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Horse Behavior and Training

right bit

By:
ebrahim
Date:
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed

how should we choose the right bit
how differet are the bits and what are their applications

Amberpony - California, USA
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

This would be a good lesson suggestion.

Tiggy, Tears
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To be honest I usually start simple ie a snaffle then work up if I need to! Saying that mine does everything in a sweet iron with lozenge and I hack in a hackamore, only because he leans like a demon on the way home!!! But yes lessons on various bits & their applications would be useful!

beryl
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We've had this thread before. It isn't fair to expect Monty to have all the info available for all the new research into mouth shapes & new bits. There are websites where you can do your own research according to your horses individual mouth shape & way of going such as Neue Schule bits http://nsbits.com/

They are very helpful & are constantly designing new bits.

Miriam (Holland&Germany)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

Hi ebrahim and all,
It's not fair to expect from Monty to have all information available, but I know his is a clear statement to have as little as possible, do the right sizing and to start any horse on a simple snafflebit. Monty designed a snafflebit of sweet iron with copper inlets, which stimulates salivation. Ofcourse there are advanced uses for more complicated bits and hackamores, bosals etc., but often these fine instruments are used by inexpert hands. They can cause more damage than good, if not used with the lightest of touch. As long as people don't have an independent seat, there's always the risk of leaning on the bit in a unexpected situation.
Please inform yourself thoroughly about the use of a bit, before deciding to put it in your horse's mouth! Simple does it most of the time...
Miriam

ebrahim
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed

thanks miriam and every one
but this would be a great lesson

Miriam (Holland&Germany)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

Hi ebrahim,
If you go to "Lessons" at the top of every page of this UNI and scroll down to the "Coming soon", you'll find that a series of lessons are planned on bits! It might take some time, before they turn up, but they are on their way!
Miriam

Tiggy, Tears
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed

I dont know about anyone else here but I do find that lots of people use what's in "fashion"! They see the top showjumpers or eventers using a type of bit & with no idea why a particular horse has that bit they go & buy it for their horse/pony!
Most of the time leisure horses will be happiest in a simple snaffle as long as they are well schooled and well ridden! Like I said I hack mine in a hackamore because he leans or throws his head on the way home, I tried it as an experiment & it worked he's happy so we've stuck with it.. I even did a dressage test in it, local riding club had a have a go any tack class.

beryl
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

So true, professional riders are just that, professional & they know why they're using a particular bit for a particular problem for competition, that isn't a reason for us humble riders to copy them instead of us putting in the BASIC work!!
I ride Libby in a bitless bridle now cos she's very fussy in her mouth & she also used to yank her head down in the bit, but she doesn't in the bitless, it isn't a hackamore which is a severe form of bitless bridle in inexperienced hands, it is like the Light Rider bridle. I was using the Team Up bit before, I have also acquired a Trans lozenge bit. If i ever get round to doing a dressage test with her, i need to ask about the bit situation.

Tiggy, Tears
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed

Beryl, at lower levels as long as the bit is a snaffle type & of a single metal mouthpiece it's usually fine, mine loves his sweetiron with copper inlay & rings in the middle but not allowed to use it!

beryl
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Yes, thats the problem though, i never ride her in a bit anymore, but both Neue Schule bits are dressage legal. She immediately went forwards better& was so much freer in her shoulders in the bitless, but you can't use them in dressage - it's ridiculous as thats where you are supposed to be showing your schooling yet you can use them in show jumping & cross country, is that right?

Tiggy, Tears
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My argument exactly, the horse should work through from behind not be pulled in from the front! Bitless would mean the end of the dreaded Roll Kur! Would love to see some of the top dressage horses do a Grand Prix test bitless, just to see how much difference there would be! Valegro is hacked in a bitless bridle, so why not do a test in it.

beryl
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Absolutely, Roll Kur is just so vile, & it stops the horse from moving correctly, it doesn't improve it!
If they did Grand Prix in bitless, the head would be at a much more natural position thats for sure, but the shoulders would be moving freer, they can come through from behind as they should do.
Thats great to know that Valegro hacks bitless - maybe there's some hope for the future???

mustang.girl - Croatia
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Check this out! how about this kind of dressage? I find this horse quite happy doing dressage, and his head position is natural. any comments appreciated :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9D1vEP98rc

Miriam (Holland&Germany)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

Hi mustang.girl!
Now that is very impressing! A totally independent seat and clear aids, gives the horse and rider a happy time together and no restriction at all, beautiful!
Miriam

vicci - UK (North Wales)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

Wow, that was just gorgeous!

beryl
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That was phenomenal! The core strength & balance of both horse & rider - just amazing!! Did you see, he was even licking & chewing as he did the one time tempi changes?
Oh God, i wish i could ride like that!
Thank you Mustang girl for posting that.

mustang.girl - Croatia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

Hi everyone! I like that you enjoyed the video, I was really touched when I saw it.I also ride dressage (not high levels like this one) and my trainer totally dissagrees that horses are capable of thinking and WANTING to do something. So horses I work with don't want to cooperate... you have to make them do anything... so sad, I love when I ride alone so I can work to get intrinsic response. and I can tell you that horses change immediately! Such a good feeling!
I would also like to see lessons about training dresaage horses to collect, but from the very begining, how to get the impulsion from hindquarters and how to strenghten back muscles.
Mirna

Tiggy, Tears
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Wow wow wow is all I can say after watching that video!

beryl
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I'm with you mustang; my problem nowadays is I'm very weak myself due to injury to my spine.
I've found it's very different riding my long backed mare compared to my lovely old pony, who i lost, 11 years ago who was very compact.
I used to ride him sometimes with a saddle but no bridle until the day he decided to get "brave" & jump the gate out of the field with me; it stood 5' 2" from the take off side, was metal & he caught himself on the top & we plummeted head first into the ground which was baked clay - i decided not to do that again!!! We had been jumping a course of jumps up to that point!

linda
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

Hi loveed watching that video it is so cool.

camilla.faye
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

How can a person tell when it is time to replace a bit?

beryl
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

If your horse isn't happy in his mouth, either not going into it or leaning heavily, he's not comfortable; there are so many reasons why this might be!
The bit may be the wrong shape or thickness for the size of his mouth or tongue, or his teeth may need to be seen by a dentist & have the sharp edges rasped off, It may be too severe or too sharp for his level of training in that he isn't able to balance himself very well & when he loses his balance, the bit punishes him & hurts him.
If your horse is comfy & responding to you, then you don't need to change the bit.
You didn't say why you are asking, do you have a particular problem?
The biggest thing to remember, is your hands are the most important part & should be used softly with every bit you use.
It also takes 2 to pull!

camilla.faye
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

Sorry for not clearly stating what I meant.
What I meant was, how can a person tell when the bit is too old to use?
I'm aware of the importance of the usage of the bit. My horse is comfortable
with the one I'm using. I was just wondering when I should replace it with a new one.
Hope this makes sense...

beryl
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

If the bit is in good condition, the age doesn't matter.
By good condition, i mean there isn't excessive wear on any joints or the holes where the cheek rings go through; in either case, if there is wear, then buy a new bit & destroy the old one, so no one else can use it & have an accident!
The mouthpiece may have been chewed so it has sharp bits on it which will cause severe pain & injury to your horses mouth, again buy a new bit pronto & destroy the old one.

camilla.faye
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

Thank you for all the advice.

Kicki -- Sweden
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

Would like to add to Beryl's advice about wear and tear in bits, to keep an eye on cupper/iron bits.
The iron is harder than the cupper and will grate sharp edges on the holes where it connect to the cupper piece, and eventually make the metal too thin to hold.

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