# best bit to break in?



## Brambridge04 (4 February 2011)

Out of interest.....

Rubber? sweet iron? copper? 

full cheek? loose ring?  egg but?

My mare has a fairly small mouth so im usibg a full cheek sweet iron that is fairly thin.


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## ThePony (4 February 2011)

Depends on the shape of the mouth, but for something fairly average my choice would be a shaped french link lozenge full cheek. (NS/cotswold sport type thing)


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## Brambridge04 (4 February 2011)

anyone else? Was trying to do a poll but doesnt seem to have worked!


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## frostie652 (4 February 2011)

full cheek lozenge snaffle


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## samhorse (4 February 2011)

I have always had every young horse in a loose ring (full cheek if really needed) snaffle with a lozenge... not a french link but more of an oval shape in the jointed area... It's always worked well for me.


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## eggs (4 February 2011)

I prefer to use a thinnish snaffle with a lozenge and full cheeks.  Once the steering is established (full cheeks prevents the bit getting pulled through the mouth) I usually swap to either a Neue Schule with central lozenge or a happy mouth - depending on which the youngster seems most settled in.


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## thundermacd (4 February 2011)

Always had best results with loose ring slim (ish) snaffle with rubber bit guards/ discs. Anthony Paalman's book "Training the Show jumper" has an invaluable chapter on breaking and early schooling. I once followed his methods fairly rigorously and ended up with one of the best, most trainable horses you could wish for.


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## Brambridge04 (4 February 2011)

I am considering swapping to a frenchlink sweet iron loose ring.......


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## samhorse (4 February 2011)

I like the sweetn iron loose ring part... but not the french link part... If you want a link I really would go for a lozenge rather than the french link plate


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## Brambridge04 (4 February 2011)

I also like the full cheek happy mouth (apple flavour) with roller peanut thing in middle....

Im 24, its friday night and im so bored im googling bits!.....oh dear


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## thundermacd (4 February 2011)

Don't forget the bit rubbers! Sweet irons can also be quite thin so watch out for that.  I'm sure you know what you are doing, but keeping it as simple as possible at this stage makes for an easier life later on. Teach her to mouth and be soft in a stainless steel loose ring now, and later , you probably wont need any of the sweet iron/salox etc options. ( If you do its something new you can move on to)


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## xena_wales (4 February 2011)

I'm using a slim NS lozenge full cheek snaffle.


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## Brambridge04 (5 February 2011)

Having thought about it, her current bit seems rather thin....

I am considering one of these;

http://www.4dobbin.com/product-Double-Jointed-Roller-Full-Cheek-Bit-Happy-Mouth.html


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## AndySpooner (5 February 2011)

Well, we don't use a bit to back any of our horses. They are all backed and brought on in a rope headcollar. When they can walk, trot canter, stop, back up go left and right without any problems we may introduce a bit, if we do its normally a sweet iron french link snaffle.


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## pixie (5 February 2011)

I started her with a rubber mullen mouth loose ring snaffle when I was lunging and gently backing her.  I switched to a simple eggbut snaffle when bringing her on further.

I should point out that this was in Africa about 14/15 years ago and we didn't have such things as sweet iron and happy mouth!


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## kerilli (5 February 2011)

bendy rubber snaffle for first mouthing usually, then full cheek or loose ring with small lozenge.
i'd caution against AndySpooner's headcollar version... the only time i got on a just-backed youngster in a nurtural bitless bridle (just after horse had had dental work), and it tried to bronc me off, i couldn't pull its head up to stop it, had an uncomfy few minutes while it continued broncing (in the stable!) before it decided to stop, because pulling on the reins did nothing... if it'd had a bit in, i could have pulled its head up and persuaded it to desist!


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## AndySpooner (5 February 2011)

kerilli said:



			bendy rubber snaffle for first mouthing usually, then full cheek or loose ring with small lozenge.
i'd caution against AndySpooner's headcollar version... the only time i got on a just-backed youngster in a nurtural bitless bridle (just after horse had had dental work), and it tried to bronc me off, i couldn't pull its head up to stop it, had an uncomfy few minutes while it continued broncing (in the stable!) before it decided to stop, because pulling on the reins did nothing... if it'd had a bit in, i could have pulled its head up and persuaded it to desist!
		
Click to expand...


Lol, that sounds fun, I'm not sure that horses with bits in are as safe as folk think. The only time I've had a serious issue was when a horse took hold of the bit and bolted. Control was then completely gone and I just had to wait till it ran out of steam. I've also seen someone pulling a bitted horse's head up to stop it bucking and it's kept going up and over.

With our horses they are taught to flex their head and neck laterally so that they will touch your toe with their nose, if you do get into trouble you can circle them by applying one rein, not two,  when they are circling, it gives you a chance to get off, because they find it difficult to rear or buck in a tight circle.

We never get on anything young in a stable, I like to have a bit of space if things go pear shaped, and I don't fancy being crashed into the walls.

These things are all a matter of choice on how confident you feel, and what you feel safest doing. Personally, I prefer a headcollar to a bit in these circumstances.


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## Brambridge04 (5 February 2011)

what do you all think of this;

http://www.4dobbin.com/product-Double-Jointed-Roller-Full-Cheek-Bit-Happy-Mouth.html


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## Brambridge04 (4 March 2011)

Think she found the happy mouth to fat for her mouth.....


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## Meowy Catkin (4 March 2011)

I ended up trying out a few different bits with my filly as she didn't like the lozenge snaffle I first put her in.  All I can say is that she has expensive taste (little madam  ) because the one she liked was my mares Myler comfort snaffle but it was a little bit too big, so I had to save my pennies to get her, her own one.


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## kirstyl (4 March 2011)

I know it's not the same as starting a youngster but I have retrained my ex racer with a Neue Schule Team Up bit and he has been soft, salivating and is going beautifully.  He may have done the same in a French Link but technology has moved so far on with bits and if the warm metal mouthpieces seem preferable, who are we to argue


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## betti (4 March 2011)

im at present breaking my youngster in ive been using a shires mouthing bit with playlers, hes taken to it really well,just bought his next bit weymouth bradon tried first time tonight no problem x


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## Brambridge04 (6 March 2011)

I think i will stick to a sweet iron full cheek snaffle, she seems to like it the most, but get a 5 1/4 inch rather than a 5 n 1/2 inch


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