bitting youngsters

[Sam and Blake]

when you bit a youngster how long do you use a mouthing bit for?do you usually break them in whilst still using a mouthing bit or is it best to change to a normal snaffle bit after mouthing to break them in with.because i was thinking of using a mouthing bit for a week then breaking her in with a full cheek snaffle and then changing her into a sweet iron loose ring french link for schooling after ive broken her.

thanks for your help xxx

[holiday]

I think there are so many views on your question everyone will have a different view!! I do a lot of breaking and have always started them off in a loose ring french link as i think there isnt so much for them to think about!! Its loose ring so they cant lean on it, and its double jointed so it lies flat rather than sticking in the roof of the mouth when used. BUT!!! some horses cant cope with it and you need to try a different maybe a snaffle or loose ring snaffle i tend not to use a mouthing bit as i find it makes them a bit "gobby" as they try to play too much i also try to find something i intend to carry on with rather than confusing them by keep changing!!! I had a horse that totally refused a frenchlink recently and would only accept an eggbutt snaffle.

Go with how your horse wants not what the book says!!!! The best thing is to lunge in side reins (not too tight) quietly and do loads of long reining to produce a really good mouth. They terll you if they are ready - go by instinct. Touch wood all my breakers have been fantastic and never put a foot wrong. The ground work is more important than anything!!!

[mogadoga]

Like above, everyone will have a totally different opinion. Personally id say loose ring snaffle. BUT DO NOT mess around with bits, will harden the horses mouth and just cause problems when older, eg horse too strong etc.

Definatly do what your horse is fine with, shes enjoying a full cheek then keep it, if not then get something she likes. This is when you determine how your horse takes the bit etc. And im sure you dont want an unhappy horse refusing to open their mouth! xx good luck!

[Sam and Blake]

ok im thinking use a mouthing bit for a week and then do in hand work in a mouthing bit and then when she goes on the lunge im putting her in a loose ring french link and its going to be sweet iron so she'll love that!

does that soundvok?

[nutkin]

When horses are backed at our yard we use a mouthing bit for the first week and then go for a full cheek as that assists with teaching them to steer.It seems to work well for us.

[Aphrodite]

Hi!

Echo what someone else has said on here and don't faff about too much with the bits. :)

Disco had a breaking bit (with keys) for the first week or so which I would leave on in the stable for ten mins building up to half hour at a time for her to play with and get used to.

After that I got her a sweet iron french link with the copper lozenge (it's loose ring not fixed so she can't lean). She seems to love it. A french link is sometimes more gentle than an single jointed snaffle as it doesn't hit the roof of the mouth nor pinch the tongue so much, but that depends on your horses mouth conformation.

Don't stress about it too much. Once you've changed from the breaking bit, try lunging her with the bit in, but don't lunge her from the bit, only from the noseband of the cavesson. This will help her get used to working whilst the bit is in her mouth but doesn't place any emphasis on the bit at all. Gradually as he/she comes along you'll be able to lunge with very loose side reins (still lunging from the cavesson) and gradually tighten them so she gets used to a light contact for when you break her.

It is up to you at a later point whether you lunge from the bit, but I haven't found it necessary with Disco.

Had my first ride off the lunge with her yesterday (yippee!!), in her little french link, and she was lovely.

I can only speak from my experience, but my advice would be to start at the lightest most gentle bit you can find (possibly hollow bit) if you can and build up if necessary. As along as the bit you have suits your horse's mouth conformation you should be fine. If you do use a full cheeck, don;t forget the 'keepers' to keep it in place. :)

Hope I don;t sound too 'know it all' (I really don't know it all! - as you can tell!) but I find bits a fascinating subject! :rolleyes:

[Aphrodite]

PS: re lungeing, don't know the age of your horse so this may not be appropriate! Sorry!!!!

[de_Stille_een]

...I've just finished breaking a colt, and I chose an eggbutt snaffle for him- we put it in before we feed him and let him eat in it, and before you know it, he doesn't mind the bit at all!

Before we rode him in the bit, though, we actually just rode him in a cavesson (just the crown and a noseband- you can get them in most feed stores or western tack supplies) in the round pen- however, beware that you must use and opening rein instead of a direct rein when asking horses to turn in a cavesson. By the time we introduced the bit, he was already well versed in the use of reins, so we didn't have to worry about confusing him with the new feel of the bit and learning how to respond to reins at the same time. The first few rides we bitted him, we left the reins attached to the cavesson and just did our normal routine with the bit in his mouth, but not functional at all. When we finally clipped the reins to the bit, he was perfectly accepting of it.