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Member
Posts: 47
| I'm going to be riding one off the track for a friend. But, I have no idea what bit to go with. I hear horses off the track have hard mouths, so hopefully I can soften her up a little. What are your recomendations? |
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 Veteran
Posts: 112
| I was told to use a chain bit, because they can't "lean" on it as well. I have found really good luck with a draw gag too on mine. I did a lot of give and take, because he used to just power through, and pulling or holding onto them only makes it worse. He now lopes quiet circles without racing around like a mad man LOL. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Texas | Mine likes a Simplicity. I can pretty much ride him in anything now but I always go back to the Simplicity.
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| Mine is not hard mouthed at all when just riding, tracking cattle, patterning or drills.
Is this horse straight of the track? Or has he been re-started already? |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
 
Location: Texas | I always start with a smooth mouth D ring and move up from their based on what they tell me.
From my four that I've ridden off the track- the first one was so light all I could ride her in was a D ring. Put her in a loomis and she was way too sensitive. The second one felt like she was from the track and rode in a twisted wire loomis for a long time. The third one I started in a D ring, put in a loomis, and moved back to a D ring. This was when I first got on them. oh yeah and the fourth i kept in a D ring but I sold her pretty soon after I got her.
One of them I ended up breeding (the first one), the second one runs in an ed wright short shank or a simplicity, and the third one is still only 3 and in a cervi square mouth D ring
Edited by casualdust07 2014-02-21 2:37 PM
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Member
Posts: 47
| She raced this month and has run for a couple years. Friend says she thinks she had about 14 or 15 starts. She hasn't been ridden since her last race. |
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  Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | I've always used a bosal. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368
Location: Illinois | Its not that they are necessarily "hard mouthed". They just havent been taught to stop or turn, etc. So I believe in teaching them to be light not forcing them with more bit. A twisted ring bit should be enough to start with.They usually have never been ridden with a curb chain or chin strap. And I found its helpful to give at least 30 days off for their mind & bodies to "relax".
Edited by triplecircle 2014-02-22 2:43 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 682
Location: Northwest | 3ToBurn - 2014-02-21 12:02 PM
I'm going to be riding one off the track for a friend. But, I have no idea what bit to go with. I hear horses off the track have hard mouths, so hopefully I can soften her up a little. What are your recomendations?
My current OTT mare is very light. I started her in an o-ring snaffle, then went to an argentine snaffle and now she is in a short-shank correction bit and does absolutely amazing in it. I can basically do anything and everything with my pinky and my body position. |
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| Mine has the softest mouth in the world. I started her in an o-ring with a noseband for basics, then moved up to a million dollar bit when she got a little bit more advanced and she hated the noseband, so now she is in a Ty Mitchell chain bit with a short shank and works like a charm. |
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Expert
Posts: 1956
Location: Ky | They are not hardmouthed off the track, they are taught differently at the track. The jockey balances with the reins so they are taught to run into the bit.
You have to change that training.
I haven't trained horses off the track in years but what we used to do was saddle them up and then use a snaffle bit and tie them off on both sides to the saddle. We used to use surgical rubber hose to tie them so they could pull against it if they wanted. They would learn in pretty short order that they could get away from pressure if they just gave in. It seemed to promote learning vs being forced. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 304
Location: Up and over to the right | I like to start with a rubber dee then move up from there. |
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| I have used the tender touch and had good luck with that with two of my horses off the track. |
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 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | D-Ring or O-Ring snaffle to start with. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 411
Location: Smack in the middle of WA! | barrels1 - 2014-02-21 12:24 PM
Mine likes a Simplicity. I can pretty much ride him in anything now but I always go back to the Simplicity.
This is the same bit I use on my ott. I use the one with the 3 chain links in the middle. My mare is very light mouthed and turns on a dime! |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I have two that came off the track, but I got them after they had been retrained at least somewhat, so I've not had much trouble finding bits they'll work in. Clifford, the one I've had the longest and am running barrels on now, started running in a chain mouth Mike Beers bit, then went to a Jr Cowhorse 3 piece mouth with a roller, a longer shanked 3-piece mouth gag bit, a 3-piece smooth mouth o-ring, and now he's in a short shanked (5.5 inch shanks I'd guess) bit with a smooth mouth and a roller in the middle.
The one I just got last week doesn't seem to really like the Mike Beers bit, but I put my Jr. Cowhorse on him and he likes it. I think the roller is the key because he gets a little nervous when he's completely alone and then he can play with the roller instead of being a brat. I've got 3 different bits with rollers so I can move him up or down in shank length depending on my needs. |
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Expert
Posts: 1898
| Start from the ground up. Just like if you were starting a colt who hadn't been ridden.
I would tie mine's head around in a smooth o-ring snaffle. When he would start giving to that I started riding him. We started riding in the smooth mouth and then I went to a nice twisted wire o-ring. Stay soft, I found that when riding light bumping worked best. If she still wants to lean or pull go back to tying her around.
When I got my colt he would bridle up with direct light rein pressure, would direct rein left and right but had no bend and would push his nose out when pressure was applied to the snaffle for stopping or slowing. He now has a nice south mouth. It did take a while to retrain but the ground work was so helpful before I started riding him. |
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 That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| cyount2009 - 2014-02-24 12:10 PM Start from the ground up. Just like if you were starting a colt who hadn't been ridden. I would tie mine's head around in a smooth o-ring snaffle. When he would start giving to that I started riding him. We started riding in the smooth mouth and then I went to a nice twisted wire o-ring. Stay soft, I found that when riding light bumping worked best. If she still wants to lean or pull go back to tying her around. When I got my colt he would bridle up with direct light rein pressure, would direct rein left and right but had no bend and would push his nose out when pressure was applied to the snaffle for stopping or slowing. He now has a nice south mouth. It did take a while to retrain but the ground work was so helpful before I started riding him.
I agree with this! ^^ |
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