I think the honeymoon might be over for the Myler already. Terrible trail ride on Monday with no brakes in that bit, and then a very heavy in my hands ride yesterday. 
Out of curosity, at what point is a bit considered just a short shanked snaffle or a dog-bone bit, and at what point is it considered a Tom Thumb? I have always been told terrible things about Tom Thumb bits.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8835271]
I think the honeymoon might be over for the Myler already. Terrible trail ride on Monday with no brakes in that bit, and then a very heavy in my hands ride yesterday.
Out of curosity, at what point is a bit considered just a short shanked snaffle or a dog-bone bit, and at what point is it considered a Tom Thumb? I have always been told terrible things about Tom Thumb bits.[/QUOTE]
Most short shanked bits have some curve to the shank. Be that actual curve, or a rein ring that sweeps back slightly. Tom thumbs are typically short straight shanks. I feel as though any short shanked bit that is single jointed could technically fall under the definition of Tom thumb as well, but that is merely my opinion.
My cob HATES single jointed anything. Like, will flip himself over backwards before you even pick up contact, hates it.
What sort of mouthpieces the Myler have? BOās appendix goes best in a hooked dee ring Myler with a low correction type port for anything requiring two handed riding (English, beginner western riders, and his western dressage rider) and his western curb has an almost identical mouthpiece. My cob actually goes okay in BOās Myler. Iāve borrowed it a couple of times when I have needed to switch things up and get cobās attention when things have gotten too routine and heās turned into a cocky bugger. I like that the Myler corrective port is about half the height of a normal western correction port bit, so it fits his mouth better.
What size mouthpiece do you need? Iād be happy to send you my short shank dog bone bit if it would fit. I have two of the same, and really donāt need both, especially when I donāt really use the short shanks anymore anyways.
I was under the impression that any of the Mylers with the hooks were not legal? Or is that just regular dressageā¦ The current Myler is just the plain straight mouth with the roller middle. I have never tried anything with a port on it, and I am not really sure if that is what she needs. She was doing just fine in a rubber dee ring until she came back from her injury, then we switched to the boucher as she was really hanging on the rubber bit. In the boucher she feels the best she has in a long time.
She is a 5.25 to 5.5 inch bit.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8835641]
I was under the impression that any of the Mylers with the hooks were not legal? Or is that just regular dressageā¦ The current Myler is just the plain straight mouth with the roller middle. I have never tried anything with a port on it, and I am not really sure if that is what she needs. She was doing just fine in a rubber dee ring until she came back from her injury, then we switched to the boucher as she was really hanging on the rubber bit. In the boucher she feels the best she has in a long time.
She is a 5.25 to 5.5 inch bit.[/QUOTE]
Iām in Canada, so it may be different up here, I donāt know.
The short shank dog bone is about 5.25-5.5. shoot me a pm with your mailing info and I can pop it in the mail tomorrow. Worst that can happen is it doesnāt work for you guys 
Any leverage bit with a broken mouthpiece has the same shortcomings, just to varying degrees.
Tom Thumbs are straight in the shank. They also have the extra slot for the curb strap. Iām too lazy to post links, but you can Google for pictures. In Australia, I believe, a Tom Thumb is a different bit entirely. Itās an actual snaffle, I think. I know, Iām very helpful. Sort of.
Would a Kimberwicke be illegal?
The problem here is that there is no bit that functions like a Baucher that does not have a separate hook or ring to connect the bit to the headstall. Thatās the very definition of a Baucher. Mylers with hooks, pelhams with only the bottom rein attached, https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/reinsman-stage-a-trail-dee-stainless-double-five-snaffle-13131.
If you want a bit that functions like a BAucher but doesnāt have a ring or hook to fasten to the headstall, you are probably looking for a unicornā¦
[QUOTE=Ceylon Star;8835883]
Iām in Canada, so it may be different up here, I donāt know.
The short shank dog bone is about 5.25-5.5. shoot me a pm with your mailing info and I can pop it in the mail tomorrow. Worst that can happen is it doesnāt work for you guys :)[/QUOTE]
I will message you!
[QUOTE=Madeline;8836405]
The problem here is that there is no bit that functions like a Baucher that does not have a separate hook or ring to connect the bit to the headstall. Thatās the very definition of a Baucher. Mylers with hooks, pelhams with only the bottom rein attached, https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/reinsman-stage-a-trail-dee-stainless-double-five-snaffle-13131.
If you want a bit that functions like a BAucher but doesnāt have a ring or hook to fasten to the headstall, you are probably looking for a unicornā¦[/QUOTE]
It is a rather tricky/frustrating search since the boucher worked so well, but is not legal to use.
[QUOTE=cloudy18;8836138]
Tom Thumbs are straight in the shank. They also have the extra slot for the curb strap. Iām too lazy to post links, but you can Google for pictures. In Australia, I believe, a Tom Thumb is a different bit entirely. Itās an actual snaffle, I think. I know, Iām very helpful. Sort of.
Would a Kimberwicke be illegal?[/QUOTE]
Kimberwicke bits arenāt legal either. 
As a last (expensive) resort, I tried a Bomber Happy Tongue bit on my mule, who had expressed his dislike of a wide variety of jointed mouthpiece bits. He really seems to like it.
Itās not clear from the USEF WD rulebook whether or not this bit is legal. However, since it isnāt legal for regular dressage, I assume that it wouldnāt be legal for WD either.
However, there are a variety of mullen mouth-type mouthpieces that would offer tongue relief and stability and that are dressage legal, so you might consider giving one of those a try.
Maybe something like this: http://horsebitbank.com/informed-designs-loose-ring-mullen-486.phtml
I did try a Myler mullen barrel mouthpiece but he didnāt like it. However, it is not a solid bit. It has a lot of movement in the mouthpiece.
What about a b-ring snaffle?
http://www.dressageextensions.com/herm-sprenger-kk-ultra-b-ring-16mm/p/11041/
[QUOTE=Cruisesmom;8836952]
What about a b-ring snaffle?
http://www.dressageextensions.com/herm-sprenger-kk-ultra-b-ring-16mm/p/11041/[/QUOTE]
I think that would also fall under illegal. The rules are pretty specific that snaffle bits must be of an o-ring, d-ring, or eggbutt style.
For those curious, here are the rules: http://westerndressageassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/WD_Equipment_Guide.pdf
[QUOTE=NoSuchPerson;8836831]
As a last (expensive) resort, I tried a Bomber Happy Tongue bit on my mule, who had expressed his dislike of a wide variety of jointed mouthpiece bits. He really seems to like it.
Itās not clear from the USEF WD rulebook whether or not this bit is legal. However, since it isnāt legal for regular dressage, I assume that it wouldnāt be legal for WD either.
However, there are a variety of mullen mouth-type mouthpieces that would offer tongue relief and stability and that are dressage legal, so you might consider giving one of those a try.
Maybe something like this: http://horsebitbank.com/informed-designs-loose-ring-mullen-486.phtml
I did try a Myler mullen barrel mouthpiece but he didnāt like it. However, it is not a solid bit. It has a lot of movement in the mouthpiece.[/QUOTE]
She doesnāt seem to mind the jointed part. I am honestly not sure what about the Myler she doesnāt like. Up to this point I was riding her in a d-ring rubber snaffle, and then we had to take a few months off for an injury. When I came back to riding she was like a bull in a china shop in the rubber d-ring. So we switched to the boucher. The boucher was a french link, where as the rubber bits were single jointed.
The prohibition of Bauchers shows that at least one of the rule writers has no understanding of leverageā¦
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8836962]
For those curious, here are the rules: http://westerndressageassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/WD_Equipment_Guide.pdf [/QUOTE]
Those are some WEIRD rules on bits.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8836962]
Out of curosity, at what point is a bit considered just a short shanked snaffle or a dog-bone bit, and at what point is it considered a Tom Thumb? I have always been told terrible things about Tom Thumb bits. [/QUOTE]
In my uneducated opinion 
, itās a bit of an oxymoron to say āshort shanked snaffleā since technically a snaffle is not supposed to have any leverage (or shanks). I would call it a short shanked curb bit with a broken mouthpiece.
A Tom Thumb is this bit. It has a single jointed mouthpiece, and the shanks are straight.
This bit is similar to a Tom Thumb, but it is not a true Tom Thumb because the shanks are curved.
Now with that said, I personally would steer clear from both of those bits. The main problem with the Tom Thumb is it is just poorly designed for how it signals the horse and how it is balanced. There are certainly better options to choose from.
In general, a bit that has more curve and āsweepā to the shanks will be āmilderā because it takes longer to engage the curb action. A bit that has straighter shanks will be āharsherā because the bit will engage quickly. And of course, the longer the shank is, the āharsherā because it will apply more leverage.
Of course, a bit is only as good as the hands behind it.
I personally believe that a horse should ride well no matter what bit I put in their mouth (good training is good training) but of course, there is going to be a bit that the horse likes the best and goes the best in.
I donāt know that you got into any details but how DOES your horse go in, say, an O-ring snaffle or D-ring snaffle? Heavy on the bit? No brakes? etc?
Could you work on your horse to go better in one of those options?
With that said, I know that a snaffle isnāt always the answer. My horse Red for example will go in a snaffle if I ask him too, but he truly doesnāt like them. Heās much happier in a short shank.
Hey! Thanks for sharing. Was looking for something like this.
What I find so weird about a Baucher being illegal is that it is perfectly acceptable for straight dressage. If itās legal for straight dressage, why would it be illegal for western dressage? Color me confused.
[QUOTE=WNT;8854837]
What I find so weird about a Baucher being illegal is that it is perfectly acceptable for straight dressage. If itās legal for straight dressage, why would it be illegal for western dressage? Color me confused.[/QUOTE]
I donāt get it. I have heard through the grapevine that a rule change may be coming for next year making it legal. It sounds like there has been quite a bit of confusion across all groups. Many western dressage riders, at least in my area, are crossing over from regular dressage. If they can use the bit in regular dressage, why would they want to change their bit that works well for their horse just to show western dressageā¦
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