Are they? Interested in whether riders/horses like them. If you have one, which one and why do you like it?
I have a couple. I originally started looking into them for an older OTTB who had a few issues - curling/sucking back; chronic bit-chewer; hesitant to take up contact. I was looking for something that was thin enough he could close his mouth around that was also ergonomically shaped. I originally tried their loose ring ‘team up’ lozenge bit.
He went much better in it than previous bits… a bit steadier on the contact, not as much fussing with his mouth.
Ultimately, however, it didn’t resolve the issue as much as I hoped it would. I recently figured out that loose rings might move a bit too much for him, so I looked for an eggbutt neue schule for him. Turns out the only version of that with a lozenge I could find in a thin circumference was their bradoon. I have it now, but haven’t had a chance to try it on him yet, as he’s been going fairly well in a happy mouth, so I want to see how much more improvement I can see with that for now.
My horse’s preference aside, I generally like the bit and would recommend it. I like the metal it’s made from, I like the shape of them, and I like how light they are.
I use a Neue Schule bradoon as a regular snaffle on my gelding and he likes it. I can also use this same bit on my double bridle.
They are great bits and nicely engineered.
Well made, comfy fit, creative design, decent price. I have bradoons, curbs, few others.
I have several and I horses seem to go well in them.
I’m a fan, also… well made, well engineered. Horses like them.
For one of my horses, they work fantastic. He tends to stick his tongue out (not avoiding contact, he does it in the cross ties, on trail rides, etc. He just has a busy tongue) my trainer says he does it less with his neue schule bit. He also is pretty controllable in it even though it is just a simple french link and he was previously going in a 3 ring gag for jumpers and a baucher in dressage.
My other horses don’t seem to notice between them and any other bit.
My horse has issues accepting contact and reaching for the bit. He likes this one the best of everything I’ve tried :http://nsbits.com/product/starter/
There’s no real MAGIC to them but they are beautifully made and some horse really like them. I have the starter and it’s one of my favorite bits. Anything well broke goes beautifully in it. I also have the Tranz Angled Lozenge D-Ring which is nice for a hunter.
So when I first rode my horse in the verbindend the horse moved incredibly. Now after a few rides not so much. Anyone else had this experience. I think it is just because my horse is using itself so much better it is using muscles it has not used before and it’s just muscle soreness. Has anyone else experienced this?
I love them. My gelding is missing a molar and is weird about bits. He is also prone to jaw locking. He likes the loose ring with a lozenge better than any other we’ve tried.
My dressage horse LOVES his! We tried many of the HS bits looking for the perfect match and came to try one of their bits and it made a huge difference.
I’m a fan. My horse has small lips and a low pallet. I emailed w/ a consultant at neue Schule and I got the turtle top for a starter bit, and verbindend for when he was a little stronger in his toppling.
OP - I think your instincts are right. I had the same experience when I got a custom saddle and the fitter was careful to tell me that the horse will feel amazing, but don’t push it too hard since the comfy bit / new saddle (or whatever good change you made) is enabling your horse to move better, but it is still a new way of movement, so give it time so those new muscles that are freed up can develop properly.
I am also a fan. I use the verbindend as a snaffle and a bradoon; it is nice and thin for a fleshy mouth and ergonomic and gives some lift. For the curb, I like the warmblood weymouth and just bought another one that has a backwards tilted port to sit up higher in a short mouthed horse, thus staying up on a less sensitive part of the mouth for this type of horse. I have not tried that one yet, but am looking forward to it
As a note, my horse HATES the Herm Sprenger square ported curb, but loves the warmblood weymouth from Neue Schule. Visually, they look the same until you lay them next to each other and they are VERY different.
My mare came to me in the NS Verbindend, and I’ve kept her in it. My retired QH gelding didn’t like it, so he stayed in the HS loose ring. My double is NS as well. Mors L’Hotte style curb, and just a plain bradoon with french link.
I have used both the Verbindend and the Team Up in the past. I no longer use either of them. I found the Verbindend started to shut my mare down and we developed contact issues, including her started to really curl behind the vertical and evade contact in general. We are now in a bit thick KK bit and it is starting to get better.
