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 Expert
Posts: 1631
   
Location: Somewhere around here | I've never used a bicycle chain mouthpiece before (and I hope to never have to use one) but what are some reasons why a rider would want to use a bit with that mouthpiece? I figure if a horse is that hard mouthed, it would most likely have a problem somewhere else.
Thoughts? |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
 
Location: Midwest | I like a regular chain mouthpiece, but have never used one of these. I'm curious as well. |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | You can be really light with it and get one to back one off the bit. I've never used one, but would not hesitate. Personally, I'd rather use a heavy bit lightly than a light bit heavily! |
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Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | linds - 2015-08-18 11:21 AM
You can be really light with it and get one to back one off the bit. I've never used one, but would not hesitate. Personally, I'd rather use a heavy bit lightly than a light bit heavily!
Definitely agree with that!! I can't stand watching some ladies pull their horse around a pattern with a small gag bit. They think they're being good by having a lighter bit on their horse but not so if they are jerking them around everywhere. |
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 Regular
Posts: 54
| Why not just use barbed wire? Gently of course. |
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Good Ole Boys just Fine with Me
Posts: 2869
Location: SE Missouri | It can be a very nice tool for a tougher horse. Obviously the goal is to get them lighter and gain a little respect the easiest way possible. And the comment on barbed wire is ridiculous. My gelding is being rode in one currently and I'll just lightly say there is a good reason. Another obvious is you better have light hands and be able to read your horse before you use this (or any other bit for that matter) |
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Good Ole Boys just Fine with Me
Posts: 2869
Location: SE Missouri | cecollins0811 - 2015-08-18 11:25 AM
linds - 2015-08-18 11:21 AM
You can be really light with it and get one to back one off the bit. I've never used one, but would not hesitate. Personally, I'd rather use a heavy bit lightly than a light bit heavily!
Definitely agree with that!! I can't stand watching some ladies pull their horse around a pattern with a small gag bit. They think they're being good by having a lighter bit on their horse but not so if they are jerking them around everywhere.
Exactly |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| Every bit can be harsh in the wrong hands, I honestly wouldn't use one unless the horse really needed it. I do like the bike chain nosebands though, they just give a totally different FEEL than regular rope nosebands. I put thin vet wrap on it just to keep from catching hair, but I find you get more finer responses since it bends to their noses. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| What kind of action does it have? Work off lips, bars, tongue.....? By the looks, as I have never used one and don't own one, when it's engaged it would become stiff(for lack of a better word), not like a regular chain that would still lay flat across the tongue. Do you use it on an o'ring or fixed shankes? |
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Too busy outside!
Posts: 5417
| MYQHFilly - 2015-08-18 6:05 PM Why not just use barbed wire? Gently of course.
I think some do..... lol! My opinion is, why not try to understand why your horse is so stiff in the poll and bracey on the bit? Maybe, just maybe, he's got ligament damage (from a hard set back) between his skull and his first vertebre that is now painful- and that's why he is resisting the bit. Or maybe his atlas is twisted to one side and so he can't turn correctly, and now that every bit and tie-down/martingale combination has been thrown at him, he is pretty convinced that he has to brace really really hard against anything in his mouth that tries to twist his head in a direction it is stuck in. Just maybe a thought- might want to check into that before you throw a bike chain in his mouth- |
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  JMHO
Posts: 1869
Location: Oklahoma | I must confess to using a mule type bit. My gelding bends, flexes and works fantastic all day long and is light and very responsive..... until I'm trying to get him to the ally. He Wants to GO when he wants to go. He's 16.3H and has no problem with running over who ever or what ever when he wants to take off. ziiipping up my flame suit. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | 
If you feel the need to do this to your horse's mouth, well . . . . I think the picture pretty much says it.
I'm not a fan of these. While I might sit and debate some of the benefits of a WELL MADE chain bit in terms of lying flatter on the tongue of certain horses that hate the nutcracker effect of a snaffle or other types of mouthpieces, I really don't see the benefits of this bit. You could do nothing but put this in your horse's mouth and you would risk causing sores on the tongue. We get our vets to take care of our horse's teeth so they can eat well and prevent lacerations and ulcers in the mouth. I know of a horse who developed a jaw infection after being ridden in one of these and had to be put down because of the infection. Even if you need a bit with a bit more whoa there are MANY better options. Even a waterford is better than this. |
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Boot Detective
Posts: 1900
| That is about the harshest mouthpiece you can come up with. There is no way I would use that on anything. If that works using light hands, then another bit would work too and not be cutting their mouth up. That is a good bit to get things headed downhill in a hurry with. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | oija - 2015-08-19 5:18 PM
If you feel the need to do this to your horse's mouth, well . . . . I think the picture pretty much says it. I'm not a fan of these. While I might sit and debate some of the benefits of a WELL MADE chain bit in terms of lying flatter on the tongue of certain horses that hate the nutcracker effect of a snaffle or other types of mouthpieces, I really don't see the benefits of this bit. You could do nothing but put this in your horse's mouth and you would risk causing sores on the tongue. We get our vets to take care of our horse's teeth so they can eat well and prevent lacerations and ulcers in the mouth. I know of a horse who developed a jaw infection after being ridden in one of these and had to be put down because of the infection. Even if you need a bit with a bit more whoa there are MANY better options. Even a waterford is better than this.
Agree... I like a chain on my gelding because he has a low pallete and previous mouth injury, but I mostly ride and run him in a hack for that reason.
I really can't see a good use for the points on these mouthpieces. |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | I have used them and would do it again; HOWEVER, i dont use it with the pointy site toward the horse. I use them flipped where the rounded side touches the horse.
They actually have a really nice feel and horses carry them well. It is one of my favorite bits for exercising. If I am running in a big pattern I use it to run on one of my horses. She gets to running too hard and needs something more.
I have not torn up any mouths with this bit, and have seen way more damage with a twist or a screw bit than with this one. Not everyone should or can use one, but they aren't a bad tool.
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Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | clover girl - 2015-08-20 8:32 AM
I have used them and would do it again; HOWEVER, i dont use it with the pointy site toward the horse. I use them flipped where the rounded side touches the horse.
They actually have a really nice feel and horses carry them well. It is one of my favorite bits for exercising. If I am running in a big pattern I use it to run on one of my horses. She gets to running too hard and needs something more.
I have not torn up any mouths with this bit, and have seen way more damage with a twist or a screw bit than with this one. Not everyone should or can use one, but they aren't a bad tool.
I like the idea of having the smooth side on their tounge, and with all the breaks it woukd obviously work well with a horse that needs a bit with bend, but I'd be worried 5 the sharp parts scraping the too of a low palleted mouthed horse. |
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Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | cecollins0811 - 2015-08-20 9:44 AM
clover girl - 2015-08-20 8:32 AM
I have used them and would do it again; HOWEVER, i dont use it with the pointy site toward the horse. I use them flipped where the rounded side touches the horse.
They actually have a really nice feel and horses carry them well. It is one of my favorite bits for exercising. If I am running in a big pattern I use it to run on one of my horses. She gets to running too hard and needs something more.
I have not torn up any mouths with this bit, and have seen way more damage with a twist or a screw bit than with this one. Not everyone should or can use one, but they aren't a bad tool.
I like the idea of having the smooth side on their tounge, and with all the breaks it woukd obviously work well with a horse that needs a bit with bend, but I'd be worried 5 the sharp parts scraping the too of a low palleted mouthed horse.
EVEN IF the points don't scrape the roof of their mouth, they will leave lacerations on the bars of the horse on their upper jaw. Still pretty darn nasty.  |
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Too busy outside!
Posts: 5417
| oija - 2015-08-20 8:22 AM cecollins0811 - 2015-08-20 9:44 AM clover girl - 2015-08-20 8:32 AM I have used them and would do it again; HOWEVER, i dont use it with the pointy site toward the horse. I use them flipped where the rounded side touches the horse.
They actually have a really nice feel and horses carry them well. It is one of my favorite bits for exercising. If I am running in a big pattern I use it to run on one of my horses. She gets to running too hard and needs something more.
I have not torn up any mouths with this bit, and have seen way more damage with a twist or a screw bit than with this one. Not everyone should or can use one, but they aren't a bad tool.
I like the idea of having the smooth side on their tounge, and with all the breaks it woukd obviously work well with a horse that needs a bit with bend, but I'd be worried 5 the sharp parts scraping the too of a low palleted mouthed horse. EVEN IF the points don't scrape the roof of their mouth, they will leave lacerations on the bars of the horse on their upper jaw. Still pretty darn nasty.
Oija- you and I just gotta look away from this one- you can't reason with these people-  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | trickster j - 2015-08-18 11:10 PM
MYQHFilly - 2015-08-18 6:05 PM Why not just use barbed wire? Gently of course.
I think some do..... lol! My opinion is, why not try to understand why your horse is so stiff in the poll and bracey on the bit? Maybe, just maybe, he's got ligament damage (from a hard set back) between his skull and his first vertebre that is now painful- and that's why he is resisting the bit. Or maybe his atlas is twisted to one side and so he can't turn correctly, and now that every bit and tie-down/martingale combination has been thrown at him, he is pretty convinced that he has to brace really really hard against anything in his mouth that tries to twist his head in a direction it is stuck in. Just maybe a thought- might want to check into that before you throw a bike chain in his mouth-
I would explore the reason as well. My horse was bracing against the bit, taking it from me, not stopping etc. His TMJ was out really bad. |
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Expert
Posts: 1695
Location: Willows, CA | When I first saw one of these I thought is was a joke. Like the three foot shank curb bit you used to see as a joke called the "Whoa Mutha". Ray Hunt used to talk about people buying their tack at True Value Hardware stores. I guess they might stock these. I just can't get behind them. I have never seen a horse that was so unbroke that you could not find a better solution than this. You need to take a step back and find a better feel than this, in my opinion. |
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