Ok, without getting flamed here I hope with “I like big bits cause I cannot ride” I would like to try a hackabit with my mare.
When would you guys try a hackabit? I am looking to try it because we are needing some brakes but she is very sensitive to mouth pressure and flings her head. Something with a nathe or jointed mouthpiece and a rubber or sheepskin nose.
[QUOTE=TRIPLEBAR;8683167]
Ok, without getting flamed here I hope with “I like big bits and I cannot lie” I would like to try a hackabit with my mare.
When would you guys try a hackabit? I am looking to try it because we are needing some brakes but she is very sensitive to mouth pressure and flings her head. Something with a nathe or jointed mouthpiece and a rubber or sheepskin nose.[/QUOTE]
Obviously, more training will always change the current picture, but what you describe is the kind of situation that a hackamore/bit combination bit works well while you are working on the issues. You also might try a kineton noseband with a nathe bit. It really is experimenting for your indidvidual horse to get the least in the mouth with the best response. good luck.
I’ve ridden mine in it a couple of times at shows. He likes a hackamore, but on days that he’s particularly hot (like day 1 of a horse show), I need more with a lighter touch. It is a lot of bit and he’s generally sensitive, so I reserve it for those few occasions where we really need it. I think I’ve used it twice this year out of 20 days of showing. I swapped out the chain for a leather strap underneath to make it a little bit softer.
We tried the hackabit when he was just leaning on everything else. He is fussy with his mouth (hence the hackamore we also use) and when he’s not happy, he’ll start with head flipping and then just grab the bit and haul you around. He doesn’t lean on the hackabit and responds to it with a light touch, so we have no chance of pulling on each other.
[QUOTE=SweetMutt;8683190]
We tried the hackabit when he was just leaning on everything else. He is fussy with his mouth (hence the hackamore we also use) and when he’s not happy, he’ll start with head flipping and then just grab the bit and haul you around. He doesn’t lean on the hackabit and responds to it with a light touch, so we have no chance of pulling on each other.[/QUOTE]
THIS is what has been happening hence the reason I want to try it
I have already tried a Waterford for the leaning and grabbing and it is better but I still have to haul her on her a** for stopping and not dirt biking around with me especially after we have done a course. On course she flips her head when I try to tell her the distance I want and I have to try and ignore it but man is it annoying (yes, we have a running on so I don’t break my nose). We are jumping 3’-3’6" now and little or no brakes is pretty nerve racking.
I’d say try it now, but I’m a little biased 
I use a Myler combo bit to hunt my horse. He can get a bit excited. I recently switched him to a double jointed wonder bit (Bevel bit) for jumping xc and now use it in the ring too. It would be unconventional for hunters in the US. But it is legal for eventing.
Finnegan goes in a Myler Baucher bit for flat/dressage. I have figured he really likes a bit with stability to it. I think both the Baucher and the Bevel bit are pretty stable in their mouth.
I like the combo bit but don’t want to be messing with 2 reins if I don’t have to. He also doesn’t really need the combo bit unless we are galloping in a group with hounds.
With the Myler combo bits you can get either a rawhide noseband that has a bit more stopping power or a softer black noseband.
Plan on getting shorter cheekpieces or a poll pad for the Myler combo bit.
We are in the jumper ring so not much to worry about with being conventional. There is very little that we can’t go in.
I would just try it and see if you like the result. I also have a fussy mare, so I’ll switch bits here and there to show her that original one isn’t really that bad…
One of my friends said she thinks that a hackabit is not ring legal. I have been through the Equine Canada rules for this year and all I see is that I can’t use a chambon/DeGouge/draw reins. Nothing about bits in the jumper ring, unless I missed it.
I needed more breaks, but my horse was also a sensitive nugget. I liked just a hackamore, but he didn’t have the best steering on course sometime with just the hackamore. So we went to the hackabit, which worked really great. It can be a lot of bit on some horses though.
[QUOTE=TRIPLEBAR;8683619]
One of my friends said she thinks that a hackabit is not ring legal. I have been through the Equine Canada rules for this year and all I see is that I can’t use a chambon/DeGouge/draw reins. Nothing about bits in the jumper ring, unless I missed it.[/QUOTE]
If EC rules are anything like USEF rules, your friend is wrong. Contact EC and ask, if you’re really concerned about it, but I strongly suspect there is nothing about bits.
Read the whole darn jumper section. I will call EC to be absolutely sure. Maybe she thought I was going in hunters with this mare, ummmm No Way Jose :lol::lol::lol: Not ever happening :lol::lol::lol:
She hasn’t seen her yet, it’s an old coach of mine who retired. I called her to ask her some advice since she showed and coached up to GP’s until a few years ago. My new coach is just getting into jumpers more and so I talked to my old coach about whether she had a hackabit not in use that I could try.
[QUOTE=TRIPLEBAR;8684012]
Read the whole darn jumper section. I will call EC to be absolutely sure. Maybe she thought I was going in hunters with this mare, ummmm No Way Jose :lol::lol::lol: Not ever happening :lol::lol::lol:
She hasn’t seen her yet, it’s an old coach of mine who retired. I called her to ask her some advice since she showed and coached up to GP’s until a few years ago. My new coach is just getting into jumpers more and so I talked to my old coach about whether she had a hackabit not in use that I could try.[/QUOTE]
They are definitely legal under EC rules. I know lots of people that have showed in them
[QUOTE=TRIPLEBAR;8683202]
THIS is what has been happening hence the reason I want to try it
I have already tried a Waterford for the leaning and grabbing and it is better but I still have to haul her on her a** for stopping and not dirt biking around with me especially after we have done a course. On course she flips her head when I try to tell her the distance I want and I have to try and ignore it but man is it annoying (yes, we have a running on so I don’t break my nose). We are jumping 3’-3’6" now and little or no brakes is pretty nerve racking.[/QUOTE]
Another thing I found with my horse (I think - theory holds up so far) is that he doesn’t care for bar pressure. He’ll lean into it, he’ll get crooked to avoid it, he’ll root and then invert, anything to evade it. He’s been going well in a 3-ring with one rein since I realized that might be “the thing.” Hackabit is still in the trunk for the inevitable day I’ll need it, but I had good luck switching from the snaffle class of bits to the gag class.
