I consider a thin twisted wire bit to be absurdly harsh, and the mystery bit (aka Pletcher) in this thread is no better.
Just because someone is an accomplished rider/trainer, that doesn’t mean their tack choices/creations are above reproach.
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It always surprises me that gags, elevator type bits etc aren’t allowed in the hunter ring, even though the actual mouth pieces may be an egg butt type bit (of course it may not be!) but just because of the “action” it’s not allowed…but thin, sharp, harsh bits…sure…go right ahead! Why not just allow some of the other types of bits, and just maybe these harsher bits wouldn’t be needed!
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The bit has been ‘in’ for quite a few years. And no it doesn’t mean your horse isn’t broke. Some horses just need a little bump from time to time instead of a contstant pull. We use it on my horse from time to time when he gets a little dragging me around and yes he is broke, but needs an occasional reminder to behave and not drag. I don’t really find it to be a super harsh bit but can send a quicker / better reminder than a slow twist with us constantly pulling pulling pulling.
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The people on here saying go spend that much money in lessons have never shown a quality derby horse or high performance hunter. Do all 1.60/5* horses go in plain snaffles? No. They are strong and opinionated and athletic. A high quality hunter is no different.
I personally used that bit on a young horse in the show ring that is EXTREMELY sensitive in the mouth, and she loved it. I could stay out of her way until she got too greedy then quietly remind her that she needed to balance or slow down with 1/16 of the hand necessary in another set up. She has enough flat work to go win USET finals, but she’s still exuberant about her job and needs a bit more bridle for the show ring. So do most horses.
That 1/16 of force necessary compared to 11/16 in a different bridle can be the difference between and 85 and a 92 in the hunter ring, where finesse is important.
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I’m really new to hunters, but this makes sense to me. With my western Arabs, I school regularly in a rubber or otherwise very gentle snaffle. They know their job, and they’ll do it readily, but a bigger port allows for a bit of extra drape, a little less hand motion, a lot more subtlety. Even my main ring hunters school in far less bit than they show in for that exact reason.
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They are actually not harsh at all. They lie flat in the mouth and don’t pinch the tongue at all.
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This.
Don’t judge what you don’t know. The lightest of light horses go best in this bit, as do some pullers. I special ordered one with a ball in the middle in a full cheek and it made one of mine go from a high 70s to a high 80s horse because he stopped curling up to avoid the bit and took contact. Horses love them, and they can be worth every penny for the ones that do. I mean really, we’re scoffing at 470.00 bits when the horse’s mouth they go in are worth 6 figures?
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I have no problem with the bit, it’s not what I would immediately go to for training but as you say sometimes horses prefer one bit over another.
My problem is with that is 500$ and there seems to be no real reason as to why.
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If people will pay that, it is good quality workmanship and materials? Why not? It a business. Something like an unjointed low port Mylar dee snaffle without hooks was around 100 some 10 years or so back. This PP has more pieces and more work on the mouthpiece. Might pay it I had the horse it was perfect for.
Its fine to cite flatwork but if you have one trying to take you waterskiing off the far corner to the last fence, the course designers joke, the dreaded single oxer on the diagonal headed to the out gate 5 strides ahead? You might like being able to give horsey a little bump that won’t knock him off stride like a full half halt would.
Or the Derby course with a late in the course, forward, bending 8 strides to a 4’ wide oxer then 6 strides to a 4’ stone wall. Under the lights. Might need a little tweak there in the heat of competition without nagging or picking, experienced hunters can count fences and will try to light the jets and/or pull like a tractor when they get to 5 or 6. Yet are light and polite otherwise.
And thats one reason some might like this bit. Allows a light but meaningful split second correction in the show ring at the instant of infraction.
Having had sensitive horses, can see why they might like it as well, it’s the quick action then staying out of their way. So, yes, both types might go well in it and it might be an appropriate choice for a trained horse with an educated rider. Or like my last Hunter, sensitive for 6 fences and a freight train down the last line. Lord help you if you had to turn past the gate and jump more fences in a Classic:cool:.
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