Does anyone here use a myler combination bit?

[Bebe]

I'm currently riding Bebe in a short shank myler combination bit as she's told me that this is what she's happiest in (and she's going wonderfully or at least she did last night).

The only problem with it is that no matter what I do the front of the noseband section drops very low on her face, too low IMO though Bebe hasn't complained. Before buying this bit I borrowed one from a friend and she has the same problem on her horse so it's not just a Bebe thing.

Does anyone here use one and if so, do you have the same problem? Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep the noseband where it should be? I've tried vetwrapping it but that doesn't work either.

I'm going to the Myler clinic that KadyA posted about at the end of the month so can ask the experts then hopefully, but it'd be nice to solve the problem beforehand if possible.

Thanks
Amanda

[Demson]

Basically sounds like your cheek pieces are too long or you just haven't adjusted the noseband enough, I use a combination on my 13.2hh and its fitted perfectly once I adjusted it.

[Volvic]

Sky has one & we've had the same problem as you Bebe. The noseband bit kept slipping down & ending up about the same place as a drop should be & I couldnt tighten it up as the "string" had stretched. Her owner rung Gills Bit Bank (where she bought the bit) & they replaced the noseband bit for free (well we had to pay p+p).

Have you tried soaking the hard bit of the noseband in hot water to soften it & then shape it around Bebe's nose? This may help to keep it in place.

Good luck :D

[Bebe]

I give up on the damn thing!

Alf, I have adjusted the cheekpieces so that the bit rests in the appropriate place in Bebe's mouth. If I lift the bit any higher she starts to object and opens her mouth. I've adjusted the noseband so it's as tight as I dare take it (punched in extra holes)and the front still falls down. I think by tightening it this much the effect is negated as the pressure is constant as Bebe ends up leaning on the reins even with a very light contact and tons of leg, so I'd not be willing to do this on a long term basis, even if it worked.

Volvic, I did soak the rawhide and didn't find a difference. I went as far as cutting the rawhide off this weekend to see if it was just the weight of it making it drop but nope, still does it. It's dropping so low it almost looks like a drop noseband.

I think I might just cut the noseband off and use the bit as a sort of hanging cheek snaffle. Flaming thing!

[Demson]

Yeah that is another problem shorted the cheek pieces and the bit sits too high and I too found that soaking the noseband did not work.

I tried to soak mine to soften it as it was rubbing and ended up fitting a sheepskin noseband onto it instead as it just stayed as hard as ever.
To get my bit to fit I had to buy shetland sized cheek pieces as all the pony ones were to long.

I don't use my bit now basically as through Parelli he has become better in himself to handle in the fields but I keep it just in case LOL

Plus at £80 I don't intend giivng it away.

I ride in my KK bit now.

[joy70]

i used one for toddy,

my noseband used to drop down too, but when i asked at the bit bank about the position of the noseband they said not to worry bout it :(

[MeMe]

My YO uses one on his mare, he says the noseband dropping isent a problem and only comes into play when it needs to.

I havent used one myself though, so just asked him about it.

[Bebe]

I had another look at the noseband last night and think that it should be okay, I've taken the rawhide off and it's not dropping quite as low. I think I might wrap the string in vetwrap to be on the safe side though.

I only use it as Bebe seems most comfy in this out of any bit I've tried. I suspect it's the noseband action (as I rarely seem to activate the bit) so might look into bitless for schooling and use the combi for hacking. I've tried bitless before and have ruled it out for hacking, at least hacking in company anyway.

[Yann]

Especially if that company is called Rio;):D

[Bay Mare]

I hacked Saff out with Rio bitless (Dually Halter with reins) there was only one, small, incident ;) http://www.menshealth.gr/media/emoticons/smiley-scared.png Also she wasn't easy to stop in it once she got galloping, I got her back into a nice canter once but then she saw Rio 'getting away' so set off again.

I have to say, though, that I didn't feel that I had the same control but then I've never hacked her out in the Hackamore so I don't know what she would be like in that. I find the Hackamore ok in the school though and she responds quite well to it.

[Bebe]

Does anyone have control when they're out with Rio :D I think she's a bad influence!

I've hacked Bebe in a scawbrig before and don't care to repeat the experience. I did all the right things, got her used to it in the school, went for a short walk up and down the field, etc and all was fine. Got into the woods and she realised that if she stargazed the bridle didn't work quite so well, cue an hours hack at speed walk with me desperately praying she didn't leg it. I tried an english hackamore in the school, she just leant on it, so I never tried it beyond that. I think she probably does prefer bitless (if only because she can ignore it) but I need the bit as backup for when she decides to ignore the noseband.

Bebe's not easy to stop at all once she's galloping, I try to avoid it unless I have a few miles of safe ground in front of me!

[joy70]

bebe

how about a bitless with a BIT - yeah i know that sounds mad, but i bought one of those bitless bridles, and the lady said that if i was concerned about no brakes etc., you could attach a bit o.k. so i spose it means 2 sets of reins, but then you have the beauty of using the bitless for steady work, and you have a bit in their mouth as back up if they decide to leg it!

[Bebe]

Joy, it might work, I think Libbys Scawbrigs can have a bit attached if you buy the extra clip cheekpieces.

I don't mind using two reins either, used 2 on a pelham for ages with no problems.

[joy70]

i use 2 reins on a pelham too, cannot ride with a single rein now, feels really strange, but the woman did say if you have the extra cheek pieces you can do it that way!

let me know how you get on :D