Bit for sensitive, fussy & strong OTTB mare

[eventer215]

I have a very fancy OTTB mare, she came off the track last October, I restarted her a bit last fall and then gave her some downtime over the winter. Since she has been back in work (approx 2 months) I have had a heck of a time finding a bit she likes. I am a huge simple snaffle person, and very much dislike leverage bits. However, this mare is quite hot and sensitive, but also likes to throw her head and is quite strong. She is getting hotter/fussier/stronger as we go, which is a bit disconcerting. She is extremely brave and talented over fences, but I am concentrating primarily on flatwork right now, mostly because I think she is the type to be a bit over-brave to the jumps and I’d like to feel like she has the proper foundation.

I’ve tried a Herm Sprenger lozenge loose ring (double jointed), which she liked for quite a while but now she is too strong in it. All the basic snaffles - single joint, double joint, loose ring, eggbutt, full cheek. Also tried a Micklem, which made zero difference. The other day, I decided to try a hint of leverage so went with a Myler level one with hooks - she hated it. Then I tried a wonder bit, which she also hated. Definitely doesn’t even tolerate a hint of leverage (again, not my preference, I was planning on using it sparingly then switching back to a snaffle.)

Slow twist full cheek she was really offended by. So now she is in a full cheek Dr. Bristol with an elastic running martingale. Which works the best, but she is incredibly strong and fussy. When she softens, she feels amazing, but that is only for a brief second then back to tossing her head and trying to run.

She DOES go better after lunging in a neck stretcher, she’s learning to use her back and stretch her neck out. However, next day we are back to square one.

[EventerAJ]

Try a nathe or duo. Odd as it sounds, going to a very soft bit can sometimes make your half halt more effective on a strong horse. Instead of fussing or hiding from your hand, they’ll take more of an honest contact and allow you to communicate better.

I used this on my OTTB when he was about 5 months off track. I bumped up to a rubber mullen pelham for jumping; two reins allowed me to ride off the snaffle when he was good, but have serious whoa brakes when he got rudely strong.

When he started to get consistently heavy in the nathe, I went back to a kk or something jointed. Stayed in the pelham until the curb backed him off too much. Currently in a cherry roller snaffle, no leverage.

[btswass]

I’d suggest the neue schule verbindend. Many strong or sensitive horses go really well in it. It provides a lot of lift and much better brakes than you would expect from a “simple snaffle”. We offer a trial program if your interested https://www.argentoeq.com/collections/bit-trials

[vineyridge]

She might not like a bit that moves around in her mouth. I have a horse, ex racer, who is very fussy in her mouth. She goes best in a slow twist, single jointed full cheek with bit keepers. She also prefers a mouthpiece that is not steel or plastic–mine is copper.

[vineyridge]

I have a couple of TBs who hate any bit that moves around in their mouths. So we use bauchers and full cheeks with keepers.

[eventer215]

@EventerAJ

Try a nathe or duo. Odd as it sounds, going to a very soft bit can sometimes make your half halt more effective on a strong horse. Instead of fussing or hiding from your hand, they’ll take more of an honest contact and allow you to communicate better.

I used this on my OTTB when he was about 5 months off track. I bumped up to a rubber mullen pelham for jumping; two reins allowed me to ride off the snaffle when he was good, but have serious whoa brakes when he got rudely strong.

When he started to get consistently heavy in the nathe, I went back to a kk or something jointed. Stayed in the pelham until the curb backed him off too much. Currently in a cherry roller snaffle, no leverage.

Thanks! I was actually thinking of this… back in my younger days I had an extremely strong gelding that I schooled at home in a nathe… nobody could believe it but it worked. Thanks for reminding me of that experience! I also like the thought of a leverage bit with two reins. Something to think about for sure. She is SO cool, I’d love to get her out XC schooling but I’m old and wise enough to realize I need some form of brakes :lol:

[Come_Shine]

Have you thought about changing the noseband? Going to a flash or a dropped noseband or a figure 8? Even a kineton if she is very, very rude.

A friend raves about the difference the PS of Sweden Bridle - High Jump Revolution made for her fussy mare. I got one for my gelding but haven’t ridden in it enough to have an opinion about it yet.

[Foxtrot_s]

Having had strong TB’s - they have thin bony jaws and I’'ve been a believer that less is more for ever. Try a Nathe or Trust or other soft bit - (Happy Mouths are hard plastic). Leather is also available. D ring or loose ring - some horses need less wobble.Trick is in the training - not rushing. My horse is 17.00 hh, brave as a lion and does all her jumping and trails in a Nathe or Trust - and I have NO biceps - she goes like a hunter. Any rushing, and we stop, wait it out, and quietly start again. Lighter and lighter.

[Larbear]

If the Nathe doesn’t work, I also suggest trying a baucher bit.

I have a fussy sensitive ottb and currently I have him in that. I used to use a Nathe bit which worked ok on the flat (not perfect) but he’d get very strong and blow me off jumping stadium fences. He was fine x-country in it though.

I’ve tried Waterford and he objected to that for jumping but I’ve recently tried him with a jointed pelham and wow, what a difference with him. I can stay soft and he listens and it’s a much happier ride. I noticed he was also much quieter in his mouth as well so based on that, I tried the baucher (rode in the pelham a couple of times without the curb rein) and found that he was pretty quiet in that and not so fussy too.

[Texarkana]

My mare is also a similar combination of sensitive yet strong and easily offended. Mares… :rolleyes:

Mullen mouth with a low port is the key with her. It took me YEARS to figure this out, after going through just about every bit in the book in their single jointed, double jointed (with every shape connector), and even straight mullen forms.

I use a mullen mouth, low port kimberwick for jumping, the kind with plain dee rings on the cheek pieces instead of the slots for reins. I had to get over my hang ups against kimberwicks, but it doesn’t seem to deeply offend her like pelhams and gags did.

I just recently bought a Shires Blue Alloy Loose Ring Snaffle with a low port mullen mouth for the flat, which has been a game changer! She accepts contact like never before, which has improved our dressage significantly (dressage legal, from everything I’ve read). Easy on the bank account, too!

[Blugal]

Have you had her teeth checked? Could be she has some sharp teeth and sore cheeks or tongue that is causing the head tossing reaction when you apply the brakes.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Honestly she sounds too green to be switching bits around. I’d try more longlining and just get her better on the aids.

But it on my hot sensitive TB mare…she ended up in a cherry roller snaffle for xc. She reacted how you described to everything else. But this was a bit I used when I moved her up to Prelim.

[Galtier]

My OTTB king of head flinging, goes really well in a double jointed loose ring snaffle with a Kineton noseband. We have brakes, we have much less fuss. Took a couple of rides for him to get used to it.

[JenJ]

@bornfreenowexpensive

Honestly she sounds too green to be switching bits around. I’d try more longlining and just get her better on the aids.

But it on my hot sensitive TB mare…she ended up in a cherry roller snaffle for xc. She reacted how you described to everything else. But this was a bit I used when I moved her up to Prelim.

What is it about a cherry roller that works so well? My TB mare ended up in one after running through a few other bits, including a Dr. Bristol.
Much nicer for both of us on XC when I could whoa and balance, then send her on, instead of hauling on the bit all the way around the course.

My current hot little mare has been in a Baucher for the last couple months and we both love it.

Both of these horses went well in a simple snaffle for a couple years before anything “more” was needed.

[Bogie]

I use a PeeWee bit on my mare. It’s my go to bit for horses that have a low palette or a thick tongue. It was the first bit that made her relax and listen. It’s not a harsh bit (thin mullen mouth) but you also get some pressure on the jaw from the side bars. I’ve used this successfully on a couple of horses. FYI, I’ve bought this bit new on eBay for a lot less than retail.

https://macsequine.com/macs-equine-pee-wee-bits

My gelding loves a bit with a roller. It’s like a pacifier for him. I ride him in a Mikmar short shank. He also does well in a kimberwicke with a quarter moon mouth piece (relieves tongue pressure).

[NancyM]

@Blugal

Have you had her teeth checked? Could be she has some sharp teeth and sore cheeks or tongue that is causing the head tossing reaction when you apply the brakes.

This.

And, if you do not have “free forward relaxed motion”, and holding gaits and speed without constant correction and interference from the rider’s hand, it is too soon to even think about moving on to jumping AT ALL. You have progressed too quickly with your training and goals, she has not yet understood the basics before being asked to move on. Thus, she is confused. When she is confused, she will act as you are seeing… “hot”, pulling, head tossing etc. Start by teaching her not to pull, teaching relaxation and softness. Do not even think about jumping anything until she understands this concept.

Racehorses are taught to pull, it is encouraged in race training. She thinks that this is “right”, it is what she knows, to balance on your hand, to use you to balance ON. She needs to learn how to carry herself without relying on your hand to balance ON, It is a classic OTTB issue. Solve it now, solve it early. Otherwise, it will dog you for the time you own and ride this horse. So often one sees OTTBs in sport disciplines who have failed to be taught this, it’s such a pity.

Make it a goal to W/T/C on a loose rein, and whoa with your body instead of your hand. Do NOT take a hold of her mouth, do NOT use the reins, do NOT ask for a “frame”, or even a “feel” on the bit, just relaxation. If you can only get this at the walk, but lose it at the trot, just walk. Walk until you think you can get it at the trot. Likewise the canter. You must undo her race training before you start to show her how to be a riding horse. If she is comfortable in the French link, super, that bit will do. She must find her own balance, not a “frame” that you dictate with your hand. Ride off your leg and seat only, don’t use the reins. This is a HUGE change for a racehorse, and may take some time for them to start to understand. Remember that horses are “into pressure” animals. That is, that they will move INTO pain. If you use a bit that is designed to inflict pain (twisted mouthpieces), the horse who only knows to pull will pull harder into them. Your horse has already demonstrated this for you. So select the softest bit you can find, whose configuration suites and is compatible with your horse’s mouth conformation. For the small amount of use of the reins that you are going to use for basic navigation at this stage (and at every stage of training and completion), comfort is the key. Response to the bit is something she will learn from the training, not from the bit you use. A horse learns from release of pressure, not from the pressure itself.

[beau159]

^^Ditto to NancyM.

You didn’t say if you’ve had her teeth checked recently, so I would at least do that. You could also consider a chiro check as well, to make sure she doesn’t have any issues in the neck or poll that could contribute.

@eventer215

I have a very fancy OTTB mare, she came off the track last October, I restarted her a bit last fall and then gave her some downtime over the winter. Since she has been back in work (approx 2 months) I have had a heck of a time finding a bit she likes.

However, this mare is quite hot and sensitive, but also likes to throw her head and is quite strong.

I don’t think you have a bit problem. You have a training problem.

Yes, horses will have preferances on the bits they like and dislike. HOWEVER … they should still ride along nicely in any bit simply because you asked them to.

If she’s off the track you may need to spend more time re-training her to be soft to contact, instead of bracing against it and throwing her head. Sometimes it may be more effective to go to a bit with leverage right now, and then come back down to something softer later. It kind of depends on the horse on which way you need to go. Sometimes it’s better to have a bit with more “bite” to it rather than a tugging war in a snaffle.

[ecileh]

Does she have a low palate? I tried a million bits on my mare (who was strong and prone to tossing her head to evade the bit) before I finally figured out that she has a low palate and anything that has a joint in it is uncomfortable for her.

I found a Myler MB-32-3 that works like a charm in the ring and on hunter paces: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi59oDS-YPUAhXCbhQKHS7dB6gQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.toklat.com%2FProducts%2FBP%2F89-22315&psig=AFQjCNGuv1LhyMETtHJQz5u98tur8Rj7ig&ust=1495557934738063

I have a second that has hooks and slots to hunt her in and it’s like a different horse. (That one in the link above actually has hooks and slots, but they come in all sorts of cheek pieces–both of mine are Dees.)

[Thompson]

You should consider the Walsh foam bit ( http://walshproducts.com/Soft-Touch-Foam-Bit.html ) Its mainly for sensitive horses but I’ve seen all kinds of horses go in it, my friends grand prix jumper uses it. I have a OTTB who is extremely anxious, sensitive and strong and this is the only bit he likes - other than this he only tolerates a hackamore.

Have you tried a hackamore? Some horses just simply don’t like a bit in their mouth and prefer face pressure.

[subk]

@NancyM

Solve it now, solve it early. Otherwise, it will dog you for the time you own and ride this horse.

“Hot and sensitive” pretty much means you have to put a very mild basic bit in her mouth and teach her to relax in it before you do anything else. If you pull in on her in any way you will lose. The up side is once you teach a hot and sensitive one to work off your seat and balance there is no more pleasant horse to ride.

I also have an OTTB that last raced in October. We spent the winter walking, then learning to walk trot and canter on a soft rein. He still doesn’t “go in a frame” and isn’t even close although is just starting to stretch into the bit and lower his giraffe neck when asked. I’m just looking for a neutral neck position without a lot of drama–from there I can go anywhere.

Invest time now, save it later.