Monday, May 17, 2010

Help with the Bridle/ Bit for my horse??

My young horse loves to play with the bit. He constantly chews on it - so right now we have him in a rubber bit so as to not hurt his teeth.





Just wondering what other kind of bit I can do that he won't play with -- I have played around with many different bits and he plays and chews with all of them, sometimes even getting them turned upside down in his mouth. He has no teeth problems that is not a concern.





Any suggestions for bits?? I was kind of thinking of using one of those bridles that actually don't have a bit (the natural kind..i'm not sure what they're called). What do you think? My horse is young and I'm wondering if this will be enough to get him to listen to me or not





any ideas or help


thanks

Help with the Bridle/ Bit for my horse??
Just so you know, some amount of chewing and tongue movement is a good thing. It shows that the horse has accepted the bit and is willing to work with it. However, excessive chewing and movement, as you know, can sometimes be an unsafe thing.





Try a flash noseband for starters. They can attach easily to your regular noseband, and they can be useful in keep the horses' mouth closed so you won't have to worry so much about the bit twisting or getting turned around in his mouth. Just be sure not to make it so tight he cannot open it at all--this is very uncomfortable for them and can make them nervous or headshy.





Bit guards might also help a bit. The rubber rings that fit on the bit and fit on either side of the horses' mouth are designed to protet from pinching, and I think they also help keep the bit in place.





I don't know that I would recommend a bitless bridle right now; exhaust your other options before you go down that road.





Good luck.
Reply:Roller bits are good for the horses that need to be doing something with their mouths.....they work well...just to keep them busy and focused.
Reply:I think a bridle without a bit is the best option for you. Just realize the horse may stop playing with it when it gets older. Good luck.
Reply:I don't think a bitless bridle would be good. Your young horse needs to get used to a bit. I think the suggestion of a bit with a roller is a good one. He can play with it. Also a copper mouth piece tastes good to horses. You could also use a curb chain or strap to help keep the bit from turning upside down.
Reply:I would try a roller bit with him. I use a D-ring snaffle with rollers on it with my horse, she really likes it.





A bosal or mechanical hackamore would work, but they are not as good for getting the horse the collect. They are good for stopping and turning.





You also could try getting a nose band, like they have on english bridles.





He will probably grow out of this. I would not overly worry too much, unless he starts fliping the bit frequently or grabbing it in his teeth. That is not good.
Reply:Starting out with the safe rubber-covered bit is good. Licking and chewing is a GREAT sign. But if he is doing is so consistintly that the bit gets turned upside down in his mouth, you may need to tighten the cavason on the bridle. Your young horse is very curious, young horses play around with their tongue and especially a new thing in their mouth, such as a bit! This is completly normal, don't worry. I do not recomend you getting a bitless bridle for your young horse, because he may not respond well to it, and he may not respect it. Just be patient and just bring your horse out certain days and just let him play with the bit, do not train or anything. He has not yet figured the idea out! I hope this helped you. Good luck.
Reply:Well, depending on wether or not he's a calm horse, you could try a hackamore or bosal. But im guessing since he's pretty young, that may not be true. I use a bosal for my mare and she does fine in it.





My mare has the same problem, she somehow always manages to get her tongue on top of the bit. She does fine in a rubber bit too, but i prefer a bosal.
Reply:Try a bit with copper coils/sections on it. My horse has been less fussy with her mouth since I started using it and sorta "slurps" instead.
Reply:you should go back to a metal bit but this time use bit gaurds and try putting something nasty tasting in it or put something between his teeth
Reply:the bridles w/out the bits are called hackamores. horses respond to them really well... some like it better cuz they dont put pressure in their mouths... i dont think u need one b/c it dosnt seem like ur horse dosnt like the bit. theyre really only good for horses that are bothered by the bits or have mouth problems. theyre also not the nicest looking bridles. there are new bridles that look like a regular bridle not like a hackamore... their pretty and work the same way... what i really think ur horse is doing is overcoming his boredom. with our stallions that get bored really easily or our other horses we use the bits with the nut in the middle so they keep themselves occupied. they work really well...





good luck w/ finding a bit/ bridle!!
Reply:No Bitless bridle - not the best option.





Use a Snaffle bit with a copper roller.





It really is okay for the horse to play and bite the bit. It helps relax them and stay focused.
Reply:Use a bit with a copper roller. The roller will give him something to play with and copper keeps the mouth moist which can help prevent the chewing.





A young horse will certainly grow out of the habit, but if you feel like you want to use a set-up with no bit that's preference, but keep in mind you can't use that in a show ring should you be interested in doing that.
Reply:For training younger horses, I like to use a three piece bit with roller. It is a more natural fit for the tongue and mouth.


You will not get the nut cracker effect on the top of the mouth like with a snaffle bit.


A straight bar bit puts alot pressure on the tongue and side of the mouth and can be accidental handled to rough.


As the young horse gets better you could try a side pull bridle.





Good luck on whichever way you choose to go. Remember your horses behavior will tell you if you have chosen the right bit or no bit.
Reply:Use a Hackamore =]

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