I am getting ready to show my guy, Fritz (see Avatar), in some western shows in Ranch Pleasure, this summer. I am working on refining his cues, shoulder control and neck reining.
He is doing well, but my trainer is suggesting trying a correction mouthpiece during our next stage of training for some refinement of aids. I have never used one and have heard most horses really like that style of mouth piece. I am just curious as to what thoughts are from those more familiar with this bit.
There are many different types of correction mouthpieces, as well as shanks.
This is one my show horse loved: https://jimedwardsbits.com/Shop/?t=Non-Palate%20Pressure&s=Fixed&mp=Kenny#bits
My special snowflake really seems to like the one I bought for her. Oddly, it’s the strongest looking one she seems most comfortable with (longer shanks, higher port). Guess it just sits more comfortably in her mouth than the lower port model.
Check Rules to see what is allowed. Quite a few are not allowed under AQHA rules. I am not current on the rules these days, but was happy to see a number of designs turn illegal for showing. The link shown were illegal bits last time I checked, which was a while ago.
Is there a specific bit that your trainer recommended? Can you post a link or picture?
You will notice that most highly trained western horses ride in some sort of correction bit. And I guess what I mean by “correction bit” is a high port and long shank.
From time to time, I’ll ride Red in something similar to this and I’ll show in it once in a while. It helps keep him responsive and soft.
Bits like that do help you to be even more subtle and soft with your cues, which is the progression of training. It allows the horse to feel more subtle cues from your reins and hand, which means you can be more invisible with your cues.
Of course, each horse is an individual and what works for one will not work for another. But you could certainly experiment with different bits and see how your horse does.
Does your trainer have bits you can borrow first, to see how your horse does with them? That would be ideal.
I am going to borrowing the correction bit first. She has several different ones to try, but we both thought the one like beau159 pictured would be the starting point. I am riding him in a low ported bit right now, and we are looking for some more refinement. I have no idea how to post a link!
I use one on two of our horses and it makes such a difference with the way they move. I do not use them except to show or for a day or two before showing. Keeping it a fresh bit seems to make them like it better.
Do know you need soft hands for one to work the way it should.
Luseride, that’s exactly what I am looking for. Something to lighten and sharpen responses. I change up bits to keep things fresh too.
I understand about the hands thing. I do have educated hands and if anything want to use as little hand as possible. He is riding nicely off seat and hands at this point. I think Fritz is ready for more of a signal bit. I have ridden him in a Billy Allen, but he’s not crazy about that bit.
Bits like that do help you to be even more subtle and soft with your cues, which is the progression of training. It allows the horse to feel more subtle cues from your reins and hand, which means you can be more invisible with your cues
Not to hijack the thread, but wondering why western riders use “correction” bits. What are they trying to correct? I come from a dressage background (including western dressage) and we work on subtle and soft aids including our seat and legs as well as the bit. The bit is a dressage-legal snaffle of some sort, and, at higher levels, a double bridle (although there is some movement towards keeping the snaffle through upper levels as well).
Therefore I don’t get the whole idea of a “correction” bit, because a properly trained horse doesn’t need a special bit to correct any mistakes that are, of course, made by the rider. IME, any correction needs to be made by the rider, using their usual bit, going back to basics, not using some special gadget.
So why do western riders believe in correcting rider issues with a change of bit? Why not work on seat, legs, and hands? Honest question.
You are misinterpreting the name of the bit. It’s not used to “correct” a mistake. Western riders ride almost completely off the seat and legs, and unless the horse is young, they neck rein instead of direct rein. As already explained, the rider is attempting to keep cues as small and invisible as possible, and the horse is ideally trained to respond to very slight cues.
The typical Western horse has different conformation than a typical dressage horse, and is trained to self balance without the need for strong leg and hands from the rider. So a small movement from the hands, which could be a squeeze, tilt, or a few degrees in any direction (up, down, side, etc); or a combo of hand seat leg, needs to get the proper response from the horse whether it’s a flying change, halt, change of direction, etc.
Correction bits are for experienced riders on well trained horses looking for refinement. And your comment “why do western riders believe in correcting rider issues with a change of bit” can be applied to any rider in any of the disciplines on this board. Just look at all the threads about bits.
Honestly, don’t assume western riders are backwoods podunk hillbillies, which is how your post comes across. I spent my first few decades riding and competing in english disciplines (showing and eventing), galloping race horses and starting race horses, so I’m pretty experienced and have sat on some of the toughest horses out there. I switched to Western about 5ish years ago, and am mostly competing locally. My English friends are stunned when they ride my show horse and see how he responds to very slight cues, and remark how light, balanced and comfortable he is. They are used to “carrying” their horses around the ring, using lots of hand and lots of seat and lots of leg. My only complaint about riding Western is that once you get your horse where you want it, it’s not much of a workout.
I agree Palm Beach…my background is similar with years of eventing, and successful Dressage showing in my past, I am now riding Western and enjoying it. I am using almost no hands compared to the contact I had riding English. The correction bit is just a name…not a purpose.
That jim edwards correction posted above is an awesome bit. I really like it also tom balding makes many great corrections with different shanks and varying port. Talk with your trainer about your options, she will know what’s best for your horse
There is nothing illegal under AQHA rules with the bits in either link…correction bits in general are all legal; shank length could be a determining factor and “prong” bits (anything protruding below the rest of the mouthpiece) are not legal.
How many interpretations can be put on the word “correction”?
I’m not assuming western riders are podunk hillbillies. As I said, I’ve done western dressage myself, and I had ridden western before ever starting dressage. As I said, my question was a honest one.
Your post raised another question. If a correction bit isn’t used to correct something, why is it called a correction bit? Why not call it a “refining” bit?
Perhaps you are putting a different interpretation on the term “English” than other people do. Are your English friends Englishmen/women who ride? Or are they people who ride one of the various disciplines that use an “English” saddle? Dressage riders, for instance, do not “carry” their horses. Dressage trains a horse in self-carriage, and a rider to train the horse to carry himself. As to using “lots” of hand and seat and leg, it’s actually about quiet hands, seat and legs.
Oh, and another question your post raised – Why were you so quick to assume I assumed western riders are podunk hillbillies?
Then why is it called a “correction” bit? From your post and Palm Beach’s, I can only conclude “correction” is a misnomer in this instance.
A lot of horse gear has silly names. For example, why is this (english) bit called a Hanoverian? Can you only use it on certain warmbloods? :lol:
Getting hung up on the name is a bit odd.
Who knows? Why don’t you just google it instead of making a stink about it???
The example shown in the link has the ends of the port U, sticking out/protruding , below the mouthpiece. This is my only critiism of the bit, and thinking why it could possibly be an illegal mouthpiece bit. Totally picky on my part, but the Judge might also see it that way. Something a competitor needs cleared up before a show.
Rules do not say, “small bit parts can extend below the mouthpiece”. I read Rule as NOTHING can extend below the mouthpiece. Same Rule for everyone, famous or unknown, in showing under AQHA Rules. No exceptions on any bit.
The clinician (many championships, performance awards over many years of AQHA and NRHA competition) told us that the original “correction bit” was supposed to hang straight up and down on a horse with a vertical headset, loose reins. I f horse went to sticking his nose out, the bit would be “self-correcting” by not being comfortable in that head position. Horse would put nose down to remove being uncomfortable, corrected his headset by himself.
Of course any original bit design will get “improved and tweaked” by folks thinking they have better ideas, so the bits now are a far cry from the original design. We have been thru waves of “new ideas” of which many are now illegal for their cruelty with extremely high ports, prongs, o-ring joints, frog ports. They had lots of names under the Cathedral and Bumper bit catagories. All of these were Correction bits to get horse fixing, correcting himself, by lowering head when horse got headset out of vertical.
The Bob Avila linked is perfectly legal even with the minuscule amount of metal from the swivel hinges below the mouthpiece…as a certified AQHA show manager we spend hours going over legal and illegal equipment and again nothing about the BA or other correction bit linked would make them illegal to use in the AQHA show pen. Yes technically the rule does state “nothing may protrude below the mouthpiece (bar), such as extensions or prongs…” but as with many things in the AQHA rule book there is common sense interpretation that needs to be applied as it is not the most complete or well written rule book out there. I’ve used a very similar bit thru many bit checks without a blink from a single judge.
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