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Veteran
Posts: 107
| Does anyone else's horse actually like a single break bit better than a dogbone bit? I've been having so much trouble bitting my horse and I honestly cannot figure out what she likes. Going to try a Jr. Cowhorse with a dogbone because its simple and most horses get along with it. But when I train I ride in a single break O-ring or D-ring and she doesn't seem to mind the single break. I just see how terribly they can sit in the horse's mouth and I'm going to be completely honest, I don't have perfect hands all the time... But she never really works a lot better in one or the other in any bit I try, honestly I'm just so tired of experimenting with bits.  |
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
  
Location: Texas | I run both of my mares in a smooth snaffle wonder bit. They both work very well with it and I've had no issues at all. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Mine's an old rope horse and ex-Reiner and he actually prefers a ported bit or a hacakmore. He tolerates a D ring but generally doesn't like anything across his tongue. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | Prairie Rouge - 2017-04-26 11:47 PM Does anyone else's horse actually like a single break bit better than a dogbone bit? I've been having so much trouble bitting my horse and I honestly cannot figure out what she likes. Going to try a Jr. Cowhorse with a dogbone because its simple and most horses get along with it. But when I train I ride in a single break O-ring or D-ring and she doesn't seem to mind the single break. I just see how terribly they can sit in the horse's mouth and I'm going to be completely honest, I don't have perfect hands all the time... But she never really works a lot better in one or the other in any bit I try, honestly I'm just so tired of experimenting with bits.
I have heard of horses preferring single joints. My horse doesn't care for the most part. If you go with a single joint, remember never to pull back with both hands at once and make it a goal to improve your hands. Just stay away from anything that doesn't have a smooth mouth for the time being. |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | I'm personally a big fan of snaffle bits (O rings and D rings) as they fit my hands well and my horses well. Anything with a shank or gag I prefer a dog bone mouth, as again it fits my hands and my horses well. I keep it pretty simple like that. Overall I've only had one bit that my horse didn't like and it had a copper roller on it. |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| mtcanchazer - 2017-04-27 10:40 AM
I'm personally a big fan of snaffle bits (O rings and D rings) as they fit my hands well and my horses well. Anything with a shank or gag I prefer a dog bone mouth, as again it fits my hands and my horses well. I keep it pretty simple like that. Overall I've only had one bit that my horse didn't like and it had a copper roller on it.
Oh perfect because my Jr. Cowhorse that I'm going to try has a copper roller in it! :'/ I had an argentine snaffle that I rode her in when I did Western Pleasure and it was single jointed and shanked and she didn't seem to mind it at all....I swear I can't figure this horse out. |
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Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | Every bit is different for every horse and every rider. There is no right or wrong in bitting. Obviously you acknowledge that. But you keep saying she doesn't mind one over the other, so why change? What is she doing that makes you question the bit in the first place? |
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 Gotta Have a Gray
Posts: 899
Location: Tex. Panhandle | We were discussing bits at a recent clinic and a NFR gal said " it's not the bit that the horse likes ..... its how your hands fit a bit". Meaning that the riders hands determine if a horse "likes "a bit or not. Made perfect sense. I have a handful of bits and I constanly go back to! apparently those bits just fit the way I ride.
That being said I prefer dog bone mouth pieces. The 3 piece break works better for me and my horses are very responsive to that mought piece with a light gag. I like the short shank cervi's and the dr bristols in the goosetree line! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | My finished mare prefers to ride in an original Hollis gag that is twisted wire with a single break. It's an old heavy bit and she loves that thing. I tried the newer knock off and more light weight version and she hates it. And she absolutely have anything beyond a single jointed mouth piece. When I got her I tried a ton of different things on her and that's what it came back too. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
| My gelding is kinda of funny. When he runs barrels I run him in a goostree simplicity chain with no chin strap and he is so soft and light and he loves it. Now when we go to rope ( or carry a flag in a grand entry) I feel like I need a fence post welded to a shank because he has NO brakes and we have to ride him in a long shank chain or a long shank cervi to do the flag because otherwise we will just keep doing laps because he is running with his head and ears up.
I just tell me husband he clearly likes barrels better because he could probably be ran in baler twine and still run a perfect pattern. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
| I choose the bits I prefer. My horse does not get a vote. |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| jewishprincess - 2017-04-27 11:33 AM
Every bit is different for every horse and every rider. There is no right or wrong in bitting. Obviously you acknowledge that. But you keep saying she doesn't mind one over the other, so why change? What is she doing that makes you question the bit in the first place?
I don't know, like she works okay in the bits I've tried, but I don't see/feel her loving them if you know what I mean? Maybe I'm just looking for excuses, I think I'm going to stick with what I have and work on just keeping soft hands and making a soft horse. |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| Rough-up cowgirl - 2017-04-27 12:04 PM
We were discussing bits at a recent clinic and a NFR gal said " it's not the bit that the horse likes ..... its how your hands fit a bit". Meaning that the riders hands determine if a horse "likes "a bit or not. Made perfect sense. I have a handful of bits and I constanly go back to! apparently those bits just fit the way I ride.
That being said I prefer dog bone mouth pieces. The 3 piece break works better for me and my horses are very responsive to that mought piece with a light gag. I like the short shank cervi's and the dr bristols in the goosetree line!
Wow, that really puts things into perspective  |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| EmtRoper - 2017-04-27 1:01 PM
My gelding is kinda of funny. When he runs barrels I run him in a goostree simplicity chain with no chin strap and he is so soft and light and he loves it. Now when we go to rope ( or carry a flag in a grand entry) I feel like I need a fence post welded to a shank because he has NO brakes and we have to ride him in a long shank chain or a long shank cervi to do the flag because otherwise we will just keep doing laps because he is running with his head and ears up.
I just tell me husband he clearly likes barrels better because he could probably be ran in baler twine and still run a perfect pattern.
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| My mare is a cutting bred horse, and she tends to be very ratey and front endy. I used to run her in a combo bit but then switched to Sherri Cervi and now going to try a Jr. Cowhorse... I'm almost wondering though if I should try a combo bit again just because she has had a lot of ground work and responds well when riding in a halter... |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I previously ran my horse Red in a smooth 3-piece Jr. Cowhorse and he did alright in it. I tried switching to a Little S Hack and he seems to really like that. He is pretty soft and so the more I can stay out of his way, the better he does. |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | I love the feel of a three piece on my horse. I currently work him in an Ed Wright, medium shank, three piece, gag. It lays so nice in his mouth and he is very accepting and willing to move up into my hands. I love it. |
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Veteran
Posts: 217
| I prefer 3 piece bits for the horse's comfort BUT I have a mare who just has to be different. She has the fattest tongue of the barn and she'll gape at a smooth, dog-bone o-ring. We also have no control, thank you race horse. I ride her in either a medium twist A-Bit, which was the first bit she wouldn't gape in or shake her head. I tried the Five-Bit in a small twist last night and it was the softest she's ever felt and the most relaxed. These are both single break bits. Hackamore is a no no on this mare.
My other mare is happy in a Myler MB02 bit. She can't get her tongue over it and never fusses with it.
Single break for one mare all day. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | Prairie Rouge - 2017-04-27 9:30 PM jewishprincess - 2017-04-27 11:33 AM Every bit is different for every horse and every rider. There is no right or wrong in bitting. Obviously you acknowledge that. But you keep saying she doesn't mind one over the other, so why change? What is she doing that makes you question the bit in the first place? I don't know, like she works okay in the bits I've tried, but I don't see/feel her loving them if you know what I mean? Maybe I'm just looking for excuses, I think I'm going to stick with what I have and work on just keeping soft hands and making a soft horse.
I understand what you're saying. I have come to the conclusion that for some horses there may be a dramatic difference, but for others there just isn't. My horse for example, has a few bits he dramatically disliked. One was a mullen mouth loose ring with the slightest port. We didn't even make it out of the cross ties with that one. Another was a myler snaffle with a low port. He pulled on me in that bit. Holy cow he was heavy. Another was the gentle touch which I don't think he necessarily disliked, he just chewed on it an unsafe amount (it was a full copper mouthpiece) and gouged crazy tooth marks in it.
Other than that every other bit he has pretty much the same reaction. It's like "meh". So I've begun to focus less on finding a bit that he does backflips over and more on finding something that gives me the effect I'm looking for, whether that's more control or more bend or what have you.
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| cavyrunsbarrels - 2017-04-28 1:41 PM
Prairie Rouge - 2017-04-27 9:30 PM jewishprincess - 2017-04-27 11:33 AM Every bit is different for every horse and every rider. There is no right or wrong in bitting. Obviously you acknowledge that. But you keep saying she doesn't mind one over the other, so why change? What is she doing that makes you question the bit in the first place? I don't know, like she works okay in the bits I've tried, but I don't see/feel her loving them if you know what I mean? Maybe I'm just looking for excuses, I think I'm going to stick with what I have and work on just keeping soft hands and making a soft horse.
Other than that every other bit he has pretty much the same reaction. It's like "meh". So I've begun to focus less on finding a bit that he does backflips over and more on finding something that gives me the effect I'm looking for, whether that's more control or more bend or what have you.
Yes, my mare is the exact same way! I agree, I think I'm going to stop stressing about a bit she'll do backflips over ;) and just focus on training and getting the reaction I want, like you said. Thanks! |
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