I just bought some rubber bit guards and am having a heck of a time getting them on my snaffle.... How on earth?!
How do you get them on?! bit guards!
- Thread starter BeachRiding
- Start date
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 
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!
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.
i use hot water, two loops of string through either side and a friend to pull in the opposite direction!
V
vieshot
Guest
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!
LOl - it took me 4 hors the otehr week to get some on before I realised that heat would make them expand!
S
S_F_S
Guest
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!
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!
P
Pink's lady
Guest
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' - you still need two people and two bits of string. But having spent 20mins struggling without vasline it took 2mins with.
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'
- you still need two people and two bits of string. But having spent 20mins struggling without vasline it took 2mins with.
Still haven't got around to doing this, but I did have a dream about putting bit guards on last night...
old_woman
a VERY senior citizen
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.
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.
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...
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.
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