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 Elite Veteran
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| My gelding has a pretty light mouth, but running barrels he's hard to stop. I currently ride him in a twisted dog bone snaffle with short shanks. I notice some head tossing, and when I sidepass, spin, or even back, he opens his mouth wide and sticks his tongue out. I have light hands, and have used the same bit with long shanks and he had a head tossing fit. Any reccomendations? I have about 250 bits in my trailer, so I might have it! |
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| I noticed with mine, in just a regular plain smooth mouth snaffle, she would open her mouth wide when asked to back up. After playing around a bit, i determined that when I pulled back on her, the snaffle joint would (obviously) bend and push up into the roof of her mouth. I put her in a myler bit - it has 3 jointed barrels that roll. It lays smooth across her mouth with no potential to poke her in the roof of the mouth. I run her in a short shank, loose chain mouth piece - similar concept, no poking of the pallet |
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 Go For It!
 
Location: Texas | You may only think your hands are light. If your horse is gaping open his mouth it is because you are in his mouth. No two ways about it... The proof is in the pudding. You need to put a bit in his mouth that is good for YOU as well as the horse. I run one of my horses in a correction bit, but I am SUPER light handed and he is a harder mouthed horse, so I can get away with it. My other one I run in a D-ring. Just depends on you and the horse.
Good luck!
Edited by grinandbareit 2015-04-06 5:41 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| I would try a dog bone, or a chain, something that doesn't have the joint to make the nut cracker effect. I know my mare would gape with a jointed snaffle bit, we just slapped a drop cavesson on her until we went to Josey Ranch and they suggested a bit change. Now we run in the Martha Josey Go Around Bit, and she runs great. Its not a harsh bit, but it gets work done, plus its a curb mouth, so no nutcracker and there is tongue relief. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| First I'll say I hate making bit recommendations when I can't see what's going on.
Secondly I love this video and find myself plastering it all over FB when people ask what bit so I might as well put it here -
http://youtu.be/6m_0AvYqQic
It is VITAL to understand how your bit of choice affects your horse. It should dictate everything you do with your hands. For example because of the nutcracker effect, I wI'll try my hardest to never use more than very light dual rein pressure with a snaffle as it engages the nutcracker.
Understanding how the bits operate also allow you to make an educated choice of what bit to try next. If the snaffle isn't working out you know that bit has a lot of bar pressure, so a three piece dog bone that spreads the pressure out over the bars and tongue might work better. Lifesavers and dr bristols stand up on the tongue where dog bones lay flat. More breaks mean less to brace against...ports relieve tongue pressure, etc so in and so forth. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| OhMax - 2015-04-07 7:32 PM
First I'll say I hate making bit recommendations when I can't see what's going on.
Secondly I love this video and find myself plastering it all over FB when people ask what bit so I might as well put it here -
http://youtu.be/6m_0AvYqQic
It is VITAL to understand how your bit of choice affects your horse. It should dictate everything you do with your hands. For example because of the nutcracker effect, I wI'll try my hardest to never use more than very light dual rein pressure with a snaffle as it engages the nutcracker.
Understanding how the bits operate also allow you to make an educated choice of what bit to try next. If the snaffle isn't working out you know that bit has a lot of bar pressure, so a three piece dog bone that spreads the pressure out over the bars and tongue might work better. Lifesavers and dr bristols stand up on the tongue where dog bones lay flat. More breaks mean less to brace against...ports relieve tongue pressure, etc so in and so forth.
I only watched a few minutes of the video, then stopped when she brought out the second bit and called it a snaffle.
I wouldn't call it a snaffle as it actually has a shank the purchase is more then the shank.
I also like to get my info about bits from bit makers, not saddle makers.
She may be very knowledgeable, just my opinion, all depends on what philosophy you believe in |
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  A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | Here's a good article on bits & how they work: http://www.barrelhorsenews.com/articles/how-to/3958-training-secret... |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 742
| cheryl makofka - 2015-04-07 10:58 PM OhMax - 2015-04-07 7:32 PM First I'll say I hate making bit recommendations when I can't see what's going on. Secondly I love this video and find myself plastering it all over FB when people ask what bit so I might as well put it here - http://youtu.be/6m_0AvYqQic It is VITAL to understand how your bit of choice affects your horse. It should dictate everything you do with your hands. For example because of the nutcracker effect, I wI'll try my hardest to never use more than very light dual rein pressure with a snaffle as it engages the nutcracker. Understanding how the bits operate also allow you to make an educated choice of what bit to try next. If the snaffle isn't working out you know that bit has a lot of bar pressure, so a three piece dog bone that spreads the pressure out over the bars and tongue might work better. Lifesavers and dr bristols stand up on the tongue where dog bones lay flat. More breaks mean less to brace against...ports relieve tongue pressure, etc so in and so forth. I only watched a few minutes of the video, then stopped when she brought out the second bit and called it a snaffle. I wouldn't call it a snaffle as it actually has a shank the purchase is more then the shank. I also like to get my info about bits from bit makers, not saddle makers. She may be very knowledgeable, just my opinion, all depends on what philosophy you believe in
This is an interesting response coming from someone that ALWAYS has a know-it-all response to most everything on this site.
I thought Charon's bit info was great and you are right she is a saddle maker and a very good one at that. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| cheryl makofka - 2015-04-07 10:58 PM
OhMax - 2015-04-07 7:32 PM
First I'll say I hate making bit recommendations when I can't see what's going on.
Secondly I love this video and find myself plastering it all over FB when people ask what bit so I might as well put it here -
http://youtu.be/6m_0AvYqQic
It is VITAL to understand how your bit of choice affects your horse. It should dictate everything you do with your hands. For example because of the nutcracker effect, I wI'll try my hardest to never use more than very light dual rein pressure with a snaffle as it engages the nutcracker.
Understanding how the bits operate also allow you to make an educated choice of what bit to try next. If the snaffle isn't working out you know that bit has a lot of bar pressure, so a three piece dog bone that spreads the pressure out over the bars and tongue might work better. Lifesavers and dr bristols stand up on the tongue where dog bones lay flat. More breaks mean less to brace against...ports relieve tongue pressure, etc so in and so forth.
I only watched a few minutes of the video, then stopped when she brought out the second bit and called it a snaffle.
I wouldn't call it a snaffle as it actually has a shank the purchase is more then the shank.
I also like to get my info about bits from bit makers, not saddle makers.
She may be very knowledgeable, just my opinion, all depends on what philosophy you believe in
To each his own and we all know what opinions are like.
Pretty well known bit maker would agree with Charon in calling a baucher a snaffle.
http://m.statelinetack.com/item/myler-med-baucher-cheek-comfort-sna... |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| grinandbareit - 2015-04-06 6:40 PM
You may only think your hands are light. If your horse is gaping open his mouth it is because you are in his mouth. No two ways about it... The proof is in the pudding. You need to put a bit in his mouth that is good for YOU as well as the horse. I run one of my horses in a correction bit, but I am SUPER light handed and he is a harder mouthed horse, so I can get away with it. My other one I run in a D-ring. Just depends on you and the horse.
Good luck!
If he's gaping his mouth he's not broke...even if the bit is too much he should still not gape he's mouth unless your jerking on him like a wild monkey. I'm not saying you are doing that but if he's broke he'll take any bit without gaping unless he has problems. Get him more broke in the mouth. |
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Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | Before we say he's not broke. What's his foundation like? Could be personality too. I have a horse that likes to shake her head when i'm making her walk and she wants to run. And she learned that she could avoid a bit if she gapes her mouth open. Learned on the track. Not at my house. But once they learn it, it's VERY hard to unteach that. |
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