Posted 2016-04-06 6:54 AM Subject: Bit help please. Trying to find something she likes...
Expert
Posts: 2685
Horse is 6yo OTTQH that is 15.3 but only 1100. She is the leaner built racey looking kind. She is very light everywhere and can be over reactive. Here is what I have used and found:
3 piece o-ring with copper roller and German martingale: so far has been the best but I rode without bit guards the first time and it rubbed sores. Need to see if it bothers her with but guards. She was able to collect well and keep her hind under her but I don't want her to learn to lean on the martingale. She enjoys being able to put contact to the bit for stability but doesn't "lean on my hands" at all.
3 piece o-ring with twist on the sides and dog bone middle (with or without martingale): rubs too much with or without bit guards because she likes her constant contact.
Johnson hack: way too much bit.
Jim Warner hack: too much with loose curb chain. May be worth trying in a rope curb but she just didn't feel as solid under me as she does in the o-ring bits.
Short shank medium gag with chain mouth and rope curb: I like the way she felt in this bit but I didn't like the way the mouth made her feel. Almost to reactive to it and a little nervous about it.
Honestly I want a little more bit than an o-ring because we are stepping up from slow loping the pattern to high loping. She is very, very broke. Moves her body extremely well. I saw a tiny gag by Dave Elliot that I thought might work. I think I want a 3 piece mouth that is solid and round on the sides and either dog bone or chain in the middle. Roller was alright but maybe not enough once speed is added. I think I want some gag and a rope curb because she is reactive and deserves a warning. Am I on the right track??
Thanks for any input.
I want to add I had her flexed last week and she didn't flex positive anywhere so no soreness and teeth were done in Jan. She doesn't have a problem getting under herself around a barrel but we are still 2 handing our barrels. She gets a little floaty on my if I pitch it to her yet.
Posted 2016-04-06 7:19 AM Subject: RE: Bit help please. Trying to find something she likes...
Expert
Posts: 2685
JLBerry - 2016-04-06 7:12 AM
maybe a jr cowhorse with 3 piece mouth? dave elliott makes a nice one. well pretty much any dave elliott...lol
its funny you say that, I watched a Molli Montgomery video last night where she talked about bits and she almost had me talked into a jr cowhorse or the "backwards gag"
Bit help please. Trying to find something she likes...
