Straight bar mullen and myler bits

Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins

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Oct 10, 2004
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I have always ridden Ben in a loose ring french link snaffle. He came with this and I have never considered changing it.

At camp, the RI said that the bit was sliding through his mouth too much and that my hands were not steady enough to correct this. As my hands were moving, his head was moving in response and it was proving very difficult to get him to work into the contact.

She changed his bit to a straight bar mullen eggbutt snaffle. This is a training bit which encourages the horse to accept the contact and gives them something more solid to work with. When we rode in this bit, he was instantly amazing. He was much happier and as long as I kept my hands still (which is hard for me) he took the contact and developed a lovely forward bouncy trot which I have never felt before.

I had to give the bit back and couldn't find another in any of my tackshops so a friend (who is very knowegable about bits) has lent me a myler mullen eggbut snaffle. This is similar to a straight bar but allows slightly more room for the tongue (good for a big horse) and has a slight joint at each side to allow for steering. I have ridden in this twice and he seems to like it.

The RI and my friend said that big heavy horses often work better into more solid bits. That is why cobs generally go so well in pelhams.

So has anyone got any comments or opinions. Does anyone else use these bits, and if you have a heavy horse, which bit do you use?
 
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I am away from home so lack the name but Rashid recommends and sells a snaffle bit which gives more stability and stops sideways slip if a riders hands are unsteady. I gave one to a friend who loved it.
 
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I've used a hanging cheek jointed snaffle with Toby for a long time. I'm pleased you found such a difference, you've got me wondering about trying a Mullen mouth with Toby just to see if it makes any difference. I used to ride him in a Mullen mouth Pelham with two reins with great success but swapped to the snaffle for dressage purposes.
 
Good to hear he liked it, Jess really dislikes jointed bits, she has a smallish mouth, with a fat tongue and not a lot of height to her palette so for her a mullen bit (or even better no bit) is the way to go with her, she doesn't even settle as well in a myler comfort snaffle as there is too much movement in it for her so we have either a low port kimblewick or a mullen Pelham that we use as I struggled to find a mullen snaffle, I'll be interested if you do find one?
 
eventerbabe said:
I've used a hanging cheek jointed snaffle with Toby for a long time. I'm pleased you found such a difference, you've got me wondering about trying a Mullen mouth with Toby just to see if it makes any difference. I used to ride him in a Mullen mouth Pelham with two reins with great success but swapped to the snaffle for dressage purposes.
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Some people have suggested the hanging cheek, but I don't want to add the increased poll pressure which it brings.
 
Jessey said:
Good to hear he liked it, Jess really dislikes jointed bits, she has a smallish mouth, with a fat tongue and not a lot of height to her palette so for her a mullen bit (or even better no bit) is the way to go with her, she doesn't even settle as well in a myler comfort snaffle as there is too much movement in it for her so we have either a low port kimblewick or a mullen Pelham that we use as I struggled to find a mullen snaffle, I'll be interested if you do find one?
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The RI at camp said that we really need to reduce the movement of the bit in his mouth as the french link was being pulled from side to side. It made me feel really ignorant as I knew the bit was moving, but it never crossed my mind to change it. And no-one else has ever suggested it either.

I phoned round 6 tack shops on Saturday looking for a straight bar mullen and hardly anyone knew what I was talking about! I have seen them on-line but now I have the myler I don't think I will bother with the other.
 
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Mary Poppins said:
Some people have suggested the hanging cheek, but I don't want to add the increased poll pressure which it brings.
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I watched a very interesting video from a bit designer recently that said the poll pressure is actually barely anything from a hanging cheek, but that it acts more to stabilize the mouth piece, which makes sense as without a curb strap/chain there is nothing really to give leverage on the poll unless you are pulling extremely hard (obviously I don't mean to imply you ever would) I will see if I can find the video again to share
 
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Jessey said:
I watched a very interesting video from a bit designer recently that said the poll pressure is actually barely anything from a hanging cheek, but that it acts more to stabilize the mouth piece, which makes sense as without a curb strap/chain there is nothing really to give leverage on the poll unless you are pulling extremely hard (obviously I don't mean to imply you ever would) I will see if I can find the video again to share
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The RI who changed my bit said that an eggbutt snaffle rather than a loose ring would help hugely in keeping the bit still in his mouth, but still emphaised that it was so important that my hands are level and still so that all he feels from me is a constant contact that he can work into. We didn't talk about the hanging cheek but from previous discussions I have always thought that they are regarded as the 'strongest' snaffle bit and are used for horses who can be a little strong?
 
Sorry if you don't have facebook, the videos were posted by a polo player when he talked to the bit designer, but it gives some interesting points on the differences in mouthpieces vs breeds & structure etc
https://www.facebook.com/GavSays/videos?fref=photo
watching it back now this may not be the one about the hanging cheek stabilizing the bit, but its still interesting :P I think we were always told they were a stronger bit, but we were told stronger bits were best for strong horses too and we see here that isn't always true..... a mullen hanging cheek would be low bar, tongue and pallet pressure due to being mullen, and the hanging cheek doesn't alter the action too much
ETA I can't find that video, but found that the aus bit bank has a different opinion than the Uk one, which basically says similar to what the video did
https://bitbankaustralia.wordpress....ut-the-baucher-snaffle-bit-rattling-the-cage/
 
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Sure is, I learnt a trick with testing western bits and their actions - grab the mouthpiece in your fist (from the back) with the curb if it has one under the wrist and if you want to check poll action hold the head piece up taught with your other hand, then use your free hand if you have one or have someone else take a contact on the reins (gently) back towards you, I learnt a lot about joints, single, double, different types etc from doing this.
 
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I have never used a curb bit but I always assumed that the tighter you do up the chain, the more severe it is. I have been told that the opposite it true. If the curb is tight there is less room for rotation and it's more mild. Does that make sense?
 
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A tight curb increases curb pressure and bar pressure but decreases poll and lip pressure, so a tight or loose curb can increase and reduce pressure in different places, 1 link difference can make the difference between a horse going over bent or correctly on the bit or in front of the bit.... minefield!
 
@Skib the bit MR likes is the Rockin S Snaffle. I have switched all my horses to it as they all went better in it than whatever they were in before.
@Jessey Rockin S to a ported version specifically for horses with fat tongues.
 
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Bits are a minefield eh! Ziggy used to be in a Neue Schule hanging cheek lozenge. I recently changed it to an eggbutt because I felt the bit slid around in his mouth too much. I think he prefers this bit, because his mouth looks more comfortable, but it hasn't made a ha'porth of difference to his way of going!
 
Mary Poppins said:
Some people have suggested the hanging cheek, but I don't want to add the increased poll pressure which it brings.
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It isn't a huge amount of poll pressure tbh. I have one for Roxy and it's not severe, I find that or a full cheek snaffle just help with steering.
 
Well all I know is Belle loves the Myler bit she has, the low port comfort snaffle.
It's the only bit I've tried her in that she doesn't have either a paddy about or takes hold of it and runs! We've been using this for about 18 months with no problems at all.
 
Kite_Rider said:
Well all I know is Belle loves the Myler bit she has, the low port comfort snaffle.
It's the only bit I've tried her in that she doesn't have either a paddy about or takes hold of it and runs! We've been using this for about 18 months with no problems at all.
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Just googled the 'myler low port comfort snaffle' and this is what I have been given. I am getting in a muddle with names! I am pleased that someone else uses one. Have you had any problems with it? Ben seems to go really well in it so far.
 
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