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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
 
| I'm seasoning a 5 yr old in a smooth D ring snaffle . She's getting a little front endy on me .. She's never had any curb chain or shank with gag action . I have a junior cow horse smooth mouth piece I may try her in. All if you people that season young horses , do you ever change out of the snaffles? What is the best bits to transition them to from them? I just need opinions ! I Ride in snaffles a lot but I'm wondering if they couldn't benefit from other bits . Something with just a little shank , like junior cow horse or the tender touch . How long does it take them to accept it ? I rode her in it the other day & she had no idea how to react to the curb chain (obviously) |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
  
| I go from a o ring, to a sweet six, to a short shank gag with a 1:1 ratio at rest, such as diamond lifter, Dave Elliott spur up. |
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Veteran
Posts: 160
| Have you tried a sliding gag? Or a twisted wire snaffle? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 883
Location: Southern Indiana | Once I get them broke with the basics, if they want to lean on the bit some I will move them into a draw gag (loomis). It helps to soften them up and to learn to work off pole pressure. I may bounce back and forth between that and a ring bit. Then I will introduce them to something with a loose curb. Right now I really like my simplicity. But an o ring combo, short shank lifter (5 in shank), or 5 bit are others I like. It just depends on the horse. I'm not really a fan of sweet sixes or jr cow horses. Just never really found anything that worked in those. |
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Veteran
Posts: 294
| I absolutely LOVE the simplicity bit. Its my competition bit. I use the loomis or a loose ring snaffle for slow work. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| I've never really cared for the simplicity bits . This mare broke in the smooth mouth snaffle. Breaks at the poll , collects , counter bends , side passes , two tracks anything you would want but she's just getting pushy with the smooth mouth . Especially in public . She's also a little hard to keep her shoulder elevated coming into a barrel in a run bc she's setting up too soon . I can try the twisted wire snaffle . Do you think she'll lean on that to ? Just didn't know if it'd be best to change the mouthpiece in the snaffle or introduce a little gag |
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Unable to Live Without Chocolate or Coffee
Posts: 1849
| Fancy Lass - 2015-05-10 7:25 PM I've never really cared for the simplicity bits . This mare broke in the smooth mouth snaffle. Breaks at the poll , collects , counter bends , side passes , two tracks anything you would want but she's just getting pushy with the smooth mouth . Especially in public . She's also a little hard to keep her shoulder elevated coming into a barrel in a run bc she's setting up too soon . I can try the twisted wire snaffle . Do you think she'll lean on that to ? Just didn't know if it'd be best to change the mouthpiece in the snaffle or introduce a little gag
I like that dutton bit with the big o rings at the bottom I think that shank is called old cowboy. I have it in a snaffle mouthpiece and a dogbone. I put the colts in that with a loose curb, then go to a tear drop for my ranch horses. But you'd probably want to go to a short lifter like a reinsman easy five or something like that.
you could also try a draw gag.
she should back off with the twisted snaffle but it probably wont give you the lift you want. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| camocowgirl - 2015-05-11 11:29 AM
Fancy Lass - 2015-05-10 7:25 PM I've never really cared for the simplicity bits . This mare broke in the smooth mouth snaffle. Breaks at the poll , collects , counter bends , side passes , two tracks anything you would want but she's just getting pushy with the smooth mouth . Especially in public . She's also a little hard to keep her shoulder elevated coming into a barrel in a run bc she's setting up too soon . I can try the twisted wire snaffle . Do you think she'll lean on that to ? Just didn't know if it'd be best to change the mouthpiece in the snaffle or introduce a little gag
I like that dutton bit with the big o rings at the bottom I think that shank is called old cowboy. I have it in a snaffle mouthpiece and a dogbone. I put the colts in that with a loose curb, then go to a tear drop for my ranch horses. But you'd probably want to go to a short lifter like a reinsman easy five or something like that.
you could also try a draw gag.
she should back off with the twisted snaffle but it probably wont give you the lift you want.
I like the looks of the reinsman eady 5 bits .. I just hate buying them . Afraid they won't work :/ |
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Unable to Live Without Chocolate or Coffee
Posts: 1849
| If your on facebook there are some used tack and used bit pages. also you can check ebay. i hardly ever buy new bits anymore  |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Before I use a shank, I get them used to feeling a curb chain and poll pressure with a bit that has a ring for the reins at the mouthpiece, so it works like a Boucher bit. And then I will put a loose tear drop shank on them as their first shank bit. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | Three 4 Luck - 2015-05-11 1:51 PM
Before I use a shank, I get them used to feeling a curb chain and poll pressure with a bit that has a ring for the reins at the mouthpiece, so it works like a Boucher bit. And then I will put a loose tear drop shank on them as their first shank bit.
Ditto. A kimberwicke also might be a decent option. I know they are generally thought of as English bits. They have a couple options for rein attachment to vary poll pressure.
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Transitioning young horses out of snaffles