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 Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
    
Location: Georgia |
I've been doing alot of research on draw bits and I think my mare would do really well in one. She has a very sensitve mouth so anytime I have to correct her during a run she throws her head in the air and we both tend to lose focus. So im thinking something like this may fix that problem. She is very responsive to leg cues but I do have to use my hands - I understand with these bits you have to be sure to release them...so that might take some adjusting. Are any issues that can come from running a horse in sliding bit? Has anyone done this with success? Which one do you recommend? I see alot of good things about the Loomis but I have seen similar bits for sale for much cheaper. Thoughts on that? |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I'm not good at explaining bits, but man oh mannnnn I love the baby in your pic!! I'm such a stinking sucker for rabicanos. Info?! Pleeeeeease! |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | I was having problems with my mare throwing her head up in the turns or if I had to move her over. I swear I wasn't being hard on her mouth but she's kind of a drama queen. A friend of mine had me try a draw bit on her and I haven't gone back. She feels more comfortable in it. I have a lot of wide open spaces that I ride in and she's kind of naughty so I don't ride her out in the fields with them but for running and warming up I sure do. I use Dutton bits with the ugly rope headstall. I'm a blingy person so it just about kills me to only use that. LOL |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | BamaCanChaser - 2014-09-10 5:16 PM I'm not good at explaining bits, but man oh mannnnn I love the baby in your pic!! I'm such a stinking sucker for rabicanos. Info?! Pleeeeeease!
Uh dont get me started on that filly. I could talk about her for days lol. She by First Down French, who by the way has a tendency to produce rabicanos. I didnt know that when I bred her to him. I spent her whole pregnancy praying for a palomino and then out popped those red legs. I was devestated about her color but she was healthy so all was well. Then, as she started drying off the little sucker had a big white strip down her back and roaning on her belly. I was pretty stoked and didnt too much care she wasnt a palomino at that point. And since you're letting me show her off....
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | CYA Ranch - 2014-09-10 5:23 PM I was having problems with my mare throwing her head up in the turns or if I had to move her over. I swear I wasn't being hard on her mouth but she's kind of a drama queen. A friend of mine had me try a draw bit on her and I haven't gone back. She feels more comfortable in it. I have a lot of wide open spaces that I ride in and she's kind of naughty so I don't ride her out in the fields with them but for running and warming up I sure do. I use Dutton bits with the ugly rope headstall. I'm a blingy person so it just about kills me to only use that. LOL
Thanks CYA! Which one do you use? |
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 Roan On The Range
Posts: 7889
Location: Stephenville, TX | CYA Ranch - 2014-09-10 4:23 PM I use Dutton bits with the ugly rope headstall. I'm a blingy person so it just about kills me to only use that. LOL
I could help you with the blingy part 
For the OP, here's a good article about draw gag bits:
http://www.barrelhorsenews.com/training/training-articles/3262-understanding-the-loomis-gag
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| One thing to consider when contemplating a draw gag is your hands.
Myself I cannot ride in a draw gag or even a simplicity as I need to feel the contact of the bit. I am light handed but I keep pulling till I feel the mouth piece makes contact and stops moving. |
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 Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | My main go to is a C gag. I have used them for years and years. I love a gag bit.
And that is a gorgeous baby.....brag away. Love her sire. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Runninbay - 2014-09-10 4:39 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-09-10 5:23 PM I was having problems with my mare throwing her head up in the turns or if I had to move her over. I swear I wasn't being hard on her mouth but she's kind of a drama queen. A friend of mine had me try a draw bit on her and I haven't gone back. She feels more comfortable in it. I have a lot of wide open spaces that I ride in and she's kind of naughty so I don't ride her out in the fields with them but for running and warming up I sure do. I use Dutton bits with the ugly rope headstall. I'm a blingy person so it just about kills me to only use that. LOL
Thanks CYA! Which one do you use?
I use the Dutton 3 piece for indoors and smaller outdoor patterns and for outdoor I use the Dutton 3 piece twisted wire with the rope nose since she gets a little more run in her in big pens. South Texas Tack has great selection and prices plus they have super quick shipping.
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | Hey my palomino FDF filly is also a rabicano, which means she looks really pale and washed out unless you get close enough to see all her speckles :P
I have a loomis with a smooth mouthpiece and then a cheaper one thats a twisted wire. Can't say I can tell a difference. I love both of them and definitely would not get rid of the Loomis I have. I ride a lot of horses in it during the week, but I do not ride my two finished horses in it anymore. One of them will get pushy on it and I have found she is just better if I ride her in something more. The other, I didn't even attempt it because I could see that happening. I love it on young horses and soft horses.
The only problem I have had with them, and it may be something I am doing with my training, is mine can pop off a barrel when I ask to finish the turn in a loomis.. IDK if it's because it keeps on giving as you pull, or because I didn't do something right.
My step up from a loomis is a simplicity, so thats another option if you want a similar action. |
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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | I love draw bits. One problem I encountered was with the CE Loomis: it wouldn't release. The blue pieces weren't slippery/thin enough and once you pulled, it was stuck - which kinda ruined the point. I ended up putting bow wax on it (HEAVILY) and now it works fine, but is sluggish to release compared to some of the "less fancy" draw bits I have used. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| I have my 3yo in a homemade braided headstall and a knock off (I'm pretty sure) bit. I love it. I was afraid of using a draw bit because of the horror stories of people not knowing how to use them correctly. I put it on her as a whim once we got done with all of the basic work and were about to start the pattern. I use a thick curved twisted broken mouth. I feel like I could get away with using a dog bone on her but she is doing really well in this bit so I'm not going to change it. I really don't have to touch her face much at all so she has stayed really light but I think the pull and release with this bit has kept her extra responsive and respectful. I think she is going to be a little horse with a lot of power so that is just fine by me. I use my inside rein to bend/flex her at all gates and I guide her around the barrels. That's really all I do "in her mouth." I feel like a pushy or dull- mouthed horse would not do well in these bits. Just for kicks I put it on a 2yo (did not do well- too young and inexperienced for it) and a 10yo (not very light on her feet, tends to over react at gag action bits anyways) and my 5yo that did fine but would honestly probably do well in a shoe string. |
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Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | Runninbay - 2014-09-10 4:34 PM
BamaCanChaser - 2014-09-10 5:16 PM I'm not good at explaining bits, but man oh mannnnn I love the baby in your pic!! I'm such a stinking sucker for rabicanos. Info?! Pleeeeeease!
Uh dont get me started on that filly. I could talk about her for days lol. She by First Down French, who by the way has a tendency to produce rabicanos. I didnt know that when I bred her to him. I spent her whole pregnancy praying for a palomino and then out popped those red legs. I was devestated about her color but she was healthy so all was well. Then, as she started drying off the little sucker had a big white strip down her back and roaning on her belly. I was pretty stoked and didnt too much care she wasnt a palomino at that point. And since you're letting me show her off....
Love her. Love FDF. I'm sure she's just annoying the mess out of you, so just ship her on to the next state over! :)) |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | BamaCanChaser - 2014-09-11 5:11 PM Runninbay - 2014-09-10 4:34 PM BamaCanChaser - 2014-09-10 5:16 PM I'm not good at explaining bits, but man oh mannnnn I love the baby in your pic!! I'm such a stinking sucker for rabicanos. Info?! Pleeeeeease!
Uh dont get me started on that filly. I could talk about her for days lol. She by First Down French, who by the way has a tendency to produce rabicanos. I didnt know that when I bred her to him. I spent her whole pregnancy praying for a palomino and then out popped those red legs. I was devestated about her color but she was healthy so all was well. Then, as she started drying off the little sucker had a big white strip down her back and roaning on her belly. I was pretty stoked and didnt too much care she wasnt a palomino at that point. And since you're letting me show her off....
Love her. Love FDF. I'm sure she's just annoying the mess out of you, so just ship her on to the next state over! : ) )
Alright and then send her back when she is ready to exhibition! Haha
Thank you guys for all the responses. I'm shopping for one online as a I type this. Worst case if it doesnt work, Ill use it for other horses. Ive just never had a use for one before now. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 459
Location: Gods country | I pretty much have 3 bit "stages". First stage is simple snaffle, second stage is a cheap draw gag with a smooth mouthpiece and a rope headstall (nothing fancy), and when they graduate from that I move to a Carol Goosetree simplicity or double gag. I should probably own stock in Goosetree bits, as I think I have multiples of all her gags.
I really like a smooth mouth simplicity for all my super light horses. The heaviest bit I run in is a Goosetree long shank double gag with a chain mouthpiece, and that's not too bad as far as bits go.
In my experience, the simplicity is great for finished horses who are drama queens about there mouths. Gags in general are great because its not an instant yank or tug in the horses mouth every time you pick up the reins, so horses learn in gags to anticipate the cues you give them without throwing a fit. Its great for adding bend and confidence to your horse.
Hope I helped, happy bit hunting!
P.S., Gorgeous Foal!!!! |
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Explain draw/gag bits for me.....