Sprenger KK Ultra vs Myler Comfort Snaffles

[Eireamon]

Anyone tried both on a horse and what were your findings.

I currently ride both of my horses in KK Ultras.
My young ISH is still at that very un-co stage. While hes soft in the bridle when going forward he resists through the downward transitions badly at times and tends to bulge his shouder so we have straightness issues. He has still not figured out that he can move his shoulder and hindquarter independantly. Hes very large and I struggle to keep him straight and at the canter its nigh impossible for me to get any semblance of straightness at all down the long side. We ride the 3/4 line but it usually ends up a complete mess with shoulders bulging back to the rail despite my trying to get him in some semblance of shoulder fore, his hindquarter in traver and me struggling like heck to move any part of his anatomy one way or another ! : )

Anyway due to the transition problem and the straightness my trainer suggested I try a Myler bit where both sides are independant.

So far I have ridden in it twice. My observations are that hes much heavier in it. While he was soft in the KK when going forward I feel hes much heavier in the hand all the time in the Myler. The transitions as a result are not better.
I do feel its slightly easier in the Myler to get a counter flexion and keep the shoulder under
slightly better control but the canter still turned to custard.

Now My other horse who is also in a KK Ultra is one I have not considered changing his bit but thought that seeing I had the Myler I might as well try him in it.
Hes much more advanced than the ISH and is a Swedish WB/TB x so very light and sensitive. He has however always had contact issues. Hes very fragile in the contact and tends to hollow. He does not have the best set on neck which adds to the problems.

So tried the Myler on him and he too was taking a much stronger contact. Of course in his case that is actually a good thing. He does not feel so ‘needy’ and fragile. We did get some resistance at the canter on one rein Which he normally does not do but he seems rounder than usual. Its really hard to tell though whether its just that hes having a couple of ‘better contact’ days.

So anyone else have any feedback on differences of these two bits.

I have always been a KK girl and am not convinced yet that its going to be a choice at all for the ISH but maybe for the Swedish/TB. Typical the one I was not looking to change bit for.

[Aleuronx]

I feel entitled to reply because this exact situation just happened to me and my young mare. I had been working in a kk ultra loose ring and while she was progressing well, she still would have inconsistent contact. We tried working through it thinking it was her growing up and learning but it would literally be so random that she would drop the contact and mess with her mouth. Our canter also left a lot to be desired, very quick, heavy on the forehand, leaning to the inside so yeah pretty much a whole bunch of awful. But for a while we let it slide her being a baby and all.

First thought was to try an eggbutt instead of the loose ring, that maybe it was the extra movement from the loose ring that was irritating her. So not wanting to drop a lot of money on the KK eggbutt (which I think was over $100) I just tried el cheapo steal french link eggbutt. Better? Yes. Perfect? Not really. Less dropping of the contact on her end but not all the time still some issues in change of directions and canter.

So off to try the comfort snaffle plain eggbutt (no hooks allowed in dressage and I needed it to be legal). Wow! Amazing difference, quiet happy mare in the trot and so so much lighter and adjustable in the canter. It was night and day. I’m not usually one to sing such high praises in something like it but it truly was. It was like I could access her body in a whole new way with this bit.

So anyway long story short, for my mare it was an amazing difference and we will be sticking with this bit and I’ll probably be looking to sell the kk. If you came to my barn and looked at the bridle rack you would see a wall of kk’s but for my mare and another mare they are both most happy in the myler. And I was definitely a believer in the kk but my mare has shown me that while it might be a nice bit it is not the end all be all for every horse.

Stinks doesn’t it?

[Dressage4Fun]

you know what’s funny? I just traded my mylar for a french link egg butt!! He was heavy and uncooperative in the mylar! HATED IT!

He is a fairly easy ride, heavy on the left, but for he most part pretty easy to pick up off the forehand, but in the mylar, FORGET it, like lead in my hands…

never know!

[elmerandharriet]

my gelding tends to fall heavy on the forehand with a myler and goes great on the kk ultra but my filly goes really good in the myler

[appychik]

Well, I found both bits (EXCELLENT buys) at a local tack swap this fall. Gus is still heavy on the forehand… and I think he always will be. I think, to an extent, that changing the bits frequently keeps him from leaning too much. I really do like the independent checks that the Myler Comfort Snaffle has, but Gus does tend to be heavier in that one versus the KK Ultra. I guess I’ve never really thought about it, as he’s always heavy in hand.

[slp2]

Yes, I have tried (and own) both. In fact, I think I have the largest collection of ultra mild bits on the planet! Anyway–my horse is proving to be somewhat of a “cheap date” in the bit department. She did not go well in the KK Ultra (after I dropped ~ $90 on it) and she was “ok” in the Myler comfort snaffle (also $$$). She leans on the KK Ultra a_lot. In the Myler–she doesn’t take a steady contact. Her favorite? A “knock off” myler french link bit. There’s a little curve to it (like the myler) but it only cost $23.

[EqTrainer]

Horses are individuals and you will have to figure out what works for each one.

My personal horse goes best in a Myler mullen mouth. He never took contact correctly until I rode him in that bit and the difference was instant.

I ride other horses in KK’s and others in old fashioned french links.

If you change bits and do not see a somewhat immediate change for the better, than IMO the bit is probably not the issue.

[TeddyRocks]

education please!

So, my first question is: are Myler bits legal? I have heard different stories…

My guy, a 6 coming 7 (May 31) year old Connemara cross, absolutely does not like anything metal in his mouth… We have gone through a LOT… My box of bits is like a who’s who of bits… I am riding him in a happy mouth d ring of all things… He seems to really really like this bit, no fuss no muss, but of course my dressage trainer doesn’t… (side bar, any COTHers use happy mouths in competition?) She thinks he is too slow to react to corrections, and then finds you have to over correct him…

The girl that jumps him loves him in it, but different frame, etc… He loves his jumping more than the dressage.

I don’t mind him in it. I have decent rides on him either way, but of course he gets away with more with mom on his back. I find he does hang a bit, if I really get him powering from behind, so I tend to back off and ride him more like a hunter, and he is nice. But contrary to the h/j girls opinion, I know the dressage is “there”, we just haven’t found the right sync in that yet between the both of us, and he is maturing slowly, so the hunter frame is easier than when we do the dressage work…

Another dressage friend rides her connemara (1st level) and morgan (2nd level)in the myler bits, but I didn’t think they were legal, so please educate. She doesn’t show much… She’s not sure. Also, if you were going to try one on a 6 year old that is “immature” for his age, mentally and a bit physically, and add to that, that he is super sensitive to “changes of every kind”, which Myler would you use?

Thanks in advance!

[egontoast]

Horses are individuals and you will have to figure out what works for each one.

True.

I’m not usually one for trying a whole lot of bit changes to solve problems but noticed a big difference for the better (steadier in the contact) when switched my young horse from a KK ultra to a heavier old KK training bit that I had used to start my other horse years ago.

Some of the problems described by the OP ( down transitions, straightness) do not sound like bit issues necessarilly but do sound like strength and greenie issues. It’s tricky to try and fix those with the bit because there’s a fine line you can cross there where the horse might drop behind the bit. Sometimes you have to go through some heaviness in the contact to find the balance. But your trainer is there so must be seeing some part of that that could benefit from a bit change.

The MB01 comfort snaffle without hooks is legal for dressage, including fei.

[slp2]

Teddy Rocks: I am an eventer and snaffle happy mouths are absolutely legal. I have ridden in a happy mouth for competition. Your D-ring will be fine. Now, happy mouths that are a “pessoa” or 3-ring, or other permutations that have a a lever action etc. are not legal (but they wouldn’t be in metal either). So, just make sure it is a plain loose-ring or egg-butt snaffle and you will be street legal.

[jester1113]

I have tried both. There is a huge difference in the weight of the bit b/t the two, the myler weighs next to nothing compared to the kk.

My gelding prefers the myler, but it’s such a personal pref on the part of the horse.

[pony_grandma]

Welcome to the bit wall. :lol: And we ride western and drive also.

I have both the Mylers, several kinds, and the KKs. I start a horse in a plain soft mullen mouth. I sold all my nutcracker snaffles. gone.

I had someone buy a horse from me and ask me what ‘bit’ do I need to have? as in ‘a’ bit. I had quite a look on my face!

The JP oval mouth copper loose ring is a very nice afforable starter bit for a newby horse owner.

A friend has a Quarter horse mare who had been man-handled in her mouth with a long shank western snaffle curb bit (very nutcracker) and she was very bit evasive, and inverted! We started her in my soft rubber mullen then moved to a low port mullen Myler (had to avoid any roof and jaw action) and now she’s working in the JP oval and she is accepting contact very well and rounding up in a soft dressage frame.

[Eireamon]

I appreciate that most of the problems with my greenie are training things and would not have considered changing his bit if it not for my trainer saying that the seperate action of the Myler might just help as each side works independantly.
I have found this to be so in the Myler and flexions are definately easier.
That said both horses are most definately alot heavier in the Myler. At this point I don’t think we can live with the extra heaviness in the greenie but as I have the bit for a week will continue on with it. A friend of mine told me that she got heaviness in the beginning but it passed.

The more established horse definately likes the Myler. Hes heavier in it but its a good thing. Hes taking a much stronger and more confident contact.

Well we will plug on until the trial period for the bit is over and I will make my decision then.

Thanks all for your input. Some interesting comments.

[Equibrit]

Don’t ride long straight lines yet.

[Auventera_Two]

Each horse is an individual. I have both a KK Ultra and Myler snaffle with d-rings and a barrel in the middle. My mare definitely likes the Myler better. My other mare hates all bits, including the Myler and goes bitless. My third mare really doesn’t care one way or the other so I ride her bitless. Horses are individuals, just like people. Just try them both and figure out what your horse likes.

What “I” like aobut the Myler versus the KK is that the bit rings are totally independent of each other. If you lay the bit in your hand and lift one ring, there is absolutely no movement on the opposite ring. With my Arab I found that she wanted VERY clear, consise signals. With a normal snaffle, if you move one rein, the entire bit moves through the mouth. She prefers only movement on THAT side. I’m trying to get her back to going bitless, but the Myler was a really good tool for time being. In my experience, the Myler was well worth the money spent.

[Dressage4Fun]

That is an interesting comment that the heaviness passed… I really LIKED the independent movement of the myler, and really thought that my horse would be in a better “frame” of mind and body, but the heaviness just seemed like we were backing up in our training!! He just seemed to get heavier and heavier… I went back to my french link and he was like a new horse, INSTANTLY… so,yes, each horse has his/her own way!

[Eireamon]

Dressage4fun Well I am hoping. Myler does say it takes some time for the horse to become used to the bit. I am on day 3 and still heavy so we will see how we go. If he stays heavy the bit goes! I too have gone backward in my training with regards to the whoa! I need to at least get back to where I was with the KK and perhaps better before I would consider the Myler. So far not great!

The other horse looks like he will be getting a new bit though.