# KY Rotary Bits- any opinions? More bitting dilemmas!!



## millitiger (9 November 2010)

Brief background- 

Horse is 4yro and has been through my entire collection of bits and is not happy in any of them including;

NS Team Up
NS Verbindend
Mullen mouth
Happy Mouth
Myler with a port

He is currently in a Hippus with a loose drop but still not happy- always playing with his lips and almost looks like he has something stuck in his teeth!

teeth obviously checked and done regularly- last done about June where he had sharp edges off but nothing major and no improvements afterwards with the contact.
Wolf teeth came out last autumn.


I don't want to strap his mouth shut when he is only 4yrs old so trawling google looking for alternatives and the KY Rotary Bit has shown up, link for info;

http://www.thesaddlery.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1034

Please help! I am running out of ideas and also money as have spent over £200 on bits for him so far


----------



## BigRed (9 November 2010)

Did you try speaking to the lady at NS, she is very helpful.  She might have some ideas for you.


----------



## millitiger (9 November 2010)

I spoke to the NS people at HOYS but they weren't great tbh (although to be fair, he has already tried and hated the 2 bits they tend to recommend for fussy horses!).


----------



## Kiribati_uk (9 November 2010)

Never tried ky bits but how about sweet iron snaffle either love em or hate them!! Does he have fat tongue, maybe thin french link?
It could just be a babyphase and mite grow out of it.
If all else fails stick with a headcollar!LOL


----------



## KatB (9 November 2010)

Try wrapping the hippus in latex?


----------



## millitiger (9 November 2010)

tried that Kat, no help unfortunately 

his mouth shape isn't that extreme, he doesn't have a fleshy tongue or lips but it is quite a small mouth.

maybe some horses are just fussy in the mouth? i wouldn't mind except it makes him tight through his poll when he is gnawing away.


----------



## ironhorse (9 November 2010)

I sympathise - we had a QH mare who was never happy in any bit for very long!
She quite liked the JP pinchless french link snaffle, which you can get as a  hanging cheek too - looks similar to this, think Eldonian is the make, Ride Away sell them.
There's also another myler with a copper 'peanut' in the middle which the fussy ones seem to like but may have to trawl ebay for that as I haven't seen many in this country.
My mare was sometimes better in a flash but it had to be loose as she would force her mouth open even if the noseband cut through her flesh if she was in that state of mind.
Hope I haven't alarmed you - yours may simply 'grow out of it', she was a 10 ex- reining horse!

Another thought may be getting a second opinion from another EDT - they do vary widely. After having our current mare looked after  for 3 yrs by an EDT recd by someone I trust hugely, our new EDT found all sorts of problems with her teeth, leading to sedative, power tools and a big bill!


----------



## millitiger (9 November 2010)

thank you.

he has had his teeth seen by 3 dentists as I was sure there must be a problem but apparently not...

he doesn't open his mouth very wide so is happy in the drop and doesn't fight it- he has it on as a hope it would help but to be honest it isn't making much of a difference!

the bit i am looking at is made by Eldonian so perhaps it is a similar thing?


----------



## swellhillcottage (9 November 2010)

My big fella  goes in a hanging cheek double rotary on the flat and he has a 2 ring double rotary for any xc on the snaffle ring  - I found he was  really against me  In downward transitions -  I couldnt even  half halt with out a yaw or him opening his mouth and I found tying it down didnt help as he threw his quaters out more - I have been thru a fair few bits  including  4 diff types of NS and a Sprenger dynamic!   I even tried a hackamore which he did like but my trainer didnt!! So I wrapped latex around the ky hanging cheek and we havent had a yaw - stop or a wack in the face in nearly four months !! 
 I am thinking of trying the little fella in one now ....

Sharon x


----------



## kerilli (9 November 2010)

cripes, umm...
myler 02 (comfort) mouthpiece with full cheeks
myler 32 (almost mullen) mouthpiece with full cheeks.
i've got both of these in a 5.5" if you want to borrow to see if it helps. they're both dr legal.
i was really hoping the hippus would do it, most horses love them in my experience. have you tried it with just a loose cavesson? i guess so...  
umm, what about the one that looks like a happy mouth but is a bit thinner and smoother, white plastic, can't think of the name. very very mild, no link at all.


----------



## lucemoose (9 November 2010)

http://www.horsebitbank.com/productimages/si5700-sweet-iron-loose-ring_1.jpg

what about something like this, cheap but with the 2 different metals and well made construction..


----------



## boneo (9 November 2010)

"Bit World" are stocking a completely new range of bits by Stubben, there are some which might fit your requirements


----------



## millitiger (10 November 2010)

kerilli said:



			cripes, umm...
myler 02 (comfort) mouthpiece with full cheeks
myler 32 (almost mullen) mouthpiece with full cheeks.
i've got both of these in a 5.5" if you want to borrow to see if it helps. they're both dr legal.
i was really hoping the hippus would do it, most horses love them in my experience. have you tried it with just a loose cavesson? i guess so...  
umm, what about the one that looks like a happy mouth but is a bit thinner and smoother, white plastic, can't think of the name. very very mild, no link at all.
		
Click to expand...

I know, the Hippus worked so well (and almost overnight) on Ellie I was sure I wouls see at least some improvement.

Tried it with a loose cavesson for about 4 weeks before giving in and putting the drop on- problem is he plays with his mouth even before i get on or take up the contact 

the myler 32 is the one i have and he doesn't like- may borrow the 02 if that is ok as you never know it may make a difference! 

I have found him a very thin KY rotary bit as well for £12 so will get that as well to add to his collection.


----------



## millitiger (10 November 2010)

lucemoose, i think that would be too thick for him but thank you for trying 

different types of metal seem to  have no effect on him.

boneo, will have a look at the new Stubben range now thank you.


----------



## posie_honey (10 November 2010)

i wonder if work without a bit for a while would work? get him setteled in mouth and working correctly without a bit - and not relying on it to mouth - then reintroduce? just a ponder....


----------



## digitalangel (10 November 2010)

kerelli - are you thinking of a nathe bit??


----------



## millitiger (10 November 2010)

posie_honey said:



			i wonder if work without a bit for a while would work? get him setteled in mouth and working correctly without a bit - and not relying on it to mouth - then reintroduce? just a ponder....
		
Click to expand...

could be an option perhaps... I always ride him with a coupling on his bit/drop so that he has nose pressure as well as bit pressure as i thought that would help and de-sharpen the effect of the bit (not that he is ever pulled about )

i think i will look into this- he is very well behaved but holds himself quite tense and it took him a few months to really relax and stride out when hacking so perhaps when he has firmly ticked the happy to go forwards box the bit could be reintroduced.


----------



## kerilli (10 November 2010)

digitalangel said:



			kerelli - are you thinking of a nathe bit??
		
Click to expand...

yes, that's it, thanks. millitiger, i think a lot of horses prefer the nathe to the happy mouth. nicer material imho.

bitless is a good idea, either a hackamore or a nurtural, dr cook's or similar. i've got a nurtural you could borrow to try if you want, it's adorning the tackroom wall at the moment as nothing needs it!

i've had a lot of success with the sprenger ones with the oval lozenge, a lot of horses love the feel & taste of those imho.


----------



## siennamum (10 November 2010)

Mine is fussy in the mouth - I have a loose grackle on which stops him chewing. I have assumed it is just cause his canines are coming through and he is just currently sensitive in the mouth & will grow out of much of it. The only reason I have the grackle on (apart fron it looking nice obviously) is to ensure his current fussyness doesn't become a habit.


----------



## millitiger (10 November 2010)

like this? 

http://www.bitworld.co.uk/ourshop/prod_768931-Standard-Nathe-small-ring.html

or this? (thinking that this one has a bit of room for the tongue?)

http://www.bitworld.co.uk/ourshop/prod_787030-Sprenger-Duo.html

my only concern with the nathe etc is that it will make him chew even more as he loves chewing things (leadropes, bridles, rugs etc- EVERYTHING goes in his mouth )

Kerilli, I will pm you about borrowing for him, thanks.


----------



## kerilli (10 November 2010)

yep, that sort of thing, i've only ever used the nathe plastic one, not the sprenger. not great for a real chewer though, hmm.


----------



## KatB (10 November 2010)

L needs something quite still in her mouth, and was quite fussy when I got her. She ended up in a D ring myler french link, which is nice and thin and curved to fit her mouth, wrapped in latex which just stabilised the movement and made the mouthpiece softer. A fussy mouthed TB on the yard is now borrowing it and going well in it. Maybe play around with dropping it a hole/putting it up a hole on his bridle too?


----------



## millitiger (10 November 2010)

tried it higher/lower, all sorts of nosebands etc (bloomin' horse!)

he seems happiest with the drop almost holding the bit up a little if that makes sense?

the Hippus is the stillest bit I own/ have seen and the Myler made him open his mouth wider but I will try it with the latex and see if that helps- thank you


----------

