I just bought a 4 year old pleasure bred filly. She is very quiet but not finished. When I bought her she was ridden in a thin twisted wire with no contact and she went well in that bit. I want to ride her English and Western. My question is, do I stick with the thin wire or use a plain snaffle. Is it better to wait till I have her more finished?
I am basically an English girl, and for the most part ridden with contact in smooth snaffles. I don’t want to confuse her or create bad habits. What do you experienced Western people think?
I have ridden Western for a while now which is why I wanted a horse to ride both ways. I know how to ride without contact and with my seat and legs. Just looking for the best thing with to do for her. Thanks!
Why thin twisted wire? That is a very harsh moutpiece for a greenie. I would absolutely throw that to the birds and get a regular snaffle (my gelding prefers the Myler western D-ring comfort snaffle, it has like two joints instead of one).
Second, just because she’s a pleasure bred filly doesn’t mean she can’t go on contact. She needs to learn to ride in the bridle, get her ass up under her so she’s not dragging herself along with her nose plowing dirt, and learn to travel correctly both on the circle and on the straight [I’m not saying she moves like this, but that is how most “WP bred” horses are allowed to move]
Get rid of the thin twisted wire snaffle, and replace it with any other snaffle.
No contact comes after the horse is finished, not before. You say you have an english background…teach using dressage basics, and the “no contact” thing will come later, when she can balance and reach into the bridle.
[QUOTE=SuckerForHorses;6836232]
Why thin twisted wire? That is a very harsh moutpiece for a greenie. I would absolutely throw that to the birds and get a regular snaffle (my gelding prefers the Myler western D-ring comfort snaffle, it has like two joints instead of one).
Second, just because she’s a pleasure bred filly doesn’t mean she can’t go on contact. She needs to learn to ride in the bridle, get her ass up under her so she’s not dragging herself along with her nose plowing dirt, and learn to travel correctly both on the circle and on the straight [I’m not saying she moves like this, but that is how most “WP bred” horses are allowed to move]
Get rid of the thin twisted wire snaffle, and replace it with any other snaffle.[/QUOTE]
This is very good advice…
[QUOTE=SuckerForHorses;6836235]
No contact comes after the horse is finished, not before. You say you have an english background…teach using dressage basics, and the “no contact” thing will come later, when she can balance and reach into the bridle.[/QUOTE]
And this. Get a thinnish loose ring, like a Myler or KK and see how she does. I took my little ranch mare that had been in a curb for years back to a snaffle. She likes her loose ring Myler for dressage and a Myler comfort cowboy snaffle for western. On cows, sometimes she is back into a mullen mouth little curb for super power steering and brakes. 
There is nothing to do but experiment. Put her in the plain snaffle you are used to using and see what happens, then adjust from there.
Also, I know lots of people love the Mylers, but try and borrow one to try before you buy one. They are expensive and not all horses like them. I have one that said, very clearly, “Get this ^%%$# thing out of my mouth. Now.” But, he loves the Happy Mouth shaped mullen mouth mouthpiece, which I thought was going to be too thick to be comfortable for him. I only tried it as a last resort.
Try a thin smooth snaffle to replace the twisted wire. I like Drings or Full cheek over o-rings, but that’s just my preference.
Thanks everyone. Everything you suggest was kind of my inclination also. The only friend I have that has a Western trainer warned me to not go to a plain snaffle as it would teach her to lug. She said her trainer’s motto is “thinner, winner” when it comes to bits. I had her in a loose ring snaffle today and she seems fine. Thanks!
definitely a regular snaffle will do my horse loves the snaffle with copper rollers
This is my motto: train the horse to be light in the bridle, and you don’t need a thin bit to keep them from lugging.
This bit is the one I use (I am not sure why SS Tack’s website says its sweet iron, because its not…)
http://www.sstack.com/product/myler-dee-sweet-iron-comfort-snaffle/
My bit isn’t sweet iron either, its exactly the one pictured.
My gelding doesn’t like a single joint, nutcracker effect and the joint pokes him in the palette. This bit works great for preventing that. My mare, an Arab with a smaller mouth, loves this bit as well.
[QUOTE=SuckerForHorses;6837445]
This bit is the one I use (I am not sure why SS Tack’s website says its sweet iron, because its not…)
http://www.sstack.com/product/myler-dee-sweet-iron-comfort-snaffle/
My bit isn’t sweet iron either, its exactly the one pictured.
My gelding doesn’t like a single joint, nutcracker effect and the joint pokes him in the palette. This bit works great for preventing that. My mare, an Arab with a smaller mouth, loves this bit as well.[/QUOTE]
This is exactly what I was talking about. My mare loves hers.
