Bit for arab!

H

heatonmoor

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Dec 26, 2007
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Hi I am part loaning a gelded arab at the moment who has not been schooled for at least a year and would like some advice on the type of bit he should be wearing, he is currently wearing a single bit with a single rein but is to strong to stop in canter and keeps running off with me.

Any suggestions would be greatly recieved and anybody with a arab and has the same problem it would be good to hear from you.

Many thanks and look forward to hearing from you soon

Lucy
 
Arabs tend not to like the nut cracker action of single jointed bits as they have a lower palate than in other horses. I have a french link hanging cheek snaffle for my Arab.
Alot of people with Arabs have found the Myler bit is the best for Arab horses. But they are expensive! Maybe just try the french link hanging cheek as he could not be stoping becuase its uncomfortable. This bit gives you a bit of poll pressure too!

Here is my girl in her bridle

poles22.jpg
 
Why not start in the snaffle, and give it a go for a month? Do some suppling exercises, and give the bit a fair shot ;) Hon is the same ..

Otherwise I'd go for the Kimblewick. That's what Hon is in at the moment, and she's on the second hole (VERY VERY harsh for her, and she's rock solid in the mouth, so to speak). Am working our way back to a snaffle (she runs through it.)

Or alternate? That's what I also am doin :)
 
Pickle does like a single joint snaffle but he puts his tongue over it, so he is in a french link, I would love to try him in a myler, just need to find someone with one the right size that I can borrow to try as he is very funny about bits
 
Arabmare said:
Arabs tend not to like the nut cracker action of single jointed bits as they have a lower palate than in other horses. I have a french link hanging cheek snaffle for my Arab.
Alot of people with Arabs have found the Myler bit is the best for Arab horses. But they are expensive! Maybe just try the french link hanging cheek as he could not be stoping becuase its uncomfortable. This bit gives you a bit of poll pressure too!

Here is my girl in her bridle

poles22.jpg
Click to expand...

I second that - dishy picture btw! :p

May I just add that no bit is going to stop your horse from running you and being unstoppable: he can still do it and he will still want to do it, so instead you have to work out why he does it (have his back, tack and teeth checked and a physio perhaps) rather than just fopcussing on the symptoms rather than the problem itself. The situation is a problem in its own right, regardless of which bit you currently use. Perhaps some private lessons and/or quality time spent on the lunge working on how you can use your body position to maximum effectiveness will help and practising in the school slowing your horse down. A critical look at his feeding, turnout and general regime may help too.
Be careful that your hrose is not running away from bit pressure.

:-)

xx
 
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i have one arab in a copper eggbutt snaffle and one in the loose ring roller snaffle. As arabmare said, most arabs have a low palatte so the single joint doesn't usually work well (hence why my mare is in the loose ring roller).

my mare worked really well in a hackamore (for breaks) but the cheekpieces would creep up to her eyes (because of her narrow nose :rolleyes: ) and some horses don't like that much pressure on their nose and take off from fear. She came to me in a loose ring snaffle that was really thick... i had no breaks at all (i was very small too ;))
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but i did trust her completely and if i really wanted to stop i head towards the fence and she'd stop (so thankful she's not a jumper!) My RI suggested that i try the loose ring roller snaffle (happy mouth) and lent one to me, then i bought one :D
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it encourages them to soften to the bit more and doesn't stick into the palette like the single jointed. not for everyone but worth a try, i really had no breaks at all but was young and trust my horse so it didn't phase me :p
 
dont most arabs have small mouths and big toungs?(maybe im thinking of a differnt breed) if they do wouldnt they be more comfy in a bit with a thinner mouthpiece not sure if thats any help though
 
Hrm, bearing I know nothing about bits... :p

BUT... if shes going to continue to run off with you if put in a kimblewick... her mouth will just get harder, stronger and more numb. It happened to a pony at the riding school.... not because beginners were being tough on the reins with him... but because he continued to bolt properly around the school, setting his neck!:eek: In the end he got sold as he was literally too strong - the strongest pony I've ever ridden for sure!

Is there any reason you think she may be running off in canter? Saddle fit? Psychological problems from an ill fitting saddle making her think the saddle is going to hurt and be painful when really its fine fits... ?
 
my welsh mare can be strong and has a big toungue and low palette and also hates jointed bits. I rider her in a kimblewick (one without slots) and i have brakes! Although i am going to try her in a mullen mouth as that will give me a 'dressage legal' bit but the straight bar should hopefully suit her.
 
vimto92 said:
Hrm, bearing I know nothing about bits... :p

BUT... if shes going to continue to run off with you if put in a kimblewick... her mouth will just get harder, stronger and more numb. It happened to a pony at the riding school.... not because beginners were being tough on the reins with him... but because he continued to bolt properly around the school, setting his neck!:eek: In the end he got sold as he was literally too strong - the strongest pony I've ever ridden for sure!

Is there any reason you think she may be running off in canter? Saddle fit? Psychological problems from an ill fitting saddle making her think the saddle is going to hurt and be painful when really its fine fits... ?
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I completely agree, stronger bits aren't always the first answer and a kimblewick is a big jump, if you really want a stronger boit then try slightly gentler ones before rather than jumping straight in with something quite so strong as I persona;;y think that would cause a lot more problems!

Just my personal opinion though, I'm not knocking anyone...:)
 
skips and soda said:
I completely agree, stronger bits aren't always the first answer and a kimblewick is a big jump, if you really want a stronger boit then try slightly gentler ones before rather than jumping straight in with something quite so strong as I persona;;y think that would cause a lot more problems!

Just my personal opinion though, I'm not knocking anyone...:)
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just to mention a kimblewick is not a pareticularly strong bit especially in horses that don't like single jointed bits because of their nutcracker action. A kimblwick my mare finds kinder then a jointed loose ring happy mouth snaffle i used to ride her in as the nutcracker action seemed to cause her such pain.

bit conformation and the hands using them play a huge part. A non-slotted kimblewick especially can be as gentle as a snaffle, in some circumstances more so.

Also my mare is lighter in a kimblewick and doesn't set her jaw like she does in a snaffle. she doesn't set or rresist against it becuase she doesn't mind the action of it.
 
Yeah, I know it's not as hugely strong as others, but it is still a pretty strong bit to move straight into without trying a few others first, that's what I meant. Sorry, really tired and not making myself very clear today! Lol! We used one on an old pony of mine who was very strong, it worked on him but we did try an awful lot of bits before we put him in the kimblewick. He liked it though and it was the one bit he was more controllable in, even though it wasn't so strong as some we had been told to put him in (which we didn't).

All depends on riders hands, and the way they use the bit. :)
 
skips and soda said:
a kimblewick is a big jump, if you really want a stronger boit then try slightly gentler ones before rather than jumping straight in with something quite so strong as I persona;;y think that would cause a lot more problems!
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There is no such thing as a strong bit, just bad hands! i dont really get why kimblewicks are seen as being so strong? same as pelhams? king has always been in a snaffle as far as i know, put him in a straight bar pelham last weekend and he went fantastically! A bit is only strong when used in the wrong way or when a horse dislikes it. because of the nutcracker action, snaffles are disliked by a lot of horses. see if someone else has another bit you can try before investing in your own!

*steps off soapbox* please dont eat me!:o

xXx
 
crazyhorse97 said:
There is no such thing as a strong bit, just bad hands! i dont really get why kimblewicks are seen as being so strong? same as pelhams? king has always been in a snaffle as far as i know, put him in a straight bar pelham last weekend and he went fantastically! A bit is only strong when used in the wrong way or when a horse dislikes it. because of the nutcracker action, snaffles are disliked by a lot of horses. see if someone else has another bit you can try before investing in your own!

*steps off soapbox* please dont eat me!:o

xXx
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Though I do agree with skips and soda, I don't think you need to worry :p It can't really be claimed that 'strong' bits really are only as strong as the hands that use them because, although that is true in a sense, what would be the point in using a 'strong' bit if it truly were as mild as a simple snaffle, say? Although a 'strong' bit in soft hands is definitely kinder than a horse being yanked around in a snaffle (of which can still be severe) they do have a stronger effect when used, hence why it is easier to use them gently (and it would be wise to use them so).

xx
 
thanks

thanks for the advice I am meeting with the owner tommorrow and going to give her some suggestions and to ask if we can get a expert to come and give us some advice as he does have bad teeth and would hate to see him wearing the wrong bit and add more problems.

xxx
 
Bit for Arab

Read your post and wondering how you got on?

Having a similar problem - exuberant part Arab! - have you tried another bit and if so with success?
 
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