bit for my horse?

[missyL]

hi, my horse has a very sensitive mouth so is only in an eggbutt snaffle but has recently become very strong. they wear a grackle and a martingale but still are very strong and recently has started bombing and left me with no brakes. i have tried a hanging cheek snaffle but this made very little difference, what bit would you advise?:confused:

[helenhorse]

i would advice a Dr bristol or a common losingure which is just a double jointed bit like Dr Bristol! it gives tounge pressure and makes them respect the bit!:)
hope i cud help

[eml]

Lots of questions::

When do you use the grackle and why, does the horse open its mouth, cross its jaw or?

When and why do you use the martingale, does the horse throw its head up suddenly or just gradually get above the level you have control?

What sort of horse do you have, what work does it do.

Sorry for the questions but not all ways of bitting suit all horses so trying to narrow it down to a few options!!

Most of ours have simple snaffles for schooling but various other bits/nosebands for more exciting work.

[missyL]

Lots of questions::

When do you use the grackle and why, does the horse open its mouth, cross its jaw or?

When and why do you use the martingale, does the horse throw its head up suddenly or just gradually get above the level you have control?

What sort of horse do you have, what work does it do.

Sorry for the questions but not all ways of bitting suit all horses so trying to narrow it down to a few options!!

Most of ours have simple snaffles for schooling but various other bits/nosebands for more exciting work.

he wears the grackle and martingale all the time, if i don't ride with the martingale then he rears and the grackle stops him from crossing his jar or opening his mouth (he does mouth at different times). he is a grey tb, 12yrs and used to race. at the moment he has an eggbutt snaffle but he still runs away with me so i need something slightly stronger and the hanging cheek didn't make much difference. i also can't go to strong because he is quite sensitive in his mouth, any help you can give me will be greatly appreicated as i am at my wits end with him!

[eml]

Ex racehorses seem to need to be bitted for the occasion.

Daughter's G wears a slotted kimblewick and grackle (yes I know the theory you don't mix curb action with closing mouth but it works) for hunting and XC, double for dressage and showing and snaffle for schooling in confined spaces. For hacking she has a wardrobe of bits which we cycle around and seems to need surprising.

This is a mare however that an ex jockey judge pulled in well up the line at a county show before the judges ride and came back saying 'it was like coming out of the starting stalls again'

Ideally you want to aim to stop on finger control and if that means going up the bitting/noseband ladder then that is better than deadening your horses mouth by pulling.

I am a bit concerned at using a martingale on a rearing horse. If my horse is going to rear I would rather it had full freedom of its neck to balance. it is unusual to have a horse that runs away, (flight action and thinking forwards) and rears (panic and failure to move forward) Is he/she really rearing or rather launching (feels like a rear followed by taking off) these need different tactics.

[puzzles]

Rather than go for a stronger bit (I don't think strength is what you need as the stronger you go, the more uncomfortable and resisting your mare will probably be) I would go for a bit that applies pressure not only on the tongue and bars of the mouth, as this will most likely cause resistance and discomfort on your mare's part.
I recommend one from the Myler range (i.e. a short shank ... check the website below) which applies pressure on the nose, jaw and poll when initial rein pressure is applied. This encourages the horse to relax his jaw, drop his head and relax into the contact. Only when greater pressure is induced does the bit really come into action. This allows your horse to relax more and obey without being afraid of her mouth being hurt.
The short shank Myler bit combination worked really well for a horse at my previous yard (a TB) who was sensitive but not very responsive to the bit, becoming behind the bit and strong when strong pressure was applied.
Would perhaps a hackamore help?

:-)

xx

[missyL]

Ex racehorses seem to need to be bitted for the occasion.

Daughter's G wears a slotted kimblewick and grackle (yes I know the theory you don't mix curb action with closing mouth but it works) for hunting and XC, double for dressage and showing and snaffle for schooling in confined spaces. For hacking she has a wardrobe of bits which we cycle around and seems to need surprising.

This is a mare however that an ex jockey judge pulled in well up the line at a county show before the judges ride and came back saying 'it was like coming out of the starting stalls again'

Ideally you want to aim to stop on finger control and if that means going up the bitting/noseband ladder then that is better than deadening your horses mouth by pulling.

I am a bit concerned at using a martingale on a rearing horse. If my horse is going to rear I would rather it had full freedom of its neck to balance. it is unusual to have a horse that runs away, (flight action and thinking forwards) and rears (panic and failure to move forward) Is he/she really rearing or rather launching (feels like a rear followed by taking off) these need different tactics.

he won't rear with the martingale on which is why he wears it. i have never had a problem with him trying to rear with it on.

puzzles - i would prefer not to go bitless as a don't like how much pressure they apply on the poll and nose etc.

[missyL]

bump;)

[missyL]

Bump!! :)

[wedney]

puzzles - i would prefer not to go bitless as a don't like how much pressure they apply on the poll and nose etc.

Not all bitless bridles are the same, only shanked hackamores put a lot of pressure on the nose and poll and only then if you pull.
However much force it takes to hurt the nose and poll in a hackamore causes as much pain in the mouth if use use the same amount of force.

Many bitless bridles are mild, great for sensitive mouthed horses - even strong ones.