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Hussar
Bronze Member
Scotland
56 Posts |
 Posted - 05 May 2009 : 3:04:04 PM
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I have had minor bitting issues with my 10 yo Polish Arab since he was backed aged 4. He was backed in a Happy Mouth snaffle, which he soon chewed through. I replaced it with first a fulmer and then a dressage eggbutt snaffle, which is what I keep coming back to, after dalliances with a rubber pelham, a French link and most recently a Neue Schule hanging cheek tranz-lozenge Baucher (after a long chat with the helpful NS lady).
Basically he objects to my taking up the contact - headshaking, snatching and chewing - but does settle eventually if I persist. His teeth are checked every six months. He's fine in a hackamore (no brakes though) and I've tried a Dr Cook but it rubbed (his head has skin like wet tissue paper). I know he's got a thick tongue, and I suspect a low palate, which is why the latest venture was the linked snaffle, but he practically chewed through it on the first ride.
Has anyone else had similar problems and if so, how did you resolve them?
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brighe
Bronze Member
England
55 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2009 : 3:28:00 PM
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Hi,
if he has a thick tongue and a low palate, he may be happier in a straight bar bit either snaffle or pelham but they should be quie thin bits as he will find the thicker ones too big in his mouth and the jointed ones will poke into his palate when pressure is applied on the reins! I think it is all trial and error tho, its amazing what some horses are happy with yet others hate.
Good Luck |
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BeckyBoodle
Gold Member
Australia
795 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2009 : 7:45:09 PM
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I have been looking into Sprenger bits - see the thread in Panel I think and if your boy has a low palate it may be that one of their KK Utlra or RS Dynamics would suit although I am no expert, this is based on the great feedback I have had to my question about these bits.
Hope this helps
B |
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Henryhorse
New Member
England
2 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2009 : 07:06:25 AM
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| I had a problem with my lad with his tongue being thick and such a small mouth. I have found that the Myler low port comfort snaffle to be a godsend! No nutcracker action of the traditional jointed snaffle and the port gives his tongue the room he needs. If you find brakes become an issue, you can attach a curb chain which obviously only comes into play if needed. Worked for me! Good luck. |
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deebee
Silver Member
262 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2009 : 08:07:44 AM
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Hi; I'm new on here, part of the reason for coming was to discuss my horse's bitting issue as she has the same mouth! I did use a Myler comfort but haven't been happy with how she backs off it; I think she dislikes the squeezing she gets because of the double joint. I've tried her in a mullen snaffle and she likes this better, but I've been trying to find a straight mouth with a generous curve. The Peewee bit seems to fit the bill perfectly but I wanted to find people who've used it themselves! Especially if you need more brakes sometimes there's a system it uses to help with this too.
I also found she really likes a leather bit (I've tried pelham roundings and an Irish martingale) but it's not 'dressage legal' although tbh if it works best for her I'm not particularly bothered with that... |
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Zan
Platinum Member
Scotland
3213 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2009 : 08:42:23 AM
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There was an interesting topic recently about Hippus bits
http://www.arabianlines.com/forum1/topic_new.asp?TOPIC_ID=33761&SearchTerms=bits
I haven't used one myself, but had a look at them on line and it looks as if they could suit Arab mouths very well.
I just use a bog standard French Link---he hates nut cracker snaffles or straight bits----and 90% of the time I am happy with it but sometimes he isn't as quiet in the mouth as I would like, so was thinking about trying the Hippus. |
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Edited by - Zan on 06 May 2009 08:47:05 AM |
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Hussar
Bronze Member
Scotland
56 Posts |
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Arachnid
Platinum Member
England
1872 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2009 : 6:01:17 PM
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I have a few different ones but Spider definitely happiest in the thin French link followed by bizarrrely because I think it is quite a strong bit, a jointed pelham but I hardly ever use because it isnt dressage legal and two reins confuse me! What they have in common is that they are both quite thin bits and there is lots of 'play' in them. The pelham is a Fylde show one and I think the French link is a Neuscheule
The ones he has been least happy in are a straight bar happy mouth - it was MUCH too thick and too 'fixed' and sadly the myler combination which worked fine the first and second times I used it and the third time he refused to open his mouth. Enough said. Anyone want to buy a Myler combo? |
   
West Sussex |
Edited by - Arachnid on 06 May 2009 6:04:12 PM |
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shah
Gold Member
England
1356 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2009 : 08:43:42 AM
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| The PeeWee is an aquired taste, some horses love it, others don't. You can hire one on trial, which I did. My boy liked the actual bit but hated the rings on the side because they make a little bit of noise so he went worse and worse in it and it went back to the shop. |
West Sussex |
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LAK
Junior Member
England
42 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2009 : 12:50:56 PM
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Arachnid - Don't suppose your Myler combo is a 4.5"? If so is it long or short shank and how much do you want for it?
Lorna |
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Hussar
Bronze Member
Scotland
56 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2009 : 1:28:37 PM
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| My hired PeeWee arrived this morning so I shall report back later ... |
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woodsideendurance
New Member
4 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2009 : 2:05:39 PM
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I really like my Waterford snaffle. It has no nutcracker action because of the flexibility and sits nicely in their mouth. Also, due to the flexibility they can't grab hold of it and chew on it. It feels really gentle on their mouth and soon learn to relax their jaw but you can also put the breaks on when you need to.
I think you can get them fairly cheaply from a normal tack shop but the one I use is made out of Kangaroo metal which has copper and nickel which helps them to accept the bit.
good luck |
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Arachnid
Platinum Member
England
1872 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2009 : 11:10:46 PM
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Hi Lorna
Sorry have just sent it back to the bit bank but it was a 5 inch anyway so probably too big. Spider didnt like the nose pressure. Have ordered a myler hanging cheek french link instead.. |
West Sussex |
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wendy fowler
New Member
New Zealand
9 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2009 : 02:55:25 AM
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Hussar, If the peewee doesn't suit you might like to try an "english" hackamore. I use this on my Ben who has the same problems - low palate, big tongue - and he goes really sweetly in it. Absolutely no braking problems - proved yesterday when a plastic bag chased us down the road in the wind.
One of my friends uses a hackamore for training/hacking, but uses a bit for showing.
My little mare loathed the hackamore - too much metal and stuff. We ride out a lot in a rope halter, but for endurance rides I need to feel more in charge (she doesn't stop!), so we have a Myler low port comfort snaffle (sweet iron with copper inserts). MB40 mouthpiece. It has 5" shanks and a small rounded leather chin strap. She is incredibly responsive to it and keeps it very still in her mouth. I hope to get a little S hackamore - I've seen a few endurance horses in them and they look nicer - well I think so anyway. |
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wendy fowler
New Member
New Zealand
9 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2009 : 03:05:52 AM
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| Duh! You've tried the hackamore - sorry. Another thought is the Myler Mullen Barrel MB32 which has 3 pieces, but turns into a solid mouthpiece when asking for a stop. Also, a thinner bit is kinder than a fat one for most horses. |
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Hussar
Bronze Member
Scotland
56 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2009 : 5:27:50 PM
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| Wendy - I would love to ride him in a hackamore permanently but the no-brakes thing is a problem as I discovered on a ride a week ago when he pulled for 8kms downhill after going very sweetly for 8kms uphill ...! ATM I've tried the PeeWee once out hacking - head nice and still, which is an improvement, but still evasive when asked to stop, but I'll persevere and will do a Pleasure ride in it on Sunday. Today I lunged in it and was pleased to see he was perfectly settled in his mouth. So maybe we're getting there. |
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Hussar
Bronze Member
Scotland
56 Posts |
Posted - 19 May 2009 : 5:19:15 PM
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| Just updating - the PeeWee was a big success last Sunday. He seemed quite happy with his mouth and I had brakes, which was a relief. So, for the time being, I'll stick with it. |
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deebee
Silver Member
262 Posts |
Posted - 20 May 2009 : 4:43:10 PM
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| That's interesting, thanks! I thought I wouldn't want all those extra bits on it, so I've got my man working on a variation - seems to me that there are many arabs wanting that mouthpiece but not all the other attachments? |
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Hussar
Bronze Member
Scotland
56 Posts |
Posted - 21 May 2009 : 08:56:32 AM
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| deebee - the extra bits look fiddlier than they are. The 'shanks' simply exert pressure on the sides of the lower jaw, and the rings with the strap are primarily to prevent the bit sliding through - and for extra leverage if you need superbrakes! I guess they could be cut off easily enough. |
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deebee
Silver Member
262 Posts |
Posted - 21 May 2009 : 11:25:15 AM
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Hm but I wonder what my horse would think of pressure on the jaw like that?
Sounds like it might be easier to get one and get him to take the bits off, though! I could be waiting a while for him to make one... |
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wendy fowler
New Member
New Zealand
9 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2009 : 04:34:28 AM
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Hussar, so good that you and your boy are happy with the PeeWee. Made me laugh a bit you describing the 8k charge - I always rode with a rope halter until the day that my wee Bindi decided to catch up with the group that had gone out of sight up ahead. She took off, and we shot along the race-way of the dairy farm we were riding through - probably 3ks, with the encouragement of farm workers who stopped to watch. Fortunately we came to an open hill and she slowed down enough for me to turn her and finally stop.
Needless to say, a bit was on top of the shopping list after that, but it took me a good while to decide on the myler. She's so cool with it now  ') that I'm thinking of moving up to a level 3 when I have the spare cash. But definitely no more halters on a ride!
Incidently I have heard that the happy mouths have been discontinued now ( too easy to chew through), and on another forum it was reported that a copper roller had snapped during a showjumping round.  The rider bailed, and was unhurt, but what a scare that would be! |
Edited by - wendy fowler on 24 May 2009 04:35:47 AM |
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