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 Captain Of The Prude Broom
Posts: 2153
  
Location: cincinnati, oh | I have a new gelding and I'm struggling a little in finding just the right bit. He was started years ago but never finished and was just trail ridden. Super sweet, very responsive, light in his sides and mouth. Gal that originally had him said she was riding him in a chain mouth combo and a tie down and hge was pretty natural and just needed a little help on the backside to finish. I'm always an advocate for starting lighting and adding more as needed so Ive been riding him in just a little L&W chain mouth lift bit with the c-shaped sides and slow gag. He feels too loose and rubbery when I take him thru the pattern. I tried the tie down thinking maybe he was accustomed to using that to balance on and he didnt like the tie down at all. Used just a loose, light tie down and he was totally distracted and upset. Took it off and made another expo run thru and he committed to the run again and was focused just still feels loose and sloppy. I'm curious if a noseband chain mouth bit might be the combo to work for him to tighten things up. My next resort is to try a hack. Green horses! LOL If only they could talk. He's a good boy with good work ethic just needs something to help pull it all together for him. I'm very light handed and he is good about throwing that front leg out and making a nice turn but he's just very loose and sloppy in that turn if that makes sense. It just doesnt snap. I'm very light handed and try to let him work but clearly he needs a little help still. Help me help him please :) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: Lost in the swamps | I have just about everyone made!! Lol my gelding loves chain mouths he will head shake in anything else.
I have a Rosie gag short shank, and long shank
I have the goostree delight full chain
simplicity in 1/2 chain
Roper chain
Chain draw gag
...... Feeling like bubba gump right now
My favorite right now is the goostree delight full chain on my gelding
enough forgiveness but when I need a little lift it's there.
and the
Simplicity 1/2 chain on my mare she's super light! The mare feels the same way with out her nylon war bonnet (it came with her when we bought her) maybe try that I find the bonnet help her in the turns
Edited by imturnin3 2015-11-23 9:48 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 883
Location: Southern Indiana | Loose & rubbery means you need a bit with a stiffer mouthpiece and probably less gag. The more breaks in a bit the more bend it's going to have. I would go with a twisted wire or one with a dog bone. Short shank lifter or a 5. Work him at home in an o-ring and get him to move out more and follow his body. |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | Try a Rosie gag but pull it up snug in the corners.
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| Fun2Run - 2015-11-23 10:04 AM
Try a Rosie gag but pull it up snug in the corners.
One of my favorites too! |
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Expert
Posts: 2122
Location: The Great Northwest | There are smooth chains and link chain mouth pieces. Your horse as you describe needs to learn where to put his feet and body a stiffer bit may help. I would get him working good in a different bit and exercises before going to the barrel pattern. |
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Expert
Posts: 1857
| Try a mullen mouth gag, there's one on running hard products made by Bit Master. |
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 Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
| TheDutchMan01 - 2015-11-23 9:58 AM
Loose & rubbery means you need a bit with a stiffer mouthpiece and probably less gag. The more breaks in a bit the more bend it's going to have. I would go with a twisted wire or one with a dog bone. Short shank lifter or a 5. Work him at home in an o-ring and get him to move out more and follow his body.
I've also been told that for more flex you go with a bit with more breaks, so to stiffen one up you need a more solid bit. I also agree that you can make one have too much flex and they quit following their nose. I've heard people talk about correcting this, and I've worked through it on my own, but I'm not sure exactly what to suggest so hopefully someone with more understanding and knowledge can give some advice! |
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Captain Of The Prude Broom
Posts: 2153
Location: cincinnati, oh | he is just so darn light mouth that anything more just seems like too much for him. He follows his nose around but just doesnt feel snappy. I thought maybe something with noseband pressure would help him? I dont know? I could be totally wrong. LOL He likes a hackamore. Ive put him in a smooth mouth d-ring snaffle and he just feels like he gets real heavy. I dont know how to best describe it. He hunts a barrel and turns a barrel but feels like I'm riding a gummy worm around the barrel. My mare was like that when she was young unless she had a tie down. She would use the tie down to balance and really bury up that back end. Tried that for him but he didnt like the tie down. Maybe a bonnet? He works well at home walk, trot, lope. Side pass, roll back off his hocks, breaks in the rib cage and gives his face I just cant seem to find that missing piece on what will help him really snap in those turns. Maybe I'm not sending him hard enough to snap? I'm just letting him cruise in at his speed. Thank you for listening to my monday ramble! ;) |
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 Transplant Okie
Posts: 1206
Location: Always on call..... | If he likes chains try just a shanked chain, no gag action at all. I have three of those and I love them for most horses. That would stiffen him up just a bit.
Or try a chain on a ring gag - like a jr Cowhorse. Those have minimal gag action. Not all horses need a gag bit. Especially if you have light hands you can run barrels in a shanked bit, no problem. |
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Transplant Okie
Posts: 1206
Location: Always on call..... | The other thing I would do is some spiral exercises around one barrel. Just set up one and randomly come at it from any direction. Start with a big collected circle around it and spiral down to a small circle, then back out again. This really helped my mare to maintain collection in her whole turn. |
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Captain Of The Prude Broom
Posts: 2153
Location: cincinnati, oh | Thank you everyone for all of the advice! Keep it coming :) |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
| I love my Charmayne James Grasshopper bit. It is a chain mouth with dog bone, no gag action and medium length shank. She is not bendy so the chain helps to a degree. However, my mare would probably run just as well in a halter! |
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A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | I also like the Hodges futurity bit with the chain mouth. L&W makes the best ones. It's a very light bit and the rope nose may help stabilize him. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1028
| A Petska chain bit, hands down my favorite bit. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Mine is the Molly Powell chain...
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Captain Of The Prude Broom
Posts: 2153
Location: cincinnati, oh | this is the bit I have been riding him in just for reference. He seems comfortable in a chain mouthpiece but the rest of this bit doesnt seem to be working for him. Thanks again for all of the advice and insight from everyone. * Edited to say this bit but with a chain mouthpiece :)
Edited by skeeter7 2015-11-24 3:52 PM
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bit.jpg (19KB - 170 downloads)
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Heres another one that I really like, its a Clover bit that I got from Shallow Creek Bits..
Its like this one but with the chain mouth, for some reason I cant find my picture of the bit I have...
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2015-11-24 4:07 PM
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100_56_csupload_56224077.jpg (2KB - 225 downloads)
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Captain Of The Prude Broom
Posts: 2153
Location: cincinnati, oh | Oh sweet mother of Mary we've had a breakthru!!  I went to a friend's last night who has a zillion bits to try some options and figure out what may or may not work. I also asked her to watch me take him thru a set as I typically ride alone and I have failed to have anyone video me when I have expo'd him to see if she could shed a little light on what I was feeling when riding him. He was loose and sloppy in the back end. He would commit to the turn but then just didnt really dig in underneath and snap so we tried a few bits to see what we could find to help him accomplish that. He needed to elevate his head just a smidge to be able to get that hind leg up underneath him a little better and really dig. This bit wont be the fix all but it will help teach him to drive up under himself a little better and utilize his body better. I worked him thru a set and I finally felt that snap you should feel behind a barrel. It was like Christmas for me! Yay! I knew he had it in him. I feel like we are progressing in the right direction now.
http://www.nrsworld.com/blessing-bits/small-port-chain-blessing-bit-9422 this bit is similar to what i was using last night
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | skeeter7 - 2015-11-25 7:19 AM Oh sweet mother of Mary we've had a breakthru!! I went to a friend's last night who has a zillion bits to try some options and figure out what may or may not work. I also asked her to watch me take him thru a set as I typically ride alone and I have failed to have anyone video me when I have expo'd him to see if she could shed a little light on what I was feeling when riding him. He was loose and sloppy in the back end. He would commit to the turn but then just didnt really dig in underneath and snap so we tried a few bits to see what we could find to help him accomplish that. He needed to elevate his head just a smidge to be able to get that hind leg up underneath him a little better and really dig. This bit wont be the fix all but it will help teach him to drive up under himself a little better and utilize his body better. I worked him thru a set and I finally felt that snap you should feel behind a barrel. It was like Christmas for me! Yay! I knew he had it in him. I feel like we are progressing in the right direction now.
http://www.nrsworld.com/blessing-bits/small-port-chain-blessing-bit-9422 this bit is similar to what i was using last night
This is my favorite type of bit!!!!! |
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