Nu Schule bits?

[Draftmare]

My mare has a history of disliking bits basically since she was first introduced to one. She was broke out as a three year old in a side pull and then introduced to a fat snaffle. I have known her this entire time, so I know that has never had harsh bits or harsh training methods used on her. I did find out as a five year old that she had one wolf tooth. Not sure how the dentist had missed it up to that point, but I had it pulled. I was also informed at the same time that she has a pretty low pallet. Fast forward to this year as a 7 year old and I found out from a different dentist that she has an “extra” tooth at the very far back that had essentially never been floated. We got that fixed and had the chiro out to adjust her jaw, poll, and neck. Everything should be good to go.

The only thing that I can think that may have offended her was the bit hitting her wolf tooth as it was taken in and out, and possibly hitting it while being ridden. But its been gone for three years now. I have tried lots of different style bits with her, and I have tried lots of different style bridles with her. As soon as the bit goes in her mouth she puts her tongue over it, and keeps her tongue over it regardless of what I do. At one point I even tried a harness racing bridle that holds the bit up, and she still put her tongue over it. With the tongue over it also comes her typically moving the bit around a lot, and sometimes even just holding her mouth ever so slightly open. I use to get a lot of comments on it when I first started showing her a couple of years ago, but recently haven’t gotten as many. Not sure if the judges are just use to us by now, or what.

She is happiest bitless, and my trainer is on board with trying out bitless with her this winter. I can show western dressage bitless, but I do still like to go to a couple of regular dressage shows a year and obviously can’t do that bitless.

I walked into the tack shop yesterday to look at hackamore options, and the sales associate convinced me to try a Nu Schule. She said that they are much harder for the horse to get their tongue over, and the shape of them makes many horses happy. I had a birthday discount saved up, so figured what the heck I would try it. She also convinced me to try Bit Butter.

However, looking at this bit today, I am not seeing how it is much different than a Myler, which we have tried. She got her tongue over that too, and it ended up hanging out of her mouth funny because of that. Do these work differently than a Myler? Are they really hard for the horse to get their tongue over? The more I am thinking about it, the more I am thinking about returning it and getting the hack I wanted instead… :no:

[Criuze_n]

They don’t compare to a myler in feel. Instead of sweet iron they use Salox which my
horse seemed to really like. I also find they are heavier than a myler. My horse was in a sprenger novocontact and was very heavy in my hand. I tried an NS Verbindend and he was much lighter and more responsive. He was picky about bits (not to your mares degree) but I think it’d be worth a try for you!!! Good luck!!
which model did you grab?

[atr]

Take it back and rent one from Dressage Extensions to try before you plunk down the money.

[joiedevie99]

There are places that rent bits, like Dressage Extensions. I’d go that route with a picky horse to avoid spending so much money on items you can’t return once you try them on.

[Feathered_Feet]

I literally have two Neue Shule bits rented from dressage extensions to try right now! I tried the Verbendend this morning, and my horse seems to like it better than the fat double-jointed snaffle or myler comfort snaffle that I’ve had her in up to this point (I think she really didn’t like the myler). Less heavy on my hands, less tongue, generally more agreeable. I have the Starter to try next, but so far so good. Admittedly, it’s only one ride so could have been a fluke

[csaper58]

@Draftmare Do you know which Neue Schule bit you have? They make a lot of different styles

The Verbindend is the one usually reco’d for a tongue relief, and it comes in a thick and a thin mouth piece. It also fits differently so the horse’s normal size may be a little small.

[mydogs]

You can also contact Metlar directly (their North American distributor) to rent bits from if Dressage Extension doesn’t have the one you want in stock.

I am actually trying to have a NS rep come out to my barn to do a clinic, where you can try as many bits as you want and the rep also helps you figure out which would possibly work best for your horse.

[ozjb]

We have 2 of our horses in NS bits. The Verbinden worked better for the event horse than whatever we had before (it’s been awhile!) and now have him and our old dressage mare in the NS Turtle Tactio. The eventer tends to open his mouth in the dressage. He has a little mouth, big tongue so this bit was recommended and he seems to like it. Not sure why the mare is in it (suspect my daughter just used the same bridle one day) and she doesn’t mind it.

A Bit Clinic would be fabulous! Wonder if there is a NS rep in Australia . . .

[2Below]

I bought the Team Up to use as a bridoon on my double. I rode in just that for a while and found a remarkable difference in my horse compared to the plain French link I had him in before. So I’ve been riding in it for a couple years. I ended up getting the Verbindend in Kentucky last year because my bridle flew out of the truck on the way to Finals ( and was, miraculously recovered on the interstate later). I felt he couldn’t twist out to side like he likes to but he also seemed to bear down on it like he did in the old snaffle. I went back to the Team Up and am really happy with it. I’ve borrowed the Verbindend to a student who must like it because she hasn’t given it back! Horses seem to like the metal and the shape.

[MysticOakRanch]

I agree with the comments, rent one if you can. Or - if you got a good deal on the bit - plan on re-selling it at a slight loss if it doesn’t work. The rentals are not cheap, sadly. I tried a Verbinden on a horse who has bit issues, and he was violently opposed to it. I ended up in a Novocontact, and he’s happiest with it. But every horse is different - when you have a picky horse, all you can do is try and try and try.

I didn’t find it at all similar to the Myler bits - the shape is slightly different, the metal is very different. The slight difference in shape is going to be a huge difference in a mouth. Personally, I haven’t had much luck with Mylers on any horse.

[Draftmare]

This is the Verbinden bit. The sales associate specifically recommended it because it is suppose to be hard for them to get their tongue over. I will be highly impressed if she doesn’t! She also said that it would help us with lift in her shoulders, something that doesn’t come easy to my mare. I forgot to look at what thickness this one is, it looks pretty thick to me. I thought it looked small length wise, but maybe its just an optical illusion created by the bend of the bit. Nu Schule certainly makes this bit sound like the miracle bit.

I got a killer good deal on it, I only paid half price for it. :eek:

[csaper58]

@Draftmare

This is the Verbinden bit. The sales associate specifically recommended it because it is suppose to be hard for them to get their tongue over. I will be highly impressed if she doesn’t! She also said that it would help us with lift in her shoulders, something that doesn’t come easy to my mare. I forgot to look at what thickness this one is, it looks pretty thick to me. I thought it looked small length wise, but maybe its just an optical illusion created by the bend of the bit. Nu Schule certainly makes this bit sound like the miracle bit.

I got a killer good deal on it, I only paid half price for it. :eek:

If your mare has a low pallet she may need the thin 12mm not the 16 mm Verbindend, If the mouth size is wrong that will also make the bit very uncomfortable

If the bit you have does not work as expected, try a different thickness and size, don’t blame the bit/design.

[Posting_Trot]

I have my mare in a NS Turtle Tactio and she seems to like it a good deal better than the other two bits I have for her: one is a Stubben lozenge link, and the other a Myler 02 mouthpiece. The Stubben I think was too thick for her; she actually has very small canine teeth, and I think the bit was hitting them. But that could just be me making up a story.

The myler she just seemed to become stiff in her neck. She wasn’t exactly bracing against the bit but she was not accepting it either.

The Turtle Tactio was great from the first time it went into her mouth. It’s relatively thin, and I think the way the two arms of the bit are connected to the third piece in the middle makes it feel to her quite different from the lozenge link bit.

[csaper58]

The Turtle Tactio bit is not legal for Dressage, or Western Dressage.

[Draftmare]

Well, I rode in it last night, and it wasn’t exactly an earth shattering ride. Or maybe the hype from the company about it fixing everything set me up for a bit of a disappointment.

She got her tongue over it almost immediately upon be bridling her. I tried to fix it a couple of times before I mounted up, but she kept putting her tongue right back over it. She also felt exactly the same as she does in the bit I have been using in her. No “magical” desire to stretch over her topline more, or be lighter in the bridle, she actually felt a bit heavier, and was also yanking the reins out of my hands more frequently. :no:

Going to give it a couple more rides, but right now for the price I am not in love.

[Feathered_Feet]

Have you tried lifting the bit a few notches? With the curves in many of the Neue Shule bits you’ll likely have to take up the cheekpieces of your bridle. A few wrinkles in each corner of the mouth is not unreasonable, especially if she’s such a master at getting her tongue over.

[Draftmare]

@Feathered_Feet

Have you tried lifting the bit a few notches? With the curves in many of the Neue Shule bits you’ll likely have to take up the cheekpieces of your bridle. A few wrinkles in each corner of the mouth is not unreasonable, especially if she’s such a master at getting her tongue over.

That was my thought as I was writing my above post, that I would try it a hole or two higher when I ride in it tomorrow.

[Dr_Doolittle]

My thought is that it may still be too thick for your mare - as csaper mentioned there are two thicknesses: my mare with a very small mouth and LOW palate goes well in the 12mm NS Verbindand, the 16mm would be WAY too much in her mouth (the Turtle Top is not legal for competition, as explained above.)

Your clever but frustrating mare is certainly determined to get her tongue over ALL bits! :eek: The design of the NS would seem to make that pretty difficult, though maybe she has an unusually elastic and mobile tongue?

You’ll have to let us know whether putting it up a couple of holes works to “foil” her!

[alibi_18]

@Draftmare

Well, I rode in it last night, and it wasn’t exactly an earth shattering ride. Or maybe the hype from the company about it fixing everything set me up for a bit of a disappointment.

She got her tongue over it almost immediately upon be bridling her. I tried to fix it a couple of times before I mounted up, but she kept putting her tongue right back over it. She also felt exactly the same as she does in the bit I have been using in her. No “magical” desire to stretch over her topline more, or be lighter in the bridle, she actually felt a bit heavier, and was also yanking the reins out of my hands more frequently. :no:

Going to give it a couple more rides, but right now for the price I am not in love.

Your bit is hanging too low. You probably have a tendancy of putting her bits too low for that particular horse. Or you should, for a while, use a ‘‘spoon’’ to prevent this problem. It should have been corrected as soon as it appeared because now, it became a vice.

There is no such thing as majikal bits. It’s the way you ride and the way the bridle/bit fit in the horse’s mouth.

** Feeling heavier is a GOOD thing. Yanking the reins out of your hands could be a GOOD thing. She might be trying to go into contact and you are releasing it. What you think is yanking might just be the beginning of establishing real contact. If she’s able to yank them off, you are not strong enough in your core. So it is your riding who’s not correct right now. A horse who’s beginning to take contact will be heavier for a certain period of time, you want that… and then with time and muscling, the weight will shift… If you are expecting a really light contact, you might be riding front to back.**

[Tumbleweed]

My horse used to put his tongue over the bit before I could even get him into the arena! I tried NS bits, mylers with low wide ports, high ports, a leather bit, a tongue depressor- nothing worked. Then I got a WTP (winning tongue plate) bit with the paddle on it. I was able to ride him and teach him the basics. Then a friend suggested I try a Boucher french link with a figure 8 noseband. VOILA! Success. He stilll would put his tongue over it every so often, but it happened less and less. I put it up a hole at shows and now I don’t even have to do that. A year later, he will only do it once or twice a year. Hope you find your magic bullet!