Bit Suggestions

[Jealoushe]

Hey everyone,

I am having the hardest time finding a bit for my mare that doesn’t either pinch her lips or help her bite her inner lips for jumping. She has very fleshy lips, and much of the fleshy part is on the inside, so her mouth basically squishes really far in towards her tongue. Right now, she is consistently biting the inside of her mouth badly when I am jumping. I have her in a 2 ring Bombers happy tongue which has been a great bit otherwise, she seems happy in it, and it provides the right amount of control for her.

She also has issues with anything loose ring, pinching her lips. She can’t wear anything that isn’t set. Bit guards still don’t help and the acavallo bit guards make her lips go into her mouth too far. She also can’t to double jointed, because her lips are so big inside, the middle piece ends up pinching and cutting her inner mouth. It is really strange. Of course she is very strong and very sensitive, a great combination lol.

I am wondering if there is a suggestion out there I just haven’t thought of. I have now finally been able to get her comfortable in dressage, in a plain somewhat fat D ring single joint snaffle, after trying hundreds of very expensive fancy bits of course :lol:

I was thinking of trying the D ring for jumping too, but I am just not sure it will be enough. So bascially a single joint, with some breaks but not too much. Nothing loose ring, double jointed, no straight bar. Any ideas?

[Blugal]

Have you tried different mouth shapes, like tongue relief and bits that are curved towards the front teeth rather than a straight/nutcracker action?

[Jealoushe]

@Blugal

Have you tried different mouth shapes, like tongue relief and bits that are curved towards the front teeth rather than a straight/nutcracker action?

I have tried the Bombers Happy Mouth tongue relief and her current Bombers is the 2 ring tongue relief. I have also tried many Mylers.

Do you have an example of one that curves forward?

Also her mouth is tiny, for a 16.2 TB she wears a 4.75 or a 5 depending on the style.

[Ponycatraz]

This is the curved mouth my hony ended up liking. https://www.smithworthington.com/index.php?p=product&id=526

My vet dentist says he has the smallest mouth she has ever worked on. He has super fat cheeks, and a big tongue so it took awhile to find the right bit.

[Jealoushe]

@Ponycatraz

This is the curved mouth my hony ended up liking. https://www.smithworthington.com/index.php?p=product&id=526

My vet dentist says he has the smallest mouth she has ever worked on. He has super fat cheeks, and a big tongue so it took awhile to find the right bit.

ok she has a similar mouth, but she can’t to the double jointed. I do have a curved egg butt, I could try that, makes sense with the cheeks how it might help. I tried it a few years ago and she hated it but she is way more trained now as am I so might be worth a shot. Just not sure if this is enough for jumping with her.

[SecondInCommand]

Would an unjointed mullen mouth pelham work? With an arm as long or as short as suits her?

[Jealoushe]

@SecondInCommand

Would an unjointed mullen mouth pelham work? With an arm as long or as short as suits her?

I used to use this, but she hates it now. I also tried a happy mouth mullen mouth 2 ring, same thing, flips her head up and down. Thank you,

[fordtraktor]

have you tried a hackabit? Also Myler has a short shank combo bit with a thin mouth that doesn’t collapse.

[headbrickwall]

Not dissimilar to one of mine although he, thankfully, is good in acavello gel guards. He dressage’s in a fat single joint German hollow mouth and is jumping in a Waterford with acavello (might sound ripe for pinching but seems to have opposite effect).

With yours instead of acavello have you played around with latex wrapping?

if getting strong consider trying combination or kineton noseband rather than increasing bit strength

[Jealoushe]

@headbrickwall

Not dissimilar to one of mine although he, thankfully, is good in acavello gel guards. He dressage’s in a fat single joint German hollow mouth and is jumping in a Waterford with acavello (might sound ripe for pinching but seems to have opposite effect).

With yours instead of acavello have you played around with latex wrapping?

if getting strong consider trying combination or kineton noseband rather than increasing bit strength

No, can you explain what the latex wrapping is for me?

She is strong but doesn’t pull, but I guess I could try one of those, of course I literally just sold my Kineton in a “I’ll never use this!” moment :lol:

@fordtraktor no I have not, I was thinking it would be too much, but also I am weary to spend almost $300 to try one. I would try it if I could find one to borrow!

[headbrickwall]

I’m in the UK so I don’t know if you have it over in US, but you can buy rolls of really sticky thin soft latex, that you can wrap bits in. Either just in the bar area, or completely round the join of the bit ring, and sometimes even wrap a middle link to give a more stable mouthpiece.

id be inclined to try a Waterford and wrap the bars/joins with the rings.

[Jealoushe]

@headbrickwall

I’m in the UK so I don’t know if you have it over in US, but you can buy rolls of really sticky thin soft latex, that you can wrap bits in. Either just in the bar area, or completely round the join of the bit ring, and sometimes even wrap a middle link to give a more stable mouthpiece.

id be inclined to try a Waterford and wrap the bars/joins with the rings.

Interesting, I have tried a waterford on her and it was a big NO, broke open the corner of her lips. She has really sensitive lip skin, it’s very strange. The slightest pinch causes tears. I could try that on something like a french link though.

[SecondInCommand]

Is she dry mouthed at all, Jealoushe? Is there any chance it’s friction - which may be helped with a bit butter type product?

[Willesdon]

If she is happy in a simple snaffle how about using a kineton noseband xc for some extra stop by application of nose pressure? The Kineton will also help hold the bit still.

[IFG]

As he aged, my old horse, who had super fleshy lips and a low palate would bite his lips and cheeks in anything but a Myler MB33. I also could ride him in a D ring knock off with hooks, so some leverage. If you want to try it, I can ship it to you, if sending to Canada is not too expensive. I have no need for it anymore. Old man is 27 and does nothing but eat and get lots of expensive meds these days.

[Jealoushe]

@SecondInCommand

Is she dry mouthed at all, Jealoushe? Is there any chance it’s friction - which may be helped with a bit butter type product?

She is a bit, but I use vaseline around her lips which helps the lip corners sometimes but not the inside.

Sounds like a Kineton might be a good option, can’t believe I just sold mine LOL

@IFG what size??

[IFG]

@Jealoushe

She is a bit, but I use vaseline around her lips which helps the lip corners sometimes but not the inside.

Sounds like a Kineton might be a good option, can’t believe I just sold mine LOL

@IFG what size??

I think that it is a 5". I will measure later today. Just organized old bits yesterday.

[WNT]

Another option, if she goes well with gag leverage, is one of the gag hangers/adapters. You can slip it through the browband, and it has rope ends that slide through your regular snaffle bit’s rings with an extra set of reins. It’s not exactly like a gag, but gives you some lift and poll pressure without having to change your regular bit.

Here’s one from Nunn Finer: https://www.bitofbritain.com/product-p/4234.htm

A piece of advice regarding the Kineton, having nearly been run away with using one: some horses are responsive to the pressure shifting to their nose. Others take it as an invitation to pull even harder because their nose is easier to pull with than their mouth…

[Jealoushe]

@WNT

Another option, if she goes well with gag leverage, is one of the gag hangers/adapters. You can slip it through the browband, and it has rope ends that slide through your regular snaffle bit’s rings with an extra set of reins. It’s not exactly like a gag, but gives you some lift and poll pressure without having to change your regular bit.

Here’s one from Nunn Finer: https://www.bitofbritain.com/product-p/4234.htm

A piece of advice regarding the Kineton, having nearly been run away with using one: some horses are responsive to the pressure shifting to their nose. Others take it as an invitation to pull even harder because their nose is easier to pull with than their mouth…

This is brilliant, I am going to try this with her dressage bit. Thank you!!

[IFG]

@Jealoushe 5.5 (though like all Myler types, it measures a bit larger.