Are low-ported Myler bits now USEA legal?

[jcc813]

A bitting expert recommended we look into a Myler 4 eggbutt comfort snaffle for our OTTB who has a sensitive tongue. A few sites I’ve researched seem to indicate this might not be a legal bit for eventing, but I’m wondering if those are outdated.

I checked the Annex 1 guidelines from Dec 2017 (https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/cd7fgZFu25Y/usef-eventing-annex-1) and it looks like they may now be legal? Bit #25 shows a “Ported barrel” that looks like a ported Myler.

This is my first foray into bit buying (lucky me, I know) so just want to be doubly sure.

[CELook]

Yes, I received verification from USEF on 1/2/2018 that this low port Myler is legal for Eventing dressage: https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Myler_Eggbutt_Snaffle_Bit_MB_04/descpage-MESMB4B.html

[jcc813]

@CELook

Yes, I received verification from USEF on 1/2/2018 that this low port Myler is legal for Eventing dressage: https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Myle…e-MESMB4B.html

Thanks! Have you been using it? If so how’s it working out?

The reason the bitting expert recommended this bit is because I told her our horse has a tendency to lift/throw his head up and also has a habit of rooting. Even if you get him to put his head down while standing, as soon as you leg on, head is up again.

I know some of this is him and us getting used to each other as we just got him a couple weeks ago. He was a hunter/jumper that used to be ridden in a single jointed slow twist for lower jumps, a corkscrew at 3’ and an eggbutt snaffle on flat.

I’m not sure why they used those harsher bits as he’s not difficult to hold back. If anything we need to leg him on a bit in front of jumps and he’s responsive to half halts. My husband rode him around a xcountry derby this weekend in an eggbutt single joint snaffle and didn’t have any issues.

We tried him in a KK Ultra this week doing a lot of bending flatwork and he was still doing a lot of tossing.

The rep suspects he has a sensitive tongue and would do better in a Myler vs a French link or even the lozenge.

[CELook]

@jcc813

Thanks! Have you been using it? If so how’s it working out?

The reason the bitting expert recommended this bit is because I told her our horse has a tendency to lift/throw his head up and also has a habit of rooting. Even if you get him to put his head down while standing, as soon as you leg on, head is up again.

I know some of this is him and us getting used to each other as we just got him a couple weeks ago. He was a hunter/jumper that used to be ridden in a single jointed slow twist for lower jumps, a corkscrew at 3’ and an eggbutt snaffle on flat.

I’m not sure why they used those harsher bits as he’s not difficult to hold back. If anything we need to leg him on a bit in front of jumps and he’s responsive to half halts. My husband rode him around a xcountry derby this weekend in an eggbutt single joint snaffle and didn’t have any issues.

We tried him in a KK Ultra this week doing a lot of bending flatwork and he was still doing a lot of tossing.

The rep suspects he has a sensitive tongue and would do better in a Myler vs a French link or even the lozenge.

First let me say that I don’t have a ton of experience I did use it for a little bit. Prior to the low port, I was using a regular Myler dee ring comfort wide barrel snaffle. I switched to the low port because I thought he might like the tongue relief. I did not see any difference between the two. I have had a ton of success with a loose ring rubber mullen. It’s the first bit I’ve used where my horse doesn’t duck behind the contact. The rubber bit is thick and he is quite petite. But for some reason he likes it, I assume because of how squishy it is. https://www.cheshirehorse.com/solid-rubber-mouth-loose-ring-snaffle-bit.

For XC, I have yet to find a bit where he doesn’t duck behind the contact or takeoff on XC like a freight train so that is a work in progress, lol.

[jcc813]

@CELook

First let me say that I don’t have a ton of experience I did use it for a little bit. Prior to the low port, I was using a regular Myler dee ring comfort wide barrel snaffle. I switched to the low port because I thought he might like the tongue relief. I did not see any difference between the two. I have had a ton of success with a loose ring rubber mullen. It’s the first bit I’ve used where my horse doesn’t duck behind the contact. The rubber bit is thick and he is quite petite. But for some reason he likes it, I assume because of how squishy it is. https://www.cheshirehorse.com/solid-rubber-mouth-loose-ring-snaffle-bit.

For XC, I have yet to find a bit where he doesn’t duck behind the contact or takeoff on XC like a freight train so that is a work in progress, lol.

Interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s such a guessing game! I ended up ordering the MB36 Myler instead of the 04 after talking to someone at the Myler company (I think it was actually one of the brothers). He recommended I go with the 36, which is slightly tilted, or the 43 as it gives them more tongue relief when they bend at the poll.

So crossing my fingers and hope it works!

[CELook]

@jcc813

Interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s such a guessing game! I ended up ordering the MB36 Myler instead of the 04 after talking to someone at the Myler company (I think it was actually one of the brothers). He recommended I go with the 36, which is slightly tilted, or the 43 as it gives them more tongue relief when they bend at the poll.

So crossing my fingers and hope it works!

Good luck! I have quite the bit collection going at this point, lol. Side note, I don’t know if the 36 or 43 is legal. But I do know that the 04 is.

[punchy]

I have been using the level 2, MB 04 loose ring comfort snaffle for a few years on my fussy and sensitive OTTB. He loves it. Mine is the wider port. I use it for everything (dressage, cross country).

I do recall that when i switched him to this bit my brakes weren’t as good. It took a while but we figured out a new braking system, so to speak, and i haven’t had any trouble.