Bitting

[taffydales]

Its been a few years now since I had to mouth a yougster, has anyone got any tips on how to make the experience as pleasant as possible, or any advice.

[peggyloo]

i used a full cheek sweet iron snaffle for felix's first bit and he really likes it.
the sweetiron encourages him to salivate to keep his mouth from drying out and causing problems.
im not a great fan of nathe or rubber type bits as they never seem to be thin enough for my ponies mouth shape, thick tongues.

[southerner]

lots of molasses or mild toothpaste!

[valerie n scout]

were using a straight bar fulmer cheek with Tomas hes 4 now, it helps with the steering, but you've often got to go with wot they like, my cob, Scout hates anything with a joint in it ! i eventually found a waterford the one that looks like a chain he loves it, i was told that it was a strong one but its wot the hoss likes that matters, its in his mouth afterall x

[jay]

A friend of mine starts a lot of youngsters. She starts them all in a loose ring Sprenger KK Ultra.

[Deleted]

we use rubber bits for our youngers

[clara]

I agree with valerianscout - let him/her choose. I have found my 3 year old prefers rubber bitsso he is now in a hanging cheek mullen mouth bendy rubber. I tried him with a traditional mouthing bit to start off with. He said no to snaffles at the moment. I think a mullen mouth is important because it gives them plenty of room for the tongue. I think some horses struggle with snaffles to start off with. Buy a couple of cheapy bits and let him choose the action he prefers and then buy a top of the range one which has all the same characteristics. Honey on the bit can encourage them to take it into their mouths. Good luck

[mrsp]

We used to use a loose ring snaffle with a strip of chamios leather wrapped round it to make it soft and - well - slimey... the horses seemed to like it anyway.

[SuzieP]

I do like this "let the horse choose" idea. If only more people listened to their horses and less to what is deemed to be the "correct" thing I'm sure we'd have many, many less "problem" horses and lots of happy equines.

[greydales]

I agree, horses and ponies do not all like the same bits as experience has told me!

I started working Saturn in a KK Sprenger training bradoon which was the best bit for Pip, however he wasn't that happy in it and goes much better in a mullen mouth.

I bitted Olivia and Cherry in a bit I intended to ride them in - a french link. Olivia hardly mouthed it at all whereas Cherry mouths it a lot. I was using a loose ring but she played with it so much the loose ring rubbed the corners of her mouth raw so I got her an eggbutt, which I have no problems with. However she still mouths a lot so I am going to try an eggbutt mullen mouth. She absolutely hates a fulmer - so I have no doubt she will let me know in no uncertain terms what she likes and dislikes!!

[DalesLady]

Joanne hated the traditional bit with keys on it, so we used a straight bar happy mouth bit for her. Her sister Maria was the same so we used the same, but Rhythm was happy with a sweet iron french link which was the second bit we used with Joanne. Maddie, our seven year old unstarted pony has had the bit with keys on and was OK with it, but she also prefers a french link. I also prefer to listen to what the pony is telling me too

[knight]

It is trully interesting to see what bit they choose. Knight, like Gill's Saturn, didn't care for the KK sprenger but he selected the myler mullen barrel with D cheeks. I wasn't too keen about myler as they are very small diameter mouthpiece but he loves it, I think the curved bar gives his flesh tongue extra room. The good part with myler is that I could get a pelham with the same mouthpiece that he likes.

[charliedales]

I like letting them choose too, best way but hard on pocket sometimes LOL As a gentle starter I do like a happy mouth french link/peanut fulmer.