is January 17th. Bluehouse Farm is a lovely, friendly venue, but only runs from April through September.

[showjumper-zoe]

Thanks Louise do you know how much roughtly a legal full cheek (obviously without hooks) with an MBO1 mouthpiece would be? I'm sure she'll go nicely in it as she likes her mylers as I'm looking into a combo for hacking but we don't do much hacking.

[showjumper-zoe]

Bluehouse Farm is a lovely, friendly venue, but only runs from April through September.

I think i'll try and aim for the January one :o Where can I get details on the blue house farm place when it starts (i've never heard of it). I hope leamside does some too when they get their indoor built as it's near me.

[showjumper-zoe]

Holmside park do it too.. leaflets are in the shop for that one. Also todburn equestrian do http://www.todburnequestriancentre.co.uk/events.asp?Page=1

:)

Thanks Louise:D

[mogadoga]

£50'ish id say. Sorry not much help! lol. I dont tend to do much regarding the mylers and its not something people buy daily, thats my guess ;)

[Stella2]

I last bought one about 2 years ago and I think it was about £54. A full cheek would probably be a bit more expensive. Bits don't seem to suffer rapidly with inflation, so I wouldn't expect them to have gone up much.

[Em 1]

Could you give an outline of your horse and it's needs?

1) Does your horse have a high/low/medium palate?
2) What breed, height, build and type is your horse?
3) What dressage level are you working at?
4) What do you mean by strong? How does her current bit stop her from being strong?

[Lgd]

BD rules here, scroll down and click on the equipment and dress section, 5th page in the pdf shows pics of permitted bits

http://www.britishdressage.co.uk/competitions/rules

Got to confess I'm not a big fan of the Myler bits for dressage, they are OK for the lower level stuff but once the horse is required to go in a higher level outline they seem to find the bit pressures move to the wrong places. Seen it happen in quite a few cases. I did try one on Tavia when they first became legal for dressage as loads of folk were raving abut them (curiosity killed the cat :rolleyes: ) - she was already at elementary/medium at the time and would only work in it if I let her slop along in a novice outline.

Just recently seen a similar reaction in a horse that was cracking out 70% scores at Novice and as he moved on training-wise his scores dropped dramatically owner was getting frustrated and asked me to watch her tests to see if I could pick up the problem. She'd already tried having him checked physically, saddle fit checked. He looked not so good in the contact but mouth not sore that we could see. She borrowed one of my bits for the second test and even with a too small bit he went quite well. She's now using a lozenged snaffle and the horse is going well again. Guess that it all ties in with the permitted Mylers all being level 1 bits?

From a rider POV I found it gave a very dead feel to the contact.

I mostly use the NS bits as I can get the thinner mouthpieces that suit my horses' mouth conformation. You can get trials of the NS bits through shop4bits

[ponylover88]

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