Mikmar Bits - Yay or Neigh?

[AAHunterGal]

I have only ridden one horse in a Mikmar bit, a lovely fat happy Adult Amateur mare, while I was working for a very well known and tactful hunter rider/trainer. It was the only horse she had in that bit, and I never got the backstory for it, but man, that mare LOVED it and was SO happy and light in the bridle.

The little horse I’m getting now goes in a rubber pelham with a leather curb, and likes it, but still pulls a little to the jumps. Granted, I only rode her in it once during a trial, and I’ll keep it and play around with it at home, but she’s going to be 1/2 leased to one of the little girls in the barn and she already has a bit of “lesson mouth,” so I don’t really want the kid with the pelham. Also granted, a lot of this I feel can be corrected with more flatwork and strength along her topline so she can carry herself more independently.

While that process is happening, I’m thinking of putting her in a two ring elevator with a happy mouth french link for the kid to giver her a touch of leverage, and I was thinking of trying a Mikmar for myself.

So that’s the long pre-amble to the final question - Mikmars - love or hate them? Think this would be something to try?

[Bogie]

I ride my TB in a short shank Mikmar. He loves that bit. When he’s feeling tense, he likes to flip the roller with his tongue. I haven’t tried the one with rope nosepiece. For whatever reason, the shape of the mouthpiece works for him. I tried it on another horse and she did her best to spit it out!

[dani0303]

My jumper also goes in the short shank. She LOVES it. She’ll happily come into the bridle without trying to be my chiropractor in the corners. When she gets anxious she plays with the roller. I use 2 reins with it and almost never need the curb but it’s there when I do.

FWIW this mare is 19 and we’ve tried changing her ways but she’s pretty stuck in them.

[IPEsq]

Does the kid know how to ride with 2 reins? I don’t see the elevator being any better option for the kid. If kid can’t use 2 reins, I’d be inclined to try something like a slow twist for the lessee. And/or not have lessee jump this horse for a while.

[TheMoo]

@"A"HunterGal

I have only ridden one horse in a Mikmar bit, a lovely fat happy Adult Amateur mare, while I was working for a very well known and tactful hunter rider/trainer. It was the only horse she had in that bit, and I never got the backstory for it, but man, that mare LOVED it and was SO happy and light in the bridle.

The little horse I’m getting now goes in a rubber pelham with a leather curb, and likes it, but still pulls a little to the jumps. Granted, I only rode her in it once during a trial, and I’ll keep it and play around with it at home, but she’s going to be 1/2 leased to one of the little girls in the barn and she already has a bit of “lesson mouth,” so I don’t really want the kid with the pelham. Also granted, a lot of this I feel can be corrected with more flatwork and strength along her topline so she can carry herself more independently.

While that process is happening, I’m thinking of putting her in a two ring elevator with a happy mouth french link for the kid to giver her a touch of leverage, and I was thinking of trying a Mikmar for myself.

So that’s the long pre-amble to the final question - Mikmars - love or hate them? Think this would be something to try?

If you feel this can be corrected with proper flatwork and strength (which it can be IME) my suggestion is to not half lease her out and get that strength and topline.

I can’t see throwing bits at this situation right away, and I do not understand why you do not want the kid to ride this horse in a Pelham but would use an elevator.

[findeight]

Mik Mar makes all sorts of bits. Not sure what kind of Mik Mar you are talking about. Like the Comfort Snaffle myself. No joint, low port for tongue relief, Classic dee side. Lots to like.

[IPEsq]

Assume you mean the Mikmar with the solid port with roller thing? On a pelham cheek? I’m not following your thinking of going there when current bit is a rubber snaffle. To install some flatwork, I’d probably just put on a loose ring snaffle to start with (of course, Mikmar makes these too).

[AAHunterGal]

@TheMoo

If you feel this can be corrected with proper flatwork and strength (which it can be IME) my suggestion is to not half lease her out and get that strength and topline.

Judge not when ye know not all the circumstances…

[AAHunterGal]

@IPEsq

Assume you mean the Mikmar with the solid port with roller thing? On a pelham cheek? I’m not following your thinking of going there when current bit is a rubber snaffle. To install some flatwork, I’d probably just put on a loose ring snaffle to start with (of course, Mikmar makes these too).

I rode her in a loose ring, and the mare doesn’t like it. ::shrug:: I’m not one to force something into her mouth she would rather not have, but maybe she would like the mikmar verson of it.

The bit I’m referring to the short shank that others have referenced above, one of the older models, which is what I rode the one mare in before who really went well in it. Again, plan is to just keep her in what she likes to start and then go from there, was just wondering what other’s experiences were with that bit since mine was great in the past.

[akhunterrider]

I rode a TB gelding that I leased as a teen in a Mikmar D Ring. It was the big, ported mouthpiece with the roller. His name was Iron Monarch and aptly nicknamed Iron Jaw. My trainer had him in training since he was 3 years old (he was 19 when I showed him), so he was how he was at that point. You couldn’t ride him in a single jointed bit. If the joint hit the roof of his mouth, his head would go up in the air and he’d slam on the breaks. His normal bit (a french link baucher) wasn’t the best hunter ring bit. So we tried the Mikmar. Surprisingly he liked it pretty well, but he did somehow manage to saw off part of the port with his teeth. It gave us enough control, but didn’t upset him. I also used a Mikmar combination bit on a jumper I leased way back when and he really liked it too. I haven’t used any Mikmars since then (2006), but I think there is a time and application for most things in the right hands.

[IPEsq]

@"A"HunterGal

I rode her in a loose ring, and the mare doesn’t like it. ::shrug:: I’m not one to force something into her mouth she would rather not have, but maybe she would like the mikmar verson of it.

The bit I’m referring to the short shank that others have referenced above, one of the older models, which is what I rode the one mare in before who really went well in it. Again, plan is to just keep her in what she likes to start and then go from there, was just wondering what other’s experiences were with that bit since mine was great in the past.

What was the behavior that told you she didn’t like it? Not being snarky, this is useful info potentially. Was it single jointed? Double jointed? How was the thickness in comparison to the rubber? What was the behavior?

I’m still not entirely sure what bit you are talking about (Mikmar makes a lot of bits!), but I’ve ridden in a short shank straight Mikmar ported mouth with the roller pelham. It is a STRONG bit. There are a lot of leverage bits in between the rubber you have and this Mikmar. It was far too much bit for the horse that came to me with it, and I changed him to a longer shank snaffle mouth pelham for shows, snaffle at home. Now, granted, there are some “strong” bits that just make certain horses happy for whatever reason, and it does not appear strong to them. It just hits them in the right pressure points. This bit would not be something I’d tend to reach for for a hunter unless a lot of more traditional bits were not working.

We don’t have enough information on this horse to make a recommendation, but giving a leverage bit to the lessee is probably not a great idea if you don’t want her to ride in what is already a pretty mild leverage bit.

[TheMoo]

@"A"HunterGal

Judge not when ye know not all the circumstances…

I am not judging I was asking questions. You do you.

[AAHunterGal]

@IPEsq

What was the behavior that told you she didn’t like it? Not being snarky, this is useful info potentially. Was it single jointed? Double jointed? How was the thickness in comparison to the rubber? What was the behavior?

I’m still not entirely sure what bit you are talking about (Mikmar makes a lot of bits!), but I’ve ridden in a short shank straight Mikmar ported mouth with the roller pelham. It is a STRONG bit. There are a lot of leverage bits in between the rubber you have and this Mikmar. It was far too much bit for the horse that came to me with it, and I changed him to a longer shank snaffle mouth pelham for shows, snaffle at home. Now, granted, there are some “strong” bits that just make certain horses happy for whatever reason, and it does not appear strong to them. It just hits them in the right pressure points. This bit would not be something I’d tend to reach for for a hunter unless a lot of more traditional bits were not working.

We don’t have enough information on this horse to make a recommendation, but giving a leverage bit to the lessee is probably not a great idea if you don’t want her to ride in what is already a pretty mild leverage bit.

Yeah, you’re probably right. She didn’t do anything dangerous in the loose ring for sure, just didn’t feel very happy with it compared to how she rode with the pelham. Maybe I’ll put the kid in a good ol’ full cheek snaffle - she’s not a bad rider and will always be supervised, I just don’t trust her with the pelham, and even I don’t want to ride in it unless maybe at shows.

Maybe I’ll do a rubber mouthed boucher to see how that goes, I’ve heard that some horses who tend to pull really love the stability it gives.

Thanks for making me think a bit harder!