Gone mad on bits

[Jane&Ziggy]

So I have gone to the Bit Bank and got some new bits to try with himself.

He currently goes in a Neue Schule hanging cheek/baucher with a lozenge. It's quite a strong bit and I want to experiment with something milder to promote his self carriage and coming off the forehand. I am going to try a full cheek lozenge (to help steering) and a Verbinden ( to see if he is lighter) and also a good old eggbutt. These are all NS because he likes the Salox - he is a 5.25 normal but I have got a 5.5 in the Verbinden as it is so curved.

I don't have much time for trialling but will report back!

 

[sjp1]

I don't actually think you will find the Verbindend a milder bit than a hanging cheek.

The Verbindend is much narrower, so better suited to a horse with a big tongue and low palate, and for them, not harsher.

For a normal horse it is much more curved and thinner.

Tobes HATED the hanging cheek/baucher Neue Schule bit with a passion - BECAUSE he has a low palate and a big tongue, so for him, a Verbindend was kinder.

Having said that, braking in company was tricky with the loose ring - fine with his mate who he knew well and had no interest in being competitive with,but I had no brakes AT ALL in company, so I bought the Verbindend with the Universal sides and put roundings on.

I am not sure the Verbindend lifts him off the forehand. In fact, having a chat with Heather who created both Neue Schule and the original Bitbank is on my agenda. She suggested the Verbindend with the universal sides for him, or the Warmblood pelham. It was me that decided I must start with the loose ring Verbindend!! I have to say, he no longer runs to the back of the stable when the bridle appears with the Verbindend, but is just a bit head chucky. Could well be him, he is very verbal about what he does and doesn't like, but my best advice is to find out what mouth conformation he has.

Thick tongues and low palates are very different to your average horse, and Heather is amazing in what she knows about mouth conformation. She isn't the type of person who says 'all thoroughbreds go well in abc or z', she is a very forward thinking person. Speak to her and make sure you are going down the right right road would be my advice.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Well you are right sjp1, the Verbindend was a no no. He accepted it happily and seemed ok with it, but when we long reined steering was poor, brakes were poor, and he resisted the rein with the underside of his neck. It's taken 4 years to get him out of that so I won't be using a bit which makes him do it!

It's so interesting how different things work for different horses.