It’s always interesting to me - no matter how many “off the rack” bits exist, there is always room for invention.
If you have had a custom bit made, or have wished you had a particular mouthpiece/cheek combination, what is it?
I have ordered a bit before, but its not really a “new” invention. I’ve had a bit made by myler as my pony loved the mouth piece, but I needed a more “traditional” cheek piece for it for driving (it was a D ring that I used when I was riding him).
I called up myler and ordered the MB33 with 3 slot liverpool cheek pieces in a 5" and it turned out beautifully! Pony loves it and it goes great with our “turnout”.
I plan on ordering another one from them this year for our other driving pony but will order it with the MB01 mouthpiece as he really seems to like that one. Not cheap, but at least I know they like them.
My favorite Shuttleworth bits have all been in the sweet iron material, which my horses seem to love. D-rings made entirely of that material are hard to find off the rack. My favorite is a sweet iron slow twist (the JKS slow twist, that is fat and has some edge to it), with a dog bone center link. Used it in a horse that went decently in a Dr. Bristol at shows, but needed something slightly different.
The Pletcher bit/teardrop bit is also a great tool for the hunters - mostly as a show ring bit, not for schooling at home.
In terms of the jumpers, most of what I want/need can be found off the rack; I tend to lean towards the custom solutions for the hunters more often.
I’ve always wanted a bit you could swap the mouthpiece out on. IOW, a modular-style bit. There are challenges because of the nature of making something swappable without pinching any mouth parts. But I don’t think that’s an insurmountable issue.
Would love to be able to try a variety of mouthpieces on a snaffle cheek (D, eggbut, full cheek, etc), gag cheek, two/three ring, etc. - ported, mullen, single-link, double-link, slow twist, corkscrew, waterford, etc.
Everything I’ve had to go custom for has either been because of the size I needed or because I wanted the mouthpiece in sweet iron. Now that Jay isn’t around I use Equus Sport in Colorado.
I have 2. Both are Mylers. One is a Dr Bristol with an interesting mouth (the side pieces are kind of square like you’d find on a slow twist but it’s not really twisted) full cheek in a custom size. Other one is their standard comfort snaffle but also custom sized and in sweet iron. These were both for a small mouthed mare who was sensitive but sometimes needed emergency brakes.
The half-moon middle bean!!!
