A Bit Crazy, Part 2

When we last left off, I bought a book because it's winter and that's what adult ammie's with only one horse and lots of time on their hands do.


The book itself, while interesting, was vague at times. It did kind of spark my interest though. I had ridden hundreds of horses but they went in whatever bit they went in, and I admitted to myself I had never actually looked at my horse's mouth to see how it was shaped. This book discussed all the idiosyncrasies that can exist in horse mouths - fat or small tongues, sensitive bars, low palates.

I took a look at Spicy's mouth and it really made me laugh. He was literally all tongue. His lower jaw had no depth, so the tongue just sat on top and poked out the hole where the bit rests. He also had an incredibly flat palate. It made sense why he wasn't a fan of the mullen mouths, even the super sensitive HS Duo. It was all tongue pressure. All the bits I used were thick (so as to be gentle), so when I pulled it probably just felt like I was strangling his tongue.

Hm. That kind of explains the anxious chomping and tongue slurping he always does, doesn't it?

Here with the HS Duo,
his least favorite bit.

In RM's books he suggested over and over (and over) the Myler Combination bit.


I had never considered these bits because they look like you can't control your horse but I was doing the rest of his program so I figured I might as well try this. I kept an eye out for a deal on a used one and found someone selling one for $35, because obviously they didn't know what they had.

Spicy's anxious, slippery mouth calmed within one or two works, and he was actively seeking contact for the first time since I owned him. I looked at the bit and considered what I had known about his mouth to figure out why this might be.

The Mylers are pretty thin and this particular mouthpiece has a slight port, so it probably just plain left more room for his tongue. The way the barrel is designed meant nothing was touching or engaging against his palate at all. The shape of it allowed less tongue pressure and the bit touched his bars faster (or at all, as compared to the mullen).

Unsteady and chompy

Muuuuuch quieter

It was a relief to find something we could communicate with that didn't create so much tongue wringing, but I knew this conversation would come up again. Clearly that thing is 0% legal anywhere, and I still feel kind of gimmicky about it. So the quest was on once again to find something that walked and quacked like a duck, but maybe looked more like a swan...

To be Continued!

Comments

  1. Interesting! I am curious as to what you found next but he definitely seems to be more relaxed in the contact!

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    1. The most important part is still me - keeping my hands still and avoiding taking on his mouth too much - but before I'd try and do those things and he'd still be frantic. Now I'm getting this really lovely soft but firm contact!!

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  2. This is super interesting, as I really don't know too much about the mechanics of bitting. With P I did a lot of trial and error based on suggestions from others, but with Leo I think it's maybe time to buckle down and learn things like this. I hope you found your swan!

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    1. We did, although part of the swan was getting my hands to follow his mouth more.

      You can learn a lot just by peeking in the side and it'll save you a lot of consternation if he's got a weird mouth. I actually wish horse dentists opined more on the horse's mouth. If anyone knows it they would...

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  3. Interested to hear what you ended up with. Maestro loves the Myler bits, I have a couple legal ones of various strengths I switch between. I love the idea of a bitting clinic like what Jen at Cob Jockey did, I feel like I'm weak in that area of my education.

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    1. Yeah I just wish bit clinics were more general and not 'a specific rep shows up and tries to sell you their product'. I do also think it can be hard to judge in one day what the horse likes. I think it's good that most of the more expensive/niche bits offer SOME kind of trial program so you can attempt to actually get your horse's opinion on it!

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  4. Oh I'm interested in the next post!!! I once had one of those bits with the barrel/hingy thing in the middle come apart, so I just can't bring myself to use one again. But I'm trying to find a better bit for Eros, so I'm super interested in everyone else's research. Admittedly, I've been going the trial and error route. So far mostly just error...

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    1. Stacie I read about people having that issue but from what I read it was always with knock off Myler's and not the name brand. We need to do a blogger bit clinic remotely. ;)

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  5. I was skeptical of these bits at first, but then I rode a Fjord who went in one and I honestly loved it on him! I certainly didn't need it for "control" purposes, but the horse clearly loved it. I'm wondering at what point the list of legal bits in various disciplines will change. I feel like the rules are often out dated in that area. Booger, for example, was always happiest in a hackamore, despite not having any medical reasons for needing one., and despite being a rather hot, forward horse.

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    1. Yeah I think what he liked (and why that particular horseman used it so much) was because I had been training him with pressure and release with a rope halter and it translated very easily to the noseband on the myler combo. It was too much continuous pressure once I was starting to ask for contact but it works great for 'take and release'.

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  6. So interested to see where this bit journey ends up!

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