Bits for horse with small mouth?

[Scribbler]

What’s the current thoughts on snaffle bits for horses with small mouths? I’m thinking narrower diameter and perhaps with two joints?

This is for a green adult mare with baggage who doesn’t want a bit going in at all. At the moment looking for what will cause her the least discomfort. She isn’t under saddle yet, just putting a headstall on while I longe in halter.

Her width is average, she fits a 5 inch. But her mouth is short and there’s not much room in there. I am not seeing any wolf teeth

Update post #34 on Feb 27.

[walktrot]

My horse has a large tongue. The instructor I worked with when I first got him was a big fan of loose ring hollow mouth snaffles. That’s what I bought, a Sprenger loose ring, single jointed in German silver. Several years later I hit a great bargain at a Dover tent sale, a Sprenger KK Ultra loose ring snaffle, aurigan metal, double jointed and 14 mm mouthpiece. $45, couldn’t pass it up. He was so much happier I was amazed at the change. I switched to the same mouthpiece in a D ring a few years ago, still 14 mm. I have a problem with nerve damage in my right arm and it’s difficult to keep my hands steady. The D ring is steadier than the loose ring.

[2DogsFarm]

I tried a mullen mouth on my Hackney Pony when he fussed with a rubber-covered snaffle.
He’s not ridden, I ground-drive him, so more chance for too much hand pressure transferred down the lines.
Worked so well, when I started driving my mini I got him the same.

My feeling is the narrow mouth can get poked by any snaffle. Center-jointed might help, but I like the no-bend option of the straight bar.
Rubber mullen could be more acceptable to your mare.

[Scribbler]

Both really interesting ideas! The lozenge bit and the mullen mouth! Feral Meryl isn’t getting a $190 Sprenger from me quite yet but this is giving me ideas for the second hand tack store

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[4horses]

Just a straight bar mullen mouth should work. My mare hates a jointed mouthpiece, but she leans on the bit when she decides to ignore me. Currently playing with different bits to see if we can get her lighter in the mouth. She just decides to brace on the bit and do whatever she wants- the only thing that gets her attention back is a swat with the whip and pull her in a circle. Very opinionated and headstrong mare.

I think I’m going to try a hackamore next. My friend had an interesting bit hackamore combo- simple nose band hackamore, with a regular bit. I’m thinking of trying that or a curb… I tried a Pelham and that was too much…

A 3 piece mouthpiece didn’t work so well with her. She somehow sucks it back in her mouth and klinks it with her teeth. I thought a smaller size would help, but she still manages to hit her teeth on it.

A Billy Allen bit gives you a more solid mouthpiece with independent movement on the sides. Myler has some like that but they are expensive.

[rubygirl1968]

My horse really likes a Myler snaffle, this one to be precise.

https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/myler-level-1-loose-ring-8447?utm_source=cpc&utm_medium=google&utm_content=nb_shopping_tack_dsk_3p&utm_campaign=&utm_term=2109710758&gclid=Cj0KCQiAs67yBRC7ARIsAF49CdVXQzxMTqWejh3h8M_BIPJ0juAK_jc1VQz5l5TQkYyxLkUQpz0WrHcaAoEeEALw_wcB

He has a low palette and big tongue and the fatter diameter bits he wasn’t a fan of.

[exvet]

Ditto on the Myler snaffle level one. Works well on my fussy welsh with a low palate and delicate mouth (when it’s not opening every gate latch, removing every fly mask and/or halter from neighbors, etc.

[Beck]

Another ditto on the Myler. I was able to later transition my fussy mare to a double-jointed lozenge after using a Myler until she became more comfortable with a bit. She seemed to appreciate the stability of the mullen mouth and needed the tongue relief.

[tabula_rashah]

Morgans (which I have had many of lol) tend to have smaller narrow mouths and I’ve found my favorite bit for them is are the anatomical Stubben bits with 2 joints, esp the copper link one. They are a little hard to find in less than 5" but they are out there.

[TheHotSensitiveType]

My mare has a low palate and thick tongue, and I found a JP Korsteel Oval Link Eggbutt Snaffle works well for her. The same mouth piece with a D ring my mare despised though, head shaking, chomping, etc. I tried a mullen on her half sister for awhile, but it had too large of a diameter and wasn’t comfortable for her. If you try a mullen, see if you can find one with a fairly small diameter.

[DiamondJubilee]

My ponies also have low palates and do not like any tongue pressure (not a lot of room in a tiny 13.1h head). So hated french links, snaffles that were not curved (he did like a JP jointed snaffle as it was “curved”), anything with a bean etc. He goes so much better in a Myler (all 3 of my ponies do). I have a couple like the one above, and one with a medium port (so very little on the tongue) and a couple with a high port.

https://mylerbitsusamarshfieldmo.com/comfort-snaffles/
https://mylerbitsusamarshfieldmo.com/comfort-snaffles/
https://mylerbitsusamarshfieldmo.com/comfort-snaffles/

[stb]

I have used the Myler Level 2 bits with great success, especially for horses that don’t have a lot of room in their mouths and also don’t like a lot of moving parts in a bit. The Level 2 is somewhat similar to a french link, but doesn’t move as much, so is more stable in the mouth.

[seabreeze]

I’d start with an eggbutt Mullen mouth.

[MissAriel]

My horse does really well in the Myler level 1 Comfort Snaffle others have posted and the JP Korsteel Curved snaffle - the JP Curved bits are fairly inexpensive, too.

[streamline]

@seabreeze

I’d start with an eggbutt Mullen mouth.

OT but I love those bits! Had my SO put his green bean fussy mouthed paint in one and it instantly improved his ride.

I was actually just browsing ebay for bits and thought about posting a thread just like OP haha. I have a super refined TB gelding with a pony mouth. I was looking for a smaller and more narrow bit. Not sure if I want a thin mullen mouth or rubber or what. Horse is truly a snaffle mouth

[Jackie_Cochran]

Another bit that can be good is the Pee Wee bit, which has a thin mouthpiece (1 cm or less), mullen mouth with a generous curve, and projections down the sides from the mouthpiece.

I did not have problems with horses with this bit even though it looks ODD, and my riding teacher gave me an odd look when I first brought it out. It is nice and stable in the horse’s mouth, does not take up much room, and I had absolutely no problems getting decent contact even though my hands have a tremor (MS). I generally do not enjoy riding in a Mullen mouth but this bit was acceptable to both the horse and my hands.

With other bits I try to keep the mouthpiece 12mm thick. Some horses like a double jointed mouthpiece, but with other horses it moves too much in their mouths. If the horse does not like the double jointed mouthpiece I have had success with single jointed snaffles which “jangle” less in the mouth.

[joiedevie99]

A Nathe or a Sprenger Duo would be a good, soft choice. If you can’t find one of those used, I’d look for a thinnish, lightweight, D ring or eggbutt with a french link or bean in the middle.

If the steering is solid enough for you to feel like a loose ring is an ok choice, check things advertised as bradoons. The rings will be smaller (unimportant), and oftentimes the mouthpieces will be thinner.

[Posting_Trot]

Yes, I’d go with a Nathe or Duo mullen mouth. Very good bit for a horse that isn’t sure she likes bits.

The other bit I’d recommend (but which is definitely more than you’ve indicated that you want to spend) is a Neue Schule Turtle Tactio. Maybe your next bit?

[sherian]

what about a leather bit - will conform to her mouth and not being metal might be different enough to distract her from her baggage

[Scribbler]

Thank you so much for all the responses! I think my first step will be to shop my coach’s storage room and see what I can find in a mullen mouth and a French link. Horse fits 5 inch fine, it’s just that her mouth is otherwise small. At the moment riding and steering is not the issue, no one is getting on her until she’s stopped clenching her teeth and running backwards when the bit touches her lips! I’m going to continue playing with her mouth and sticking Twizzlers in her bit groove and longeing in a halter until she isn’t so freaked about the idea.

I’ve Googled around and I really like the high end bits people are recommending. I’d be open to spending that on Feral Meryl later on if it really made a difference once we are under saddle but I’ll try to find out if she prefers a mullen or French link or small bradoon first.

It’s also made me think about bitting my main ride.

My coach is completely sold on Fuhlmer bits which are useful for the extensive flexion work we do and more loose ring than a full cheek. The are very loose mobile bits so they are really useful for keeping the mouth mobile. But actually I don’t think my big mare likes it that much either. She really prefers bitless. When I put the Fuhlmer on her I get a couple of good rides and then she gets a bit pissy about it. I’m going to use my bit search for Feral Meryl to also try some other options on Pissy Missy Paint. She might also prefer something more stable. (She has a huge head and mouth. The vet comments! that her dention is good because her teeth have lots of room!)
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I did put a thick rubber bit on Pissy Missy Paint Mare and she thought it was too thick and gummy and actually refused it after a couple of rides, and this is a horse that actually puts her head into a snaffle bridle or hackamore if you hold it in front of her. I think little Feral Meryl wouldn’t even be able to close her little mouth over that bit, would be like a gag!

Anyhow if Pissy Missy Paint Mare turns out to want a $190 Herm Sprenger and it makes her move with joy, I guess that’s what she will get too but I need to start experimenting first.

Anyhow I haven’t given bitting much thought up to now, so it’s clearly a missing part of the equation!
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