i’m curious what kind of bits are prevalent in fox hunting (if any different than in other disciplines).
having some issues controlling on trails my mare who is rehabbing from a suspensory tear (seasoned trail horse but apparently a year w/o trotting has caused her to regress…) and thought maybe i could get some ideas for a new bit in this forum. she’s currently going in a comfort snaffle by myler.
Seriously? Whatever works, usually a step up from whatever you use at home.
I think a pelham is “traditional” but you will see just about everything.
I hunted my other mare in a Tom Thumb for awhile, then a slow twist gag and she was very happy with that.
I whip in now at two hunts and my mare goes in a corkscrew dee.
KK loose ring.
As Jaegermonster said- the biggest part of the ‘tradition’ is having brakes and steering exactly when you need them.
I’ve used- pelham (rubber, plain steel, and jointed), kimberwick (with copper roller), a cheapie western version of an elevator bit, and a variety of snaffles- eggbutt, traditional jointed snaflle, and a loose ring with a french link, loose ring western bit w/sweet iron w/copper inlay, plain jointed mouthpiece, and a slow twist mouthpiece w/eggbutt ring.
I’m thinking of hunting sometime in the next year in a western bosal. Just because I can, with my gelding. Tricky thing might be what to do with the mecate, but I’ll figure that out.
I have friends who used what was called a ‘three in one’ on seasoned foxhunters that needed hydraulic brakes in the distance past- but I haven’t seen one of those in a long time.
And, I have a very few friends who hunt in a full double bridle. Preferable to a pelham in my opinion (I’ve just been too cheap to buy one), and no one seems to even know how to teach how to use one any more, sadly perhaps a lost art.
I use a 2 ring gag w/ a dog bone mouthpiece with one horse and actually a western training bit with the other guy- this bit without the twist http://www.ranchoutlet.com/Jr-Cowhorse-Twisted-Sweet-Iron-Dog-Bone-Snaffle.htm. Fabulous bit for a light mouthed horse.
Mostly I use what a individual horse needs at that point in the hunting season- I’ll always error in overbitting and only back down when the horse has shown he/she would be fine in something milder.
+1 to whatever works
the big dummy [rip][photo in my profile] started hunting with a double bridle and moved slowly downward to a double rein jointed bit with curb chain of some sort.
the new guy stops fine in a snaffle
I started hunting my mare in a KK Ultra loose ring, but after a few hunts, she started getting a bit strong in that so I went to a flexible rubber mullen mouth pelham. She’s great in that bit and the curb is there when and if I need it.
I use pelhams (mullen, vulcanite, jointed) or double bridles, mostly. On very rare occasions a full-cheek snaffle or slow twist D-ring.
wow that’s quite a variety.
makes me feel better about having to switch to something stronger at least temporarily.
I hunt in a loose ring snaffle. I add a running martingale and that gives me just enough “extra.” My horse is not but not strong. If your horse is strong in the hunt field I think it’s an excellent idea to “bit up” so that you have brakes.
My last horse I hunted bitless but he was exceptionally responsive to my seat.
A huge fan of a gag bit here. In experienced hands, naturally, but there’s nothing better. It’s a light little snaffle (I ride most of mine on the buckle, literally - ask around:o) But it’s there when you might need it.
I had one horse that was so strong he’d run off with me in a gag with running martingale plus figure 8. But oh-so-balanced. I loved that horse.
I use kimblewicks a lot.
I have used a gag…but more recently used a two ring elevator happy mouth…does the job with my guy…
Agree with whatever works for that horse. I’ve seen the full range from bitless to a double bridle. Rue used to hunt in a French link loose ring. Asp is stronger than him, and would likely go in a pelham because she responds very well to the curb pressure. I’d love to try her in a double, but she has a small mouth/big tongue and finding a combination that will work for her is tricky.
When I was a junior, I rode a horse that had about everything but the kitchen sink on him. He stopped but it took a lot of gear. My current horse is in a hackmore with short shanks, padded noseband and chain curb with Sealtex on it. Long shanks ticked her off, her skin is delicate (hence the padded noseband) and a leather curb wasn’t enough but a chain curb cut her skin (hence the chain with Sealtex).
She’s incredibly fussy about bits (bad history with them & neglected teeth for too long before I got her) and I decided that after three years, it wasn’t worth the fight. She’ll stop on a dime with the hackamore and can spend hours in it without even a head shake. Even in eventing, it’s whatever works for your jumping phases.
Two of my previous horses would do anything in a plain french-link snaffle. Another needed a pelham and two others I would never take hunting. They lost their minds outside an arena but were great shows horses.
Ignore what everyone else uses and use what works on your horse.
Yeah, I have the following:
Kimberwicke - old standby for something stronger that doesn’t have two reins
Two ring Herm sprenger french mouth - My eventer normally goes really well in a loose ring french mouth KK, needs a little bit of a step up for hunting.
My young mare I hunt in a mullen happy mouth and she is easily controlled but that is not the norm. She does not like much in her mouth and as long as I can stop her I dont’ care. She jigs the whole time but there’s no bit that will fix that.
I also have a three ring mullen happy mouth that I have used on a variety of horses. I like that one too.
Also have used a variety of egg butt and full cheek snaffles.
I think the only thing I’m consistent with is they all go in a breastplate with a standing martingale. The breastplate gives me something to hang on to and keeps the saddle from slipping back and the standing attachment keeps them from getting their head up to evade the bit in moments of excitement.
