How do you get them on?! bit guards!

[BeachRiding]

I just bought some rubber bit guards and am having a heck of a time getting them on my snaffle.... How on earth?!:eek:

[chickflick1066]

I think you're supposed to emerse them in hot water until they get a bit more flexible and then attach them.. Not 100% sure on that one though :)

[Widget]

Soak in hot water. Tie a bit of bail string tight on opposite sides of guard and a bit of string to bit ring. Thread string from bit through bit guard. Tie bit string to a post or door handle. Pull evenly on both strings on bit guard until it pops onto bit ring. Takes a bit of force and is made easier if you apply a little oil. Using the string stops your fingers getting pinched!:D

[*katie*]

I'd been wondering if there was a technique to it too! thanks :D!

[BeachRiding]

Thanks you two! Really helps, will try that tomorrow and report back! :p

[Cupcake]

Using hot water works :D I did it 2 days ago.

[Iron Maiden]

It's a bit of a challenge, I use a variation of the Widget method. Tie 2 circles of baling twine onto the bit guard, loop one over a doorknob, pull the other with one hand & shove the bit ring through with the other hand when you've pulled the hole wide enough.

[Roofio]

i use hot water, two loops of string through either side and a friend to pull in the opposite direction!

[vieshot]

Use three people! Have two strings through the bit ring, one person pulls one way, another person pulls the other way and the third pushes the bit through!

[coss]

emerse in boiling hot water - when you can finally put your hand in the water after it cool stretch over the bit

[kat1]

LOl - it took me 4 hors the otehr week to get some on before I realised that heat would make them expand!:D

[S_F_S]

I have another variation. Thread two long lengths of string through tyhe bit guard and knot off - so you have two seperate loops coming off it.

Loop one over a high, fixed point (such as door handle) and then put your foot through the other and push down - leaves both hands free to fiddle with the bit guard!

[Pink's lady]

Vasiline (petroeum jelly). Seriously, it makes the world of difference.

I found hot soaking makes no difference at all but a quick smear of vasiline around the hole, with a little on the bit's rings allows it to just slide on. Well, maybe not 'just':o - you still need two people and two bits of string. But having spent 20mins struggling without vasline it took 2mins with.

[EmsnMaisie]

I just used brute force on mine. I am tiny but mighty!

[alanalovesfinn]

vaseline?

[BeachRiding]

Still haven't got around to doing this, but I did have a dream about putting bit guards on last night...:eek:

[wila]

I find hot water is useless and I use fairy liquid as a lubricant - only one person is needed then!

[old_woman]

Using Vaseline will ensure that the protectors deteriorate much faster than normal - especially if you don't wash it off immediately and thoroughly.

Fairy liquid (or any other thick detergent - not the really cheap 'own brands') works beautifully, as described, as does KY jelly, or lambing/calving lubricant, which is virtually the same as KY and which you can buy in litre and larger containers at the agricultural supplies store.

[Back2Black]

With great difficulty is all I can add... :lol: I have yet to try the string method though... Wonder if this works for martingale rings aswelll...

[Cochise]

Very interesting! I've always wondered that myself! Along with getting those rubber bell boots on that don't have fastenings. I tried once very unsuccessfully. Cheeky hated me for about a week afterwards and the boots went back for ones with velcro fastenings. :D

[Trio]

butter or cooking oil always works for me.