Last help with bit please

dcp

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Mar 31, 2005
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Ok so I am bit shopping. Charlie is in a straight bar loose ring happy mouth. When looking yesterday the assistant asked if he had a big tongue and Charlie has a huge tongue. She tought that the straight bar was maybe pressing his tongue down and he was sticking it out to relieve the pressure.

Ok I'm quite willing to accept that and I've always wanted to have him in a jointed bit but he has in the past got his tongue over them plus I don't like this nut cracker action and the possibility of hitting the roof of his mouth.

So there are two bits I'm considering Happy Mouth Loose Ring Peanut or Happy Mouth Loose Ring With Roller.

Also any experience of Happy Mouth Revolver Loose Ring and what do they mean by "providing a uniform pressure on the tongue"
 
Haven't met the "revolver" bits, I'm afraid.

Are you definite you want to stick with Happy Mouth bits? The only reason I ask is that they tend to be quite thick. I know that means more pressure distribution, but horse's with fat tongues often don't have the room in their mouths for that thick a mouthpiece making it less comfortable for them than a thinner bit would be. Have you tried him in something narrower?
 
I've not tried the bits you name but have a horse with a bit tongue. I've found the Myler bits suit him well, In the past I used a low port comfort snaffle but this wasn't dressage legal so I tried their mullen mouth which seems to suit him even better.

My lad is unhappy in a single jointed bit - very unsteady in his head & mouth, unwilling to take even a light contact - & evasive & heavy in a french link. He liked a nathe but since I had no brakes & very little steering he didn't stay in that long!
 
I'm scared to try anything else. As far as I know he's been ridden in a happy mouth for a couple of years. He has a really soft mouth. I know what you mean about them being a bit thicker. That's why I wanted a jointed one just to give his tongue a bit more space.
 
I can understand what you mean Laurenc, but your horse might prefer something a bit thinner.

Bitting can turn into an expensive hobby!

Try a bit bank. I've never used these so not sure if they are okay or not, but you can have bits on trial for 14 days and keep returning until you find something your horse is happy with.

http://www.bitworld.co.uk/

Good luck!
 
Happy mouth aren't always as soft as people expect so it may be worth trying a metal bit to see if he prefers the thinner mouthpiece. Just use the bit lightly with sympathetic hands - ultimately a bit is as strong as the rider makes it! Metal bits are fine for horses with soft mouths, my lad works on the lightest of contacts (most of the time!) yet prefers metal to nathe. I borrowed a HM once & it seemed to make his mouth sore.
 
My horse has a big tongue and low roof to his mouth - he doesnt like eggbutt snaffles that much as they pinch him. He is sometimes ridden in a jointed loose ring happy mouth but to be honest he's happiest in his pelham - it's a cambridge mouth so has a low port in it.
The mouthpiece isnt overly wide, the port is big enough to give his tongue room but low enough to not hit him in the roof of his mouth, and he seems happy in it.
Have you considered a low ported mouthpiece?

xxx
 
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