Acavallo Bit Gaurd, And Help With Bit Pinching

[Libby416]

I have had it with bits pinching my mare. Despite the conventional bit guards, and trying the sealtex method of protecting her lips, she still gets pinched. Its way better with the eggbut cheltenham gag, but even with that she still gets rubs.

So has anyone ever used these before? I’m worried they’d stretch out over time, but am curious if they actually work.

Suggestions welcome!

[ElisLove]

I like these
http://www.amazon.com/Intrepid-International-Neoprene-Velcro-Guards/dp/B000RAA49A
my horse is also one to always get pinches or rubs from loose rings and the usual guards have just way too big of holes to be helpful. These solved that problem and are super cheap.

[Pancakes]

I have those bit guards because I had the same problem. They do not stretch and they work very well. That said they are kind of hard to clean but they stay soft and get the job done.

[Night_Flight]

I have the Acavallo bit guards for a horse who gets split inside corners of her mouth from the bit. They’re surprisingly easy to put on and take off (I’ve used them on a few bits and it takes less than a minute to remove them from one and put them on another, without help or hot water). They haven’t stretched out at all; they go back to their regular shape when you take them off and they stretch out just enough to fit over a thin or a thick mouthpiece.

They’re not as attractive as conventional bit guards (they take the angle of the mouthpiece so they don’t necessarily sit flat against the face) but if they get the job done, they get the job done. The gel is a lot softer than the traditional rubber but it seems pretty durable (I’ve been using mine for months now and there’s no visible wear).

[Bogie]

Have you considered that the bit is the wrong size? I would measure your horse’s mouth and then if you buy a loose ring style bit, go up an addition 1/4 to 1/2".

In the dressage and eventing worlds you rarely see bit guards . . . and I’ve ridden with a loose ring for decades without one on many different horses. A bit that’s too small will pinch because you need enough room for the ring to rotate on the mouthpiece.

http://equineink.com/2008/07/20/fitting-a-loose-ring-snaffle/

[Ambitious_Kate]

[QUOTE=Bogie;7614954]
Have you considered that the bit is the wrong size? I would measure your horse’s mouth and then if you buy a loose ring style bit, go up an addition 1/4 to 1/2".

In the dressage and eventing worlds you rarely see bit guards . . . and I’ve ridden with a loose ring for decades without one on many different horses. A bit that’s too small will pinch because you need enough room for the ring to rotate on the mouthpiece.

http://equineink.com/2008/07/20/fitting-a-loose-ring-snaffle/[/QUOTE]

I agree with bogie. The only time in my entire life I’ve ever seen bits pinching was when they were too small.

[Libby416]

[QUOTE=Bogie;7614954]
Have you considered that the bit is the wrong size? I would measure your horse’s mouth and then if you buy a loose ring style bit, go up an addition 1/4 to 1/2".

In the dressage and eventing worlds you rarely see bit guards . . . and I’ve ridden with a loose ring for decades without one on many different horses. A bit that’s too small will pinch because you need enough room for the ring to rotate on the mouthpiece.

http://equineink.com/2008/07/20/fitting-a-loose-ring-snaffle/[/QUOTE]

Have not “sized” the bit specifically for her, its my trainers that I’m trying to see if its an option for us, but if anything the bit is too big. My mare has a very small mouth, normally fits in a 5", and the bit is a 5.5". I was actually thinking of getting a smaller size if/when I decide if it works for us, but don’t want to run into the problem I’m having now.

For what its worth, she gets rubs from almost every bit, including her eggbutt cheltenham gag that I normally ride her in. I used to ride her in a slow twist full cheek gag, but that started cutting her where the twist was. Shes just very sensitive when it come to her lips.