I’m thinking about switching to a Figure Eight bridle for my sensitive OTTB gelding. He is generally very active with his mouth and does a lot of chewing the bit/opening his mouth to avoid the bit. Will a figure eight make him any more comfortable? What are some of the main benefits? Which are your favorite? I’d like to spend no more then $150 on the bridle. Thanks!!
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If you ride jumpers that’s great. They are illegal in the hunter ring, though. Other than that, I plead ignorance. 
Thinking my guy will want to be a jumper or eventer!
do you have one you can try before spending the money? Some horses seem to like the jaw support and the fact there is nothing pulling their cheeks into their teeth, but some horses just fight the figure-8 and won’t relax their jaw.
A good equine massage person, dental work, and/or a different bit might do more to help with the connection issue.
If you already have a bridle you’re happy with, you can purchase a figure 8 noseband separately to replace your current noseband (unless it’s the non-removable type). Much cheaper and not the end of the world if your horse turns out not to like it.
If he’s trying to avoid the bit, I’d be looking at perhaps trying a different bit or thinking hard about whether it could be your hands before thinking that it’s the noseband. Some horses dislike a noseband against the teeth (which the figure 8 avoids), but I think this sounds more like a mouth issue than a noseband one.
His teeth have recently been done, we’ve tried many different bits, and he goes the same way for my trainer and I, so I doubt it’s my hands specifically. We are also currently treating for ulcers, hoping that helps.
My mare loves her figure eight. Her nose is sensitive and when she was green, she hated traditional nose bands. I bought the Edgewood and swapped out her traditional padded one. Now that she’s not so green, she’s fine in any noseband.
TatteredDaydreamer, is your OTTB green? If yes, that head and bit fussing will go away. If not, he’s trying to tell you that something is bothering him. I know it’s not always easy to figure it out. My friend’s OTTB, would only relax in a poll relief bridle. Horses - I wish they could talk!
Not too green, Roo! Yes I’ve tried just about everything in trying to figure out what makes this guy tick.
a figure eight is designed to keep their mouth shut. always remember that. if he is fussy, consider that there may be something other than your hands bothering him.
i love the look, but hate being reminded that they are a tool designed to keep the horse from expressing his opinion or betraying the rider’s heavy hands or lack of control.
not targeting you specifically, but maybe scheme with your trainer the reason for his fussiness. i had one that just didnt like the ‘instability’ of a loosering. switched him to an eggbutt and he went from fussy mouth to taking the bit like it was a lollipop.
While the general purpose of both figure eights and flashes are to keep the mouth shut, I have found that they offer a level of stabilization for some horses that they don’t get in a plain cavesson. Even buckled fairly lightly, they seem to appreciate the stability it gives their bit.
That at being said, I’d borrow a figure eight noseband or just purchase the noseband (never bad to have one in your arsenal) and try it first, before investing in an entire bridle.
I have to say, it can take ages to find the right combination. I rode my horse for years in a figure eight. Recently, I got a plain cavesson bridle to use in the adult eq, and on a whim I put a Waterford on it. Pretty much the best set up ever. I’d tried him in a plain cavesson before with other bits and didn’t like it. This is just a whole new feeling!
Thank you for the help! We have tried him in a happy mouth Pelham, a Waterford, a loose ring with a lozenge and a D ring with a lozenge. He hated the Pelham and the Waterford, was even fussier then normal. I have a single crown piece bridle so I would need a figure eight attachment with buckles on both sides. Just very frustrating because I feel like I’ve tried almost everything to help him become more rideable.
What about a Micklem competition bridle? I’ve heard good things about them helping horses to relax in the bridle more and I’m considering one for my TB too :). We do Jumpers, eventing and dressage.
OP, what brand is your bridle? Tack shops can often order in replacement parts for various brands, and sticking with the same brand would probably make it easier to find one with double buckles.
Worst case you could buy an HDR Stress free bridle they go for under $100 complete and they have a padded crown with ear cut outs.
My TB prefers a loosely fitted figure 8 over a regular cavesson. Or no noseband, but then my brakes are questionable while jumping. He was very anxious when he was a greenie and didn’t understand contact very well–now he’s not really that different in whatever noseband, but his figure 8 is a Five Star Tack one and too pretty to sit in my tack trunk!
I guess in theory it would be a good idea to borrow one before you buy…but I’m kind of an enabler and I like nice bridles…plus it really is a good thing to have around, even if it’s on a Franken-bridle of different parts like my spare one is.
What about a hackamore? I had one who had a VERY hard mouth, rode him in one for a while, and he was much less fussy when I put a ‘real’ bit back in. I keep switching in and out, works great for me!
I also used a figure 8 on the same horse for a long time, and it gave him more ‘whoa’ but did not improve ‘fussy-ness’. However, a tight cavesson with looser flash did. Best to try lots of options, best if you can borrow before buying!
[QUOTE=TatteredDaydreamer;8045931]
Thank you for the help! We have tried him in a happy mouth Pelham, a Waterford, a loose ring with a lozenge and a D ring with a lozenge. He hated the Pelham and the Waterford, was even fussier then normal.[/QUOTE]
Think again about the bits you have tried. The Waterford, loose ring, and dee ring are of varying degrees of unstable, but are all what I would categorize as unstable, given the multiple joints. What was it about the Pelham he disliked? The curb action? Was it also jointed, or was it a mullen mouthpiece?
It took me years to figure out that my mare likes a stable bit: no more than one joint, and some kind of stable cheek, please. If it’s jointed, I make sure it’s a curved mouthpiece, like the JP Korsteel line. Bauchers, full cheek with keepers, and Pelhams seem to make her the happiest. She does also prefer a thinner mouthpiece.
In your shoes, I might try a JP single-jointed full cheek snaffle with keepers, or a mullen mouth full cheek Happy Mouth, also with keepers (I only say Happy Mouth because a regular mullen mouth full cheek is not particularly common).
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[QUOTE=pattnic;8047096]
Think again about the bits you have tried. The Waterford, loose ring, and dee ring are of varying degrees of unstable, but are all what I would categorize as unstable, given the multiple joints. What was it about the Pelham he disliked? The curb action? Was it also jointed, or was it a mullen mouthpiece?
It took me years to figure out that my mare likes a stable bit: no more than one joint, and some kind of stable cheek, please. If it’s jointed, I make sure it’s a curved mouthpiece, like the JP Korsteel line. Bauchers, full cheek with keepers, and Pelhams seem to make her the happiest. She does also prefer a thinner mouthpiece.
In your shoes, I might try a JP single-jointed full cheek snaffle with keepers, or a mullen mouth full cheek Happy Mouth, also with keepers (I only say Happy Mouth because a regular mullen mouth full cheek is not particularly common).[/QUOTE]
Said it better than me. The bits you mentioned are just a small handful. There are lots more options out there (this is why I do not give up my monstrous collection and buy things I don’t need! You never know what you’ll need down the road). I like pattnic’s bit suggestions. I would also add Nathe or a Duo to that list.
A figure eight very well may help. But it might not.
