Need help finding a bit for my fussy, pony...before I pull my hair out. Really.

[Freebird]

OK, before anyone asks, yes she recently had her teeth done, and yes, I do ride her with a very light hand, and ask with my leg.

Now, I know most, if not all of her issue stem from the fact that she was used as a lesson horse at a very young age. As in two. And now she pretty much just needs to mature, and relearn how to be ridden from leg to hand.

If I had an arena, I would stick her in mild snaffle, and just keep at it, until she matured, and learned that I am not going to yank her face off. However, I do not have an arena, so we ride around my neighborhood - I live in the country - so I have to stay somewhat safe, and I do need to be able to stop and turn at some level.

So far I have tried: Plain D ring, Rubber Nathe knock off, (chewed and tossed her head at these) Mullen mouth Kimberwick, Mullen 2 Ring Happy Mouth Elevator, (Totally behind the bit, even with a total loose rein. She was used for lessons in a Kimberwick, and pretty much hates it) KK Oval Link Egg Butt, French Link, Dr. Bristol, Plain Full Cheek, (same thing as the other snaffles - chewed and tossed her head, and pulled like crazy. I also had very little control) Mylar D ring with hooks…The last bit is the one that she goes the best in, but it’s still not perfect, and will still fuss with it - however, I do have my power brakes and steering back for the most part. She still can get strong, but I would rather have that, then her get behind the bit.

I have also used a SidePull, and as long as we are just doing a walking Trail Ride, she is wonderful in it. Anything more and I lose the brakes and steering.

Any ideas?

[GreyDes]

Pelham with two reins? You can stay on the snaffle as long as she behaves, and go to the curb when you need it?

[cheval_convert]

Have you tried a bitless bridle?

[tollertwins]

Maybe something w/ a little more tongue room? Like the myler MB04? And altho they look like torture devices, their combo bits are supposed to be pretty gentle.

Or maybe an short shanked hack? Like a little-S or an english hack?

[chicamuxen1]

I was going to say just about the same as tollertwins. Myler seems to have the best bits going as the shapes and swivel joints seem to offer the best comfort and selection going.

However, I really like a nice short shanked “English” hackamore for trail riding. I have one horse that has been in one for years now and competed in endurance in it. My younger horse would be just too strong for one and goes well in Myler kimberwick with the Comfort Snaffle mouthpiece.

Many smaller horses have very little room inside their mouths and the myler swivel joints are less bulky. The bit mouth pieces also have a smaller diameter. Fatter does not equal more comfort when there isn’t room in the mouth. I also had a horse in the past that HATED having a bit sit on her tongue. I found a Myler bit with a medium sized port gave her more tongue room and she finally was comfortable and accepted the bit.

Bonnie

[Freebird]

This is what she is in currently: http://www.smartpakequine.com/myler-level-2-dee-w-hooks-8412p.aspx?cm_sp=RVP--ProductClass--Myler_Level_2_Dee_w/_Hooks&cm_vc=RecentlyViewed

She does seem to really like the Myler bits. I’m just not sure I like the hooks.

[chicamuxen1]

So don’t use the hooks, just pretend they aren’t there. Hang the bit like a plain snaffle from the cheek pieces and attach the reins without using the lower hooks.Using the hooks will rotate the mouth piece in her moth and because it has a mild port she will feel that bit rotating.

I found an amazing deal on a myler snaffle with low port and bought it. It had the “hooks” which in my opinion are worthless. I just ignored the hooks and used the bit as a snaffle until I moved the horse onto an Mylel kimberwick after he got too forward in groups.

Bonnie

[BigHorseLittleHorse]

I went through the same process when I got my Arab. He had been loaned out as a lesson horse by the rescue while he was waiting to be adopted, and they rode him in a full-cheek snaffle and a standing martingale. He has a small mouth and low palate, so when the bit joint hit him in the roof of his mouth, he’d throw his head up in the air and hit the standing martingale.

So by the time I got him, I couldn’t really touch his mouth at all. I tried all different kinds of options, including hackamores and bitless, but he was above the bit, behind the bit, or had no brakes. Here’s what we finally ended up with, on a friend’s recommendation:

http://www.doversaddlery.com/pee-wee-bit/a/390/

I was always taught that thinner bit = more severe, but this bit is actually really gentle. From the first time I rode in it, he was soft and in my hands. The curved mullen mouthpiece sits really neutrally in their mouth, but you still have brakes when you need them.

Unorthodox solution, I know, and I’ve never seen anyone else using one, but it worked for us.

[BeckyS]

I have a similar issue with my mare, except that I just haven’t found a bit she likes at all. Her teeth have been done recently as well, she is just fussy about what bit works for her.

I trail ride her in an english hack, and it works really well. Just enough

[gaitedincali]

[QUOTE=BigHorseLittleHorse;7046513]
Here’s what we finally ended up with, on a friend’s recommendation:

http://www.doversaddlery.com/pee-wee-bit/a/390/

I was always taught that thinner bit = more severe, but this bit is actually really gentle. From the first time I rode in it, he was soft and in my hands. The curved mullen mouthpiece sits really neutrally in their mouth, but you still have brakes when you need them.

Unorthodox solution, I know, and I’ve never seen anyone else using one, but it worked for us.[/QUOTE]

I’ll second the peewee bit. It looks weird, and I was hesitant to try it, but the horses really seem to like it.

I’ve never known anyone else to use one either, at least now I know there’s two of us! :lol:

[chicamuxen1]

That Pee Wee bit is very different looking, I just took a look at the mfgr’s web site. Very unique style of bit. Huh!

Bonnie

[BigHorseLittleHorse]

[QUOTE=chicamuxen1;7047027]
That Pee Wee bit is very different looking, I just took a look at the mfgr’s web site. Very unique style of bit. Huh!

Bonnie[/QUOTE]

It totally is, and I was nervous about trying it, since my horse had such violent reactions to other bits, as well as hackamores. And I’ve never been one to use training gadgets/gimmicks, and it seemed kind of gimmicky to me.

But the first time I rode in it, he softened his mouth, lowered his poll, and went right into my hands – it was a pretty dramatic difference. I was sold

[Freebird]

That PeeWee bit IS interesting! I think for now, I’m going to stick with the Myler, and see how she progresses.