Fine Tuning Bit Choice - Myler?

[RW06]

Please indulge me… this is half to satisfy the bit nerd in me, half soliciting creative thoughts. I am working with a highly qualified trainer whom I trust and she and I have been brainstorming on this topic. No major issues here, just thinking about fine-tuning some bitting choices!

Context: I’ve been leasing a horse for the last two months who is lovely, sweet, brave and all the good things you want in an AA hunter. Left to his own devices, he wants to be on his forehand and slow with a “rack-y” canter, so we’ve been really focusing on his flatwork and getting him stronger behind and are seeing a lot of improvement in his willingness to go forward, quality of his canter, etc. He is a bit stiff laterally and is still really trying to get comfortable with bending properly but we’re getting there. At home I ride him in a 2-ring Happy Mouth with a roller and that has helped him think about his balance a lot; however, he makes a slight “sucking” noise once we really get engaged- almost like he’s trying to get his tongue away from or over the bit. I have to be careful to not let him get behind the vertical in this bit but overall it’s been a good choice and he jumps well n it. I started my lease with him in a KK Ultra 2-type loose ring with a bean and it was good for a week or two but then he seemed to get offended by it, really locking his jaw and sticking his head up here and there especially in the turns when jumping. He’ll do this occasionally with the Happy Mouth, too but not as much. We show in a Waterford D which keeps him up in front and we don’t have the locking issue, but we lose some of the lateral flexibility. Honestly, I don’t need any huge fix and most of this will come from continued strengthening and flatwork but I’ve been wondering if there’s something he might be happier in out there. Myler with a low port- more tongue relief? Waterford at home with more flatwork? What say you, COTH hive mind? FWIW, he seems to get offended with a single-jointed snaffle. Teeth are in good shape, saddle well-fitted, recently injected hocks/stifles.

Again- he is really doing nicely with flatwork and strengthening but bit research during quarantine has become something of a hobby

[IPEsq]

I would try a more forward angled mouth in a full cheek. I don’t think it’s tongue relief he wants necessarily if he likes a Waterford. Your description of the reaction makes me think something about the bars or even corners of the mouth. So I am thinking a more stable bit that isn’t ported (which could increase bar pressure) but more forward in the mouth for a low palate horse. A Sprenger Dynamic RS mouth is what I use for one like that. I have a full cheek so I know they make it. This mouth also comes in a short shank pelham which might be interesting to try at least for the short term.

I have found with Mylers that if they tend to get curled in something like a 2 ring they curl worse in the Myler tongue relief. They also can pinch at the corners if that’s what yours is complaining about.

Neue Schule has some options as well that may come in an eggbutt or full cheek.

All that said, I rode one that went exactly like this that did great in a slow twist full cheek and eventually tolerated the Dynamic RS in a loose ring once we were farther along in the flatwork. I thought a pelham would be the thing but he hated it and the bracing you described was a ton worse. If he was just on the forehand and went ok in the 2 ring but didn’t do the bracing thing, I’d say pelham first. But it might offend him.

[jumpernyc]

I use Neue Schule Verbindend Universal which has some serious curvature to the mouth piece along with a center lozenge piece. It’s a really nice comfortable bit and I use it on my horse that is funny in the mouth with great success. It’s my favorite bit.

[Posting_Trot]

You could try him in either a full-cheek with keepers or a baucher; probably try a double-jointed bit which type you choose. These two bits tend to not rest on the bars of the mouth, and they also are very stable in the horse’s mouth, which a lot of horses prefer.

The Herm Sprenger bit that the OP mentioned is a really nice bit, but it is basically designed (if it’s the one I’m thinking of) to give a horse something that rolls on the tongue and they can play with. If the horse doesn’t like that (or is offended by it), it may be what they want is a bit that is essentially still in their mouth.

Anyway, there are a lot of nice options in both types of bits.

FWIW, for the two horses I’ve owned as an adult, neither one liked a Myler. They both leaned on it, and became less flexible laterally. (The bits in both cases were level 1).

One was a TB mare who ultimately worked extremely well in a baucher. The other is an Irish Draught mare who is in a Neue Schule Turtle Tactio loose ring (she has expensive tastes!).

[NancyM]

I had one that really liked the Myler. It was a simple D. It’s always worth a try, you can’t tell for sure one way or another in advance.

[Spud_amp_Saf]

My favorite bit of all time is the Sprenger Duo in a D ring - it comes in a 16mm and a 23 mm mouth piece. I think of all the horses I’ve ever used it on, one or two preferred the Sprenger Dynamic RS instead, but I would say, in my experience, 95% of horses absolutely loved this bit with a preference for either the thicker or thinner mouthpiece based on mouth shape. Essentially, those are my two go-to bits and I basically don’t use anything else. I have never had an issue with “brakes” in this Duo, on even the most forward of horses. I think they just love the softness, the stability and the tongue relief this bit gives and it is very forgiving in terms of rider error. I know you were looking for something perhaps with more finesse, but I just find the connection offered with the Duo is so consistent and lovely, that it really allows me not to think about that issue as much and focus on more nuanced elements of my ride.

[RW06]

Interesting! We have several that go in the Duo at the barn. In your experience, how does it tend to work with one that wants to be on the forehand (whether conformationally or by “default”)?

[ElementFarm]

have you tried a mullen mouth? I have a hannoverian gelding that would behave as you describe. He has a low palate and he hates anything with a single joint, is mostly tolerant of a double joint or waterford, but still acts offended sometimes, but loves a mullen mouth. If your gelding is soft mouthed, a HS Duo or Nathe would be my recommendation. If he needs a bit more brake, then I like the Myler comfort snaffle. The sides swivel, but don’t collapse, so no risk of it poking horsie in the roof of his mouth. For more brakes, I do a rubber mullen pelham. I love the bits I can use two reins on, so I have the light ride most of the time, but can apply some leverage when needed to send a message. I prefer pelhams to be mullen mouthed because I feel like the jointed ones have a real nutcracker/pinching effect when you use the curb rein.

[Spud_amp_Saf]

I don’t think any bit will solve your horse being on the forehand. I think that what you are currently doing will resolve that issue in time, and that the bit the horse is happiest in maintaining the connection in will assist you in that process. Getting the horse responsive to the aids usually is the best answer to finding its balance, in my experience.