Bit gurus! Help for the green horse

[fivestrideline]

I fully realize I’m opening a can of worms here but I need ideas. I’ve posted about this horse before in relation to bitless, but now he has gotten some preventative maintenance for his stifles (conformationally they’re a bit weak), has shoes on, and is feeling pretty good.

Horse is a OTTB that came to me fresh off the track. He is young, green, and out of shape - we are in “building up the trot” mode, doing lots of hills and hacking. This means he’s very inconsistent in the rein and I’m not asking him for much - just a light feel of his mouth. My bit box in his size is very limited.

In general, he’s very soft mouthed and tends to chew/worry at the bit when something is hard or he doesn’t want to do it. He’s got a small mouth and a low palate, and I need some lateral steering as the leg aids are 50/50 atm and all bets are off if deer burst out of the woods.

What we have tried:

• sweet Billy’s rope D: not bad, some head tilt and chomping, goes heavy/wants to lean a bit. If you take up a bit more feel, he starts bracing/getting stiff. I’m a bit worried about him chewing through this tbh.
• low port Mullen D: slightly better vs the rope, but still heavy. We get some good stretches on occasion but it feels very dull in his mouth, like I’ve lost power steering. Will get defensive/brace.
• single joint D: hated it, I think. Less tilting and more chewing vs chomping, but he was completely inverted. I could sometimes get him to let me just have the lightest feel, but my reins were about a foot and a half shorter vs the rope and Mullen and I felt like I was riding a saddleseat horse.
• double joint with copper bean: haven’t tried this one in months, but I remember it being only a bit better than the single joint. I plan to try it again

Any ideas? Hunter ring appropriate would be great but I’m not bothered really. I have a Fager Mattias full cheek coming in - this was suggested by the bit fitter. I’ve also started looking for an HS Duo D ring, but haven’t had luck.

[Trekkie]

Myler comfort snaffle? This suits small mouthed sensitive horses and has some isolated side movement to help with steering/lifting. It is simple and a somewhat thinner mouthpiece that has more shape than a mullen but no real joint. Dressage and hunter legal.

https://www.doversaddlery.com/myler-comfort-dee-02/p/X1-01383/

[Simkie]

I really like a baucher french link or a nathe D ring for my off the track horses. The ones I’ve had are all about the stability. Haven’t had one yet that liked anything single jointed.

[ClaireBear_NZ]

I’ve got a really mouthy although not super green OTTB (now). He had wolf teeth removed badly prior to me so spent his entire race career with wolf teeth fragments in his gums, so is very bit averse. When he gets stressy in the mouth, he gets low/leaning/strong/snatchy. I’ve just switched him to a leather D ring snaffle and he’s going amazingly in it, really relaxed and happy. He also seems to like really rigid rubber snaffles with fixed rings (either full cheek or D ring).

[GreyDes]

Any idea yet what he wants? Here are a few ideas.

Soft:

• HS Duo
• Trust (look for the thin version)
• Billy’s leather (these can absolutely be chewed through - keep a close eye on it if you go this route)

Even tongue pressure:

• NS Turtle Top
• HS Novocontact (it’s fairly thick so may be too much for a low palate)

Light:

• Fager titanium

Tongue relief:

• Myler comfort (be aware these run big by design)
• NS Turtle Tactio

[NancyM]

Something not jointed or broken, but mullen mouth. There are a variety available to try and choose from. Myler, or just a regular mullen mouth snaffle, which can have cheeks to aide in steering. Variety of mouthpieces to choose from, from metal to composite etc. I have a variety and like and use them often. If you have a horse who likes them, they won’t go in anything other than this.
I have a straight bar full cheek with a big tongue groove, which… when I pull it out to use it, whatever horse it is will NOT tolerate anything else. I have it on TWO horses now. Neither would go AT ALL in ANYTHING else… no steering, no happiness. But with this one, 100% better. I don’t know what this bit is “callled”, it showed up here in a bag full of tack abandoned at my farm about 25 years ago. Fortunately for me. Haven’t seen another one like it, I’m sure it’s not one of the “popular” bits at the shows.

[luvmyhackney]

HS Duo is fab unless horse doesn’t like any tongue pressure then I use bombers happy tongue which my current horse loves and comes in a D ring version.

I have mixed feelings on the Myler bit as my horse did ok in it, but night and day difference when I switched to the bombers bit.

[fivestrideline]

He seems to like the ported Mullen the best, so I’d wager he likes tongue relief? Problem is there isn’t much room in his mouth. He still gets pretty downhill/heavy in the Mullen - he’s green enough that I think this is just the stage we are at but I still can’t get him to really trust the bit yet.

@luvmyhackney

HS Duo is fab unless horse doesn’t like any tongue pressure then I use bombers happy tongue which my current horse loves and comes in a D ring version.

Hmm I may check out the Bombers… the bit he likes best is a crappy knock off of that one anyway!

The Fager I ordered locks upward and is supposed to give tongue relief without being a straight bar so we will see.

@Simkie

I really like a baucher french link

You know, I don’t own a baucher. Maybe I should find one to try - he seems to want stability, but also wants to lean on the solid bit.

[pony_grandma]

He is young, green, and out of shape - we are in “building up the trot” mode, doing lots of hills and hacking. This means he’s very inconsistent in the rein and I’m not asking him for much

If you’re into building strength, trust and flexibility - a sidepull ? Give him a break and sort some things out first? Then tie a straight soft rubber mouth in the sidepull before you put the reins on?

[fivestrideline]

Already did that! Flat side pull and a rope halter both worked for a time, and I still toss one on from time to time.

[dmveventer]

My OTTB sounds similar to yours and he goes really well in the Fager Maria D ring. It’s double-jointed and slightly ported for tongue relief. Standard double-jointed bits were too fat for his tiny mouth and he seems to like the titanium.

[good_booie]

The struggle is real! My mouthy, sensitive OTTB has always been like this. I bought a new saddle (used) recently and the lady threw in her bridle that had baucher attatched. My horse really, really, like it. BUT…I have a duo arriving today. Will keep you posted

[fivestrideline]

Ooh let me know! What mouthpiece was the baucher?

[good_booie]

Standard lozenge. No clue on brand. Probably old school and not a fancy name brand. Copper colored. I can’t wait to try the duo!!! Neither can my trainer. He is and has always been a sensitive ride but maybe, just maybe. lolol.

[good_booie]

Just found a Fager Maria on sale for $60. Hell, why not.

[good_booie]

SALE Fager Maria Titanium Loose Baucher

Regular price$173.00 Sale price$60.00 Save $113.00

[Simkie]

They have a few bauchers at that same price with a fixed ring–maybe try one of those, too. My horses that have wanted stability and love a baucher hate a loose ring. Loose ring seems to be on the opposite end of the “stability” spectrum as baucher so a loose ring baucher is kind of a weird combo? Maybe that’s why they’re all on sale

Oh here is the link to the sale page if anyone else is looking for it. Good deals!!

Sale Baucher

[good_booie]

WOW! Look at all those bad boys on sale. Gonna stick with the Maria. I have no clue anyway. My horse runs my life, not me.

[JB]

Myler Comfort Snaffle was my first thought too, for all the reasons Trekkie listed. Swivel vs links, and shaped nicely to deal with lower palates. My TB mare did nottttttt like a French Link, my suspicion was too much movement, but she looooves the Myler. It’s not a thick mouthpiece either, but it’s also not super thin.

[fivestrideline]

I tried one on him early on - but it’s a 5.5 and he’s barely a 5. I think he liked it though! I may try to find one on sale - Myler is realllllll proud of their bits