Looking for some help with hunter bits. We currently have my mare in a french link eggbutt but lately she has been walking through it and avoiding it and extremely tense. We tried her in a kimerwick snaffle on the bottom slot on the weekend (I didn’t have any other bits) and she was respectful and actually collecting herself and listening also we noticed she was more relax almost like she understood what we wanted better. But I know this is not a normal bit for hunter and don’t want points against her for it. Can anyone recommend a snaffle that works like the kimberwick? She seems a huge fan of the ports as well. I was looking at a myler eggbutt MB06 since its level 2-3 and claims to use pole pressure? What does everyone think?
A Kimberwick is a leverage bit, therefore you will not find a snaffle that “works like the kimberwick.” You might try a Pelham instead, with two sets of reins.
However, instead of a leverage bit, dressage lessons would be beneficial, and playing around with different snaffles. Try a snaffle with the same mouthpiece as the kimberwick she appeared to like to help determine if it was the mouthpiece or the leverage she appreciated.
HU105 Tack
- Snaffles, pelhams and full bridles, all with cavesson nose bands, are required.
a. Judges may penalize, but may not eliminate, a horse or pony that competes in a snaffle, pelham, or full bridle that is unconventional. Unconventional snaffles, pelhams, or full bridles include, but are not limited to, hunter gags, kimberwickes, etc.
b. Judges must eliminate a horse or pony that competes in illegal bits or nosebands. Illegal bits include, but are not limited to, three rings, gags (other than the hunter gag), et cetera… Illegal nosebands include, but are not limited to, drop, flash and figure eight nosebands.
2 Likes
She’s in dressage training right now along with hunter training. We’ve had little problems from the beginning with this snaffle, she would collect and then throw her head up and we would loose our walk at shows. I’ve been trying for a bit to change the bit but our trainer wanted to keep her in it. In my mind if it’s not working why not try something else. She’s had subtle problems for 2 years but were told it was her being young but now we are at the end of year 3 and no improvement
Just a point about the Myler bits you mention: the only Myler snaffles that would work like a Kimberwick are the ones that have rein slots on the bottom part of the cheek piece. Those rein slots do give the bit a slight leverage action similar to the Kimberwick’s leverage.
I’d agree that maybe the first step would be to try to find a snaffle that has a similar mouthpiece to the Kimberwick that the horse seemed to like, and see how that works out.
1 Like
You could try a full cheek with keepers or a boucher as well. Those bits provide some poll pressure similar to the kiberwick
A study showed that the baucher actually has the least amount of poll pressure compared to other snaffle cheek pieces.
https://horsebyhorse.com/blogs/news/neue-schule-poll-pressure-guide
2 Likes
While neither the Boucher nor the full cheek (with keepers) provide any poll pressure, they DO keep the bit in a fixed orientation in the mouth, similar to the kimberwick.
The Boucher would probably be considered “unconventional”, but the full cheek, while not fashionable, should be considered conventional.
I don’t think a boucher bit is going to get any more love than a kimberwick. Ditto for a Myler with rein loops. A full cheek would be a more traditional option, but I’d try her in a little Tom Thumb pelham. I bet she’ll like that and it’s plenty traditional.
3 years is along time to be in a training program without seeing results on this issue.
