Possible bit issue?

Sasha15

New Member
Feb 28, 2015
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hi,
I recently purchased a 5-6 year old QH mare. When I rode to try her out, she was in a curbed snaffle with a short shank and curb chain. She rode well, didn't throw her head, and had a great stop. She needs saddle time, but didn't have any stand out issues that made me think, woah don't buy this horse.
She wasn't the horse I was there to see, so they had to pull her out of her stall and I watched them tack up, etc so she wasn't drugged to my knowledge because they were expecting me to look at a different horse.
So I bought her an o ring snaffle to ride in because I've never used a "leverage" bit before. The snaffle is thicker than the shank bit she's used to. I also haven't used a curb chain.
She just doesn't seem to like it. She throws her head, doesn't like to turn, will still stop fine, but she will go a few paces and then just stop. Same with keeping her in a trot or canter. She will chew on it and mouth it when riding. She then went into circles and refused to woah for about 15 seconds. I didn't have this problem when I rode her before purchase.
She's a very sweet mare, ground manners are great, and hasn't been aggressive. Should I switch her back to a leverage bit? Is the bit the issue? I also haven't been lunging her because she doesn't seem to know how to lunge on a line and I don't have a round pen, but I have a small paddock I linge her in, but she always goes to the corners and stands, So I have to run her around. But she seemed better after I did this.
I don't have an issue putting more rides on her and getting her where she needs to be, but I want to make sure I'm not missing something and doing something she hates.
Any advice is appreciated.
 
It sounds very much like she was comfortable in her previous bit and there is something about the new bit she doesn't like. Quite a few things about it have changed; the action, the feel she'll get from your aids and the thickness of the bit in her mouth so that is the first thing that sticks out to me. I think with bits "if it ain't broke don't fix it". I can totally understand your reservations about using her previous bit but perhaps get some lessons with an instructor who can guide you on how best to ride with this bit and make you feel confident about riding with it if it worries you. There are so many varieties of bit that it can be an minefield. If you really want to change bits you need to work out what she likes about her previous one and work from there. It often takes a long time to find a bit that suits a horse, in my experience anyway! My first step would be to try her old bit and see if you still have problems.

If you do then I'd start to look at other things such as her teeth/mouth, routine, her workload and feed. Has anything else changed? New saddle, maybe a sore back?

There could be lots of reasons for the change in behaviour but IMO the simplest thing to do would be to try the old bit again.
 
Yes, she has a new saddle, new tack, the whole thing.
I purchased her from a large cowboy who rode in a large saddle. She's 14.2hh and he was probably 225-250lbs where as I'm 130lbs and my saddle weighs 25lbs. I have a thick pad for her and a breast collar which she's used to. I ordered a thin short shank snaffle (a few actually) that I want to try. I want the most mild as possible. I do like to ride with light hands and I do feel im more in her mouth with the o ring snaffle. I know he needs more time to adjust to me, but I don't want to let her sit. I've had her about 2 weeks and let her have a week off. In that week
I lunged her, groomed her and worked on ground work. I want to get her to be more soft in her neck as her turns are very stiff. I read with the leverage bit, teaching turns are a little more difficult? I'm hoping that once we can get a bit she likes she will be happier and less tense when riding.
 
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My QH x mare fights jointed bits every inch but is a dream in a curb or a hackamore (sidepull or bosal) I strongly believe in the correct teaching and progression through the bits as it is so difficlut to teach correct bend in a leverage bit but each horse is different. Check her top to toe and if she is physically fine (could have rolled on a rock or broken a tooth without you knowing) then I would persevere, whilst getting to know her ride in the curb bit (do get guidance on its use as a lot of damage can but done used incorrectly) but do put the snaffle in for occasional later training sessions in a controlled area as it really will benifit.
I also had the wont lunge issue when jess was a baby as she had her initial training in a roundpen, do stick at it but you have to pretend like you are teaching a baby for the very first time how to lunge as the request is different from the roundpen but she probably doesn't understand that at the moment.
 
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Hello and welcome Sasha! Your horse sounds like a sweet mare. I love Quarter Horses. Could we see some pictures? I imagine you are in the west of the USA and I just love to see your horses ;)

I am just thinking that after having been ridden by such a heavy man she may be carrying some stiffness in her muscles. A chiropracty or physiotherapy treatment could help to loosen her up. When I got my pony, who is about her size, he had been ridden by a heavy woman - 160 lbs or thereabouts - and he was very stiff and sore in the ligament that runs all around the body, down the neck, along the back, between the back legs and back up the front. Once he was treated he was very much more comfortable.
 
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image.jpg image.jpg She's been passed around a lot. Her coggins says she was at an auction in Ohio last May and the guy I bought her from says he got her from Tennessee as a trail horse and he had her about 4 months. I'm located in Florida.
She's a sweet horse though. She loads great, and comes to the fence when I arrive. When she was brought to me she hoped out of the trailer and walked into her paddock, walked around, sniffed noses with another horse across the fence and started eating hay like nothing happened. Her good out weighs her bad. Here's a few pictures of her. She didn't have a name when I got her so I named her Sasha.
I haven't had her teeth looked at yet but I am making an appt. she doesn't drop feed or anything so I'm hoping they aren't too bad.
 
Oh gosh how sad, passed around and not even a name. Not even a name!

Lovely Sasha, you are lucky to have landed with a kind mom.,

I think she found a great home

She Is adorable!!!
What kind of mouthpiece did the old bit have??

If she had a port in the old bit she may not like a regular jointed snaffle.
Mylar bits have many styles of mouth pieces and are available in the snaffles as well as the shanked bits.
They are not cheap but they have great choices.
 
I'm not sure what kind of bit she was using. He told me it was a thin snaffle. Which the snaffle I have now isn't thin. My bits will arrive tomorrow and I can't wait to see if she likes one or not. I added 2 pictures from their website that has her in the bit they used. Hopefully someone can tell me what it is. image.jpgimage.jpg
 
It is a little hard to tell but It almost Looks like a GAG bit???
It does look like there is a ring near the bottom that the rein ring slides in.

Is there any chance you could get them to email you a look at the bit? to see the mouthpiece and get a better look of it not in someones mouth??

I really really like her:D:D:D:D and LOVE HER COLOR;););)

Were are you located?? I am in Mass USA
 
She really is beautiful, is she a blue roan? A lovely unusual colour.

Her bit on the other hand looks really severe. I don't know what it is - I am sure someone on here will - but I don't fancy it much :(
 
It's no kind of bit I've ever seen, def leverage, possibly a sliding gag mouthpiece but with loose rings for the rein to attach to. I thought some kind of junior cow horse bit to start with but I'm not so sure having zoomed in. I would be interested if you are able to find anything out on it.
 
She is lovely and I hope it all works out for the both of you, I can't help you with the bit as I have no idea but it does look a bit harsh?
 
She is lovely! Some of the issues you're having might just be her settling in, or feeling a bit unsettled and nervous with a new rider and a new home. I can't comment on the bit as I've never seen one like that, and it might be something unique to the USA. If it was me, I always think try a new horse in a gentle bit first like a French link snaffle and see how you go with that before getting something more severe, if needed. I have never ridden Western though so that might be different too.
 
It's no kind of bit I've ever seen, def leverage, possibly a sliding gag mouthpiece but with loose rings for the rein to attach to. I thought some kind of junior cow horse bit to start with but I'm not so sure having zoomed in. I would be interested if you are able to find anything out on it.

I could not zoom in enough to see if it was a gag either.
I would like to get a look at the mouthpiece too.
 
It is a fairly normal western tom thumb type bit from the sides and back strap. Western horses are ridden on a long light rein and normally neck rein so what looks severe to UK eyes is not in context. I suspect the issue is more in the mouthpiece, if you can ask the seller what bit they rode in. I assume you are also riding western and not trying to get her to go English/Hunter style on a contact?
 
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