|
|
 Zeal Queen
Posts: 3826
    
Location: TEXAS | What bits help keep a bendy horse stiffer?
Edited by slacy09 2017-01-03 6:23 PM
|
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 57
| Usually for a bendy horse a bit with less breaks will stiffen them up. Mullen mouths like the connnie combs stabilizer or josey go round are also good options. A lot of times it depends on what the horse and your hands are satisfied with:) |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 59
| I've got a bendy horse and I've found that how I rode him helps more than any bit. When I ride him I only slightly tip his head to the inside just enough so I can just barely see his eye. Then I work a lot of using my outside leg to push his back end up underneath himself. The problem with bendy horses is their butt usually swings out if their too bendy so keeping his hind end under him when I slow work has helped me a lot. |
|
| |
|
 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| I really like my Jim Warner Hackamore on my bendy fellow. He's got a SUPER soft mouth and the mullen mouth was way, way too much for him. He hates bits in general due to a narrow pallet, so I usually use a chain mouth if I have to ride him in a bit. Use more lift and seat pressure to guide him than pull. |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 356
| My gelding is like a noodle. I run him in a mullen mouth lifter - basically a no name version of the Connie Combs stabilizer. I was running him in the same bit with a chain mouth previously and he was working great, just decided to give the mullen mouth a try after I got an awesome deal on one. That made the difference between good and great. I would move to a lifter style bit and then start playing around with mouthpieces. Avoid anything with gag. |
|
| |
|
 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I ride my noodle in the Connie Combs Stabilizer as well.
Edited by ~BINGO~ 2017-01-04 8:53 AM
|
|
| |
|
  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Connie Combs Stabilizer |
|
| |
|
| Not sure your horses running style but i have a gelding that is a WORKER!! almost boarder line cheating but hes always just hunting a barrel if you dont pick him up he'll scrub a barrel over. i LOVED LOVED LOVED him in a simplicity bit with a twisted wire mouth, but after a couple runs he'd get to bendy so changed things up between it and a lifter twisted mouth with a rope nose band. i like a mullen mouth and want to try one just havent gotten around to it. at home i school and do all my flat work in a 5 bit with tie down.. but during any competition runs he wears a bonnet. this works for us so far  |
|
| |
|
Curve Ball
Posts: 2258
Location: Pelham, TN | Shallow Creek Bits has the SC 75 Super Port bit with the mullen mouthpiece! Since they make all the bits they sell you can get the mullen mouthpiece in any of the bits. The SC 75 wit the mullen won lots of money for Bret Monroe and Jet's Bye Bye long before all the other bit companies came along!!! |
|
| |
|
 Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | Also, be sure you are riding his butt and not his head. Does that make sense? |
|
| |
|
Zeal Queen
Posts: 3826
Location: TEXAS | Barrelhorsehelp1 - 2017-01-04 2:51 PM Not sure your horses running style but i have a gelding that is a WORKER!! almost boarder line cheating but hes always just hunting a barrel if you dont pick him up he'll scrub a barrel over. i LOVED LOVED LOVED him in a simplicity bit with a twisted wire mouth, but after a couple runs he'd get to bendy so changed things up between it and a lifter twisted mouth with a rope nose band. i like a mullen mouth and want to try one just havent gotten around to it. at home i school and do all my flat work in a 5 bit with tie down.. but during any competition runs he wears a bonnet. this works for us so far
I've just put a bonnet on him as well. He's a big fast dude that wants to RUN!! I've been most happy so far with a Jim Warner hack but he pulls on it a lot. Tried the ed wright pretzel but still too bendy. I've tried connie combs but felt like he didn't listen as well with it. |
|
| |
|
Zeal Queen
Posts: 3826
Location: TEXAS | CanCan - 2017-01-05 6:37 AM Also, be sure you are riding his butt and not his head. Does that make sense?
Like sitting deep and less pulling? I'm definitely more aware of that now. When we slow work even just at a walk, I don't ask for his head going around the barrel and on his own he bends it too much LOL. I do slow work with 2 hands to keep him straighter. |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 415
| Mullen mouth and certain hackamores will take the bend out of one |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Also pay close attention to how your curb is adjusted and what kind of curb you're using. |
|
| |
|
 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | CYA Ranch - 2017-01-04 8:44 AM Connie Combs Stabilizer
I second this  |
|
| |
|
Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| slacy09 - 2017-01-05 2:37 PM
CanCan - 2017-01-05 6:37 AM Also, be sure you are riding his butt and not his head. Does that make sense?
Like sitting deep and less pulling? I'm definitely more aware of that now. When we slow work even just at a walk, I don't ask for his head going around the barrel and on his own he bends it too much LOL. I do slow work with 2 hands to keep him straighter.
I would put an emphasis on making sure he is using his hind end in slow work, pushing him up into the bridle. I try to be very aware of where their back feet are, and then work to really push that foot up and under just a little more, while keeping a soft hold on the reins to prevent him from cheating you and speeding up. Done correctly you should start to feel his front end lift. Lateral work focusing on shoulders and hips more than his face.
Once he's responsive to that you can focus on soft hands in the turns and using your legs to keep him moving through them. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | Nita - 2017-01-05 11:23 PM Also pay close attention to how your curb is adjusted and what kind of curb you're using.
I am askiing because I have a "bendy" one just to the right. What are you talking about the curb? I usually use (if I use, which I do on this guy) adjusted to two fingers width from the jaw. I also agree with not pulling too much. The guy I have is really fast with run, but has rate. The curb piece of the puzzle intrigued me. Thanks for the input. |
|
| |
|
Zeal Queen
Posts: 3826
Location: TEXAS | OhMax - 2017-01-07 2:01 PM slacy09 - 2017-01-05 2:37 PM CanCan - 2017-01-05 6:37 AM Also, be sure you are riding his butt and not his head. Does that make sense? Like sitting deep and less pulling? I'm definitely more aware of that now. When we slow work even just at a walk, I don't ask for his head going around the barrel and on his own he bends it too much LOL. I do slow work with 2 hands to keep him straighter. I would put an emphasis on making sure he is using his hind end in slow work, pushing him up into the bridle. I try to be very aware of where their back feet are, and then work to really push that foot up and under just a little more, while keeping a soft hold on the reins to prevent him from cheating you and speeding up. Done correctly you should start to feel his front end lift. Lateral work focusing on shoulders and hips more than his face. Once he's responsive to that you can focus on soft hands in the turns and using your legs to keep him moving through them.
Great, thanks so much!!! I will do that!! |
|
| |
Folks on-line