I’m looking into a Weymouth bit for my mare and gelding. They don’t seem too crazy about the port being upright. I was wondering what the forward tilt in the port does? It seems to lay more flat onto their tongue!
I have limited experience trying a more forward slant port in a Weymouth curb. Normally I ride 2 horses, an Appendix AQHA gelding and an Arab-Welsh mare, both in their mid to late 20s. I introduced both of these horses to the double bridle and my riding teachers LIKE how their horses go in a double bridle under me. I normally ride with the Fager Victoria Mullen Mouth titanium Weymouth Curb (no longer made) with the Fager Alice titanium bradoon, double jointed with a small titanium center roller. When the stars align and I have a good day I can keep contact, at a walk, with just the mullen mouth curb for a few minutes without distressing the horse (the horse reaches out, establishes contact, and keeps contact.)
All these Weymouths have 5" shanks.
After a few years riding with this double bridle set up I decided to experiment with the Weymouth mouthpiece. I bought the Fager Eric titanium Weymouth, which had a tiny “port” going up vertically from the horse’s tongue towards the palate ^. Both horses were not terribly sure about this bit, I got a feeling of minor sucking back, and when I tried to keep contact with just the curb bit I could tell that these horses did not feel confident enough to relax their mouths, especially their tongues, they were polite about this and “pretended” to keep contact but I could tell that they were not relaxed about it. After two or three rides this bit went to my bit box where it still resides.
Then months later I decided to try the Fager Elisabeth titanium Weymouth with a port that angles forward about 30 degrees (I think). I was rather excited about trying this bit. I used it ONCE, on the Arab-Welsh mare who LOVES contact and will voluntarily stretch her neck gently and reach out for contact and had up until then no protests against the maybe 10 different bits I’ve used on her, mainly snaffle bits. From the moment this bit was put into her mouth (double bridle) she DID NOT LIKE this bit. I started riding her and this normally calm mare just fretted and would not relax. When I told her to go to her owner in the center of the ring the mare went up and buried her nose in the lady’s bosom “crying”, asking her owner to please take that bit out of her mouth. I rode a little longer, nothing improved, and I did not even try to use this bit again on either horse. This bit also now “lives” in my bit box.
With the limitations of my hands (I have MS, my hands have a tremor and my proprioceptive sense is horrible) these horses seem to LIKE having the mullen mouth Weymouth curb. Previously I had no problems using a Cambridge mouth Weymouth (regular port), the horses’ mouths remained relaxed and I could keep contact at the walk. It is only with these two bits with a forward tilt to the “port” that they lost their calmness and acceptance of the Weymouth curb.
Sorry for the novel. I hope this helps you.
Your results may vary. If you want to try a Mullen mouth Weymouth curb they are available in other metals since the titanium ones are no longer available.
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