Bit for sensitive horse

[Huntin_Fool]

I agree re Dr Bristol/French link. Tho I’ve never used the Dr B myself. I will have him checked out for low palate. I have a super old sweet iron bit I put in his mouth-and he seemed to like it. I’ve thought about the hack more especially since he’s not hard to stop-or hasn’t been!

I do ride him in a running martingale-I forgot to mention that.

here’s another thing I looked at-the bridle I have is meant for a horse with a longer head so its buckled on the top buckle, which pushes the browband up high. And, oddly the brow and seems sort of tight (as my old one did too on old horse and this one) which pushes the bridle up tight behind his ears. What do y’all think about he may just be being pinched? I’ve got the bridle at the leather shop being shortened so the buckle won’t push the browband higher and the guy said he could make a new browband for me. Also on occasion the horse has shaken his head so hard he shook the bridle off! Twice in the hunt field 😳. Tho he just stood there thank God.

[GreyDes]

A tight browband will definitely put pressure on the back of the ears. If he’s sensitive to that you may see a difference with the larger browband.

[RiderInTheRain]

I hunt my strong but sensitive pony in a short shanked jumping hackamore and we both love it. I actually have better brakes in this than any bit, it doesn’t make him upset, and he steers very well from my seat/legs, so I really don’t feel I have any less influence than with a bit.

Another pony of mine strongly dislikes any bit with a link that lies across his tongue. He goes really well in a Myler bit that offers some tongue relief for him. It took me a while to figure that one, but the difference was immediate as he was so much quieter and less fussy as soon as I tried something that wasn’t putting pressure on his tongue.