What bit would you suggest?

[beau159]

I’m mostly a Western rider, just dabbling in English. I’m not as familiar with the bit offerings on the English side, particularly a Kimberwick. Which is what I am considering to try on my horse, unless the COTH’ers have another suggestion.

My lovely mare is 5-years-old and I have had her for 6 months. Our primary discipline is barrel racing but like all my horses, she is going to experience lots of things and be cross trained. We have local shows that offer Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation, and Hunter Hack. I do also go to a few AQHA shows in order to do Ranch Horse but I will often also do the Hunt Seat Equitation at the AQHA shows too. (We are there already - might as well!)

Mare has a really wonderful handle on her, but she can just be more heavy/pushy in a plain snaffle that I would like. I normally ride her in a short shank low port Myler bit most of the time (I am pretty sure it is this mouthpiece, I have it written down at home). And I also bought a Myler snaffle bit with the same low port mouthpiece. She is better in that that my English or Western snaffles that I currently have, with a dog bone center, as far as getting a little pushy on it. She can and will be soft in it but I might have to “handle” her more than I personally like. I also have this very cheap no name bit at home she rides fine in.

Now that we are mostly done barrel racing for the year, I want to set up my jumps (AKA ground poles for her) and really get some English riding in this fall. But I would like to find a more appropriate bit for her that I can use at both our local shows and at AQHA shows (if I happen to take her to those next year … may or may not). I know that Kimberwicks are legal in the AQHA rule book, or at least as I interpret it.

Thoughts?
Suggestions?

I know sometimes you just have to experiment to find out what works. I actually just switched her to the Myler snaffle bit to make our barrel runs, the last few weeks, and she’s doing fantastic in it. Seems like she wasn’t liking any shank pressure when we would make a run, as her head/nose was coming up. But she doesn’t do it in the snaffle so we’ll keep on with that.

Of course, I can’t make a post without a photo of the lovely lady in question. And yes, she looks just dashing in an English saddle!!

[GraceLikeRain]

Kimberwick bits aren’t a very common option in most areas and can lead to a judge assuming your horse needs the leverage. Locally in your area they may be better received. A soft double jointed D ring with a nicely rounded center piece is really solid option. Going from barrels to over fence work requires a lot of different cues, balance, etc. Continuing to work within and between gaits in a smooth snaffle will likely give you a horse that is very rideable in a snaffle. If you cannot get away without leverage, the myler with hooks may be more visually in line with the norm than a kimberwick but may still catch the judges eye.

[Janet]

According to HU 105, Kimberwicks are considered “unconventional” for Hunters, and most judges will penalize you for it.

A Kimberwick is fine for Jumpers

[Flicker]

Kimberwicks and many Myler’s will be considered unconventional in the hunter ring. Sometimes horses that can lean or be heavy go well in a waterford. Alternatively, a pelham would give you a little leverage and still be acceptable for hunters. She’s lovely- I have such a soft spot for grey mares

[beau159]

@GraceLikeRain

Kimberwick bits aren’t a very common option in most areas and can lead to a judge assuming your horse needs the leverage. Locally in your area they may be better received. A soft double jointed D ring with a nicely rounded center piece is really solid option. Going from barrels to over fence work requires a lot of different cues, balance, etc. Continuing to work within and between gaits in a smooth snaffle will likely give you a horse that is very rideable in a snaffle. If you cannot get away without leverage, the myler with hooks may be more visually in line with the norm than a kimberwick but may still catch the judges eye.

At my local shows, it’s pretty relaxed and common to see a variety of bits.

Of course, I know at AQHA, the D-ring snaffles are “the thing” for English right now. I personally prefer O-ring over a D-ring myself and fortunately, the AQHA judges haven’t seemed to care for my horses for what I have shown.

My other 2 horses have gone well in a plain snaffle for the English flat and for jumping, but just trying to find something that works the best for her. Which of course, will probably change as she goes!!

[beau159]

@Janet

According to HU 105, Kimberwicks are considered “unconventional” for Hunters, and most judges will penalize you for it.

A Kimberwick is fine for Jumpers

What is HU 105? Is that for a rated hunter show?

I wouldn’t be going to any of those. Only to local relaxed shows, and maybe to AQHA.

[Janet]

HU 105 is the part of the USEF rule book that describes permitted tack for Hunter classes.
https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/kW5W4HBsXe4/hu-hunter-division
While the rules explicitly apply to USEF recognized shows, most unrecognized shows also follow them.

[beau159]

@Flicker

Kimberwicks and many Myler’s will be considered unconventional in the hunter ring. Sometimes horses that can lean or be heavy go well in a waterford. Alternatively, a pelham would give you a little leverage and still be acceptable for hunters. She’s lovely- I have such a soft spot for grey mares

Coming from western land, a Waterford looks foreign to me and I have no experience with one. I’m reading the AQHA rule book right now, and I am unsure if they are allowed?

It does say Pelhams are allowed. Would those technically have more leverage than a Kimberwick? I supposed it depends on shank length and rein attachment.

[Mander]

Well I suppose yes and no - a pelham is traditionally ridden with two reins, so you have the option of leverage or none (if you’re skilled enough anyway) - with a kimberwick you only have the leverage “option”.

Someone will have to tell me if the pelham “converters” are legal in hunters.

[beau159]

@Mander

Well I suppose yes and no - a pelham is traditionally ridden with two reins, so you have the option of leverage or none (if you’re skilled enough anyway) - with a kimberwick you only have the leverage “option”.

Someone will have to tell me if the pelham “converters” are legal in hunters.

Personally I would NOT feel skilled enough to do two reins with the Pelham so I would say a “no” for me on that one!

[McGurk]

For clarification, I see Kimberwickes all the time in the hunter classes at AQHA and other stock breed shows. They are unconventional in rated hunters and in the unrated shows that follow the USE rule book.

Question: Have you considered how the contact is different riding English? You are supposed to ride with a soft, consistent contact and the horse is supposed to accept that contact with a small amount of flexion.

If your horse goes on a draped rein Western and neck reins, you may find a Kimberwicke is too much bit and that your horse will avoid contact by curling under. The challenge going Western to English is encouraging the horse to go forward into that constant contact; so you want the least amount of bit that still gives you control.

I’d experiment with a variety of snaffle mouthpieces - a french link, a Dr. Bristol, a double mouthpiece, maybe a Waterford to find something that walks the line of the horse respecting enough to stop and stay balanced, but not afraid to go on contact.

[beau159]

@McGurk

Question: Have you considered how the contact is different riding English? You are supposed to ride with a soft, consistent contact and the horse is supposed to accept that contact with a small amount of flexion.

Horse does not mind contact at all, and that’s actually 90% of our Western schooling/training (on contact). The draped rein mostly only comes into play when we are relaxing on the trail and for the one time I showed her in a curb at a local show (we’ve been using a snaffle the other times so I could stay two-handed with her since she is only 5.)