What bits do you use on your strong horses?

[butiwantedapony]

I am not a fan of bitting up, and even with some VERY strong horses over the years, have rarely gone beyond a basic snaffle for control (I think a waterford is probably the “harshest” bit I have used regularly on a strong puller).

I currently have a little mare with an ENORMOUS gallop and she just gets SUPER SUPER strong when I let her out at all. This is an EXTREMELY forward thinking horse and I need to bit up a little as yanking on her french link is getting old for both of us.

What have your had success with? I imagine something with leverage on either the nose/poll as opposed to just action on her bars would be preferable.

I really don’t want “harsh” - instead I want something that will provide a bit more reaction with less, but not something that will just hurt more if she bears down on it (ie I don’t foresee a twist being a solution). She is EXTREMELY light in the bridle until we get out to the field and gallop a bit - then she becomes strong. She does not pull down and forward, rather she just doesn’t react when I ask her to come back a bit.

Any suggestions?

[EventerAJ]

I used a soft rubber pelham for my strong young horse. He had a tendency to hide from contact, so the flexible mullen mouthpiece encouraged him to take the bit, while the curb rein gave me emergency brakes when necessary. I always use two reins so that I can train the horse with the snaffle rein, and only use the curb as needed.

Some horses go well in a three-ring elevator, but IMO they tend to be overused. Gags and elevators are helpful if you have a horse who runs down low and heavy; it can help lift the front end somewhat while adding leverage. I liked the pelham better for a horse who “snatched” the reins and pulled.

[Willesdon]

Like the pelham idea from EventerAJ. How about a kimblewick, with some mild poll pressure and available in a variety of mouth pieces? One set of reins.

[Christa_P]

I have mine in a mullen mouth pelham. For my horse, the rubber mouth is too thick, but she likes the thinner mullen mouth.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Depends on the horse. A loose ring Cherry roller works well for my one mare (she objects to pretty much everything else). The wonder bit from Bit of Britain gave a little more leveage without being too much on a few horses http://www.bitofbritain.com/Wonder_Bit_p/739.htm

I’ve also used a pelham (sometimes rubber sometimes metal–but always a mullen mouth, not broken) with two reins.

[IFG]

I used a hard rubber pelham (one of the old Kangaroo bits). My horse did not like the softer mouth piece. He loves that Kangaroo. As has been said. Use two reins. You can be soft, but when you need brakes, the curb chain is mighty nice to have.

[Action42]

I’m a fan of the Wonderbit. Different size rings give you more or less leverage.

[Carried_Away]

I have used a 2-ring elevator with happy mouth on several strong horses with much success. The trick that I like to use is to add a “control strap”, which is basically a piece of leather like a flash noseband that is looped through the top rings of the bit (the ones that attach to cheekpieces) and behind the jaw. It is hard to describe in writing, but basically adds stability to the bit in the mouth and still makes the leverage action effective. Learned from Ralph Hill and will continue to use it for stronger horses! If you are not a fan of 2 reins, try using pelham converter pieces on the snaffle and lower rings for a milder leverage effect.

[connemarafan]

My mare gets strong in company and we often lose steering on XC. She had been going well in a cherry roller D but upon the dentist coming out I was horrified to see she had fingernail shaped pinches in her cheeks either side of the bars, soon got rid of that bit! I’m still experimenting, I like the 3-ring gag but the one I have is a thicker mouthpiece which I find she doesn’t respect. The waterford works well but my steering is lessened. I hunt her in a pelham but it’s too much bit for anything else.

I am hunting for a neue schule universal but second hand they are like hen’s teeth! After a 5.5 in the 16mm mouthpiece if anyone has one they are looking to sell!

I like the look of the wonderbit but would be curious to know whether it pinches, I use bit guards on anything loosering as I seem to have issues with pinching.

[scubed]

I use a Myler D with the hooks, but on other very forward horses, I’ve used a Kineton with a waterford or with a regular snaffle and it has made a huge difference

[purplnurpl]

there is a bit I’ve seen on several horses that the riders seem to like a lot.

It’s a myler.
It has a shank
and it has a string that goes across the bridge of the the nose…

anyone know what that is???

[Action42]

Purp - was it a Mikmar you are thinking of? I’ve seen this one used a time or two:

http://www.horsebitbank.com/mikmar-combination-bit-low-port-415.phtml

The Myler combination bit looks like this:
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=5b912e3b-1cdd-426f-8d03-60f81e400e68

[Big_Grey_hunter]

This is my horse exactly. He’s sensitive and doesn’t get heavy or pull, he just gets excited and ignores me. He goes great in a rubber mullen pelham with two reins.

[purplnurpl]

yup! it’s that mylar combo thingy.
I’ve talked to riders who have strong but very sensitive horses. They like that bit.

[IFG]

I wish I had tried the Myler combo bit when my horse was competing. Now that he is 22 and semi-retired, it seems too expensive to try for him. He loves the Myler MB 33 for flat work though.

[pony_grandma]

There are many threads discussing this subject and bits. Do a search. It does get tiring to keep retyping the same subjects sometimes.

We, and our horse, like the Myler Combination bit. I started using ours back when they first came out. 10+ yrs and multiple horses.

It nicely serves as a heads up warning to a horse. They first feel some gradual pressure on the front of their face and the purchase on top of the bit rotates and draws the bridle crown. The bit comes into action last like an emergency brake. You use a pull and release and the horse is rewarded to stay soft and focused at hand. I started with the bit and retrained TBs (as an example) so that they never learned that they could bully a rider and run. Track horses have been trained to run against the bit so they will pull your arms out. So why fight? Show them a better way and a co-operative partnership. Use the release to train them to the bit then progress with it when you hit higher speeds and the horse has figured out some manners, and it is awesome to help teach them to rebalance themselves.

It is not a harsh bit when ridden with an educated hand. You can ride it safely with full contact - Colleen Rutledge uses one xc.

[gypsymare]

I have been using a Mullen mouth Tom Thumb Pelham on a very strong TB for half of this hunting season. The two reins aren’t as big of a deal as I had anticipated. He really hates a harsher mouthpiece and respects the snaffle rein for the most part but in those moments when he decides he’d rather not listen, I can remind him that I’m making the decisions and then I can usually lighten right back up. We had a few good rides in a Stubben EZ control then he stopped responding to that when he didn’t feel like it.

[butiwantedapony]

Thanks for the replies - I really love the idea of trying a Kineton - I think stability will be great and I am concerned about using anything with curb action since she can be reactive (but I have a short shank Pelham with a leather curb that I will try on her). Two reins are fine, I prefer them to the converter.

She actually went in the Mikmar combo with her previous owner, I had completely forgotten. Went I went to try her out she was in that and I remember her being quite responsive (although I didnt take her out of the arena to gallop, but we did do a fair bit of jumping and she stayed pretty soft in it).

The mikmar is a bit pricey so I’ll prob start with the pelham and maybe try the Kineton too, and if no success I’ll put her back in the Mikmar. Thanks all!

[Hawks_Nest]

[QUOTE=butiwantedapony;7497285]
Thanks for the replies - I really love the idea of trying a Kineton - I think stability will be great and I am concerned about using anything with curb action since she can be reactive (but I have a short shank Pelham with a leather curb that I will try on her). Two reins are fine, I prefer them to the converter.

She actually went in the Mikmar combo with her previous owner, I had completely forgotten. Went I went to try her out she was in that and I remember her being quite responsive (although I didnt take her out of the arena to gallop, but we did do a fair bit of jumping and she stayed pretty soft in it).

The mikmar is a bit pricey so I’ll prob start with the pelham and maybe try the Kineton too, and if no success I’ll put her back in the Mikmar. Thanks all![/QUOTE]

My boy, who is very sensitive about bits goes beautifully in the mikmar combo (curved low port) with one rein on the nose rope and one on the ‘snaffle’ loop. He was a head flipper in a pelham and while he is quite good in the ring, wide open spaces make him tune out a bit. With the mikmar I can really sit him down without totally backing him off my hand.

I will note that I do not jump him in it indoors, I use a double jointed full cheek for that (with a figure 8 and a running) and that has proven to be very good so far.

[Winding_Down]

[QUOTE=purplnurpl;7496794]
there is a bit I’ve seen on several horses that the riders seem to like a lot.

It’s a myler.
It has a shank
and it has a string that goes across the bridge of the the nose…

anyone know what that is???[/QUOTE]

That is a Myler Combination Bit.