# Which bit for my OTTB?



## OffTheTrack (Sep 23, 2010)

Truly not an expert by any means (not even close nor can I pretend) but I am not sure changing bits is the issue. Not being balanced, rushing etc..might indicate a training issue. My OTTB rushes at the canter also because she is unbalanced and not using herself correctly yet..which is why she is working with a dressage trainer..someone who can help her find that balance. Putting a harsher bit in never seems to work...to me it seems to just make things worse. A bit is not what stops the horse per se...training does. I would fear that harsher bits could make things worse or create other issues due to avoidance.

Issue sounds like a training one to me...not a need for a harsher bit.


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## txhorsejumper (Sep 19, 2010)

We are working with two trainers they like him in the tom thumb and pelham, I understand he has training issues we are working through but I am just trying to find a bit he like and accepts like the tom thumb but an english riding bit


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## OffTheTrack (Sep 23, 2010)

txhorsejumper said:


> We are working with two trainers they like him in the tom thumb and pelham, I understand he has training issues we are working through but I am just trying to find a bit he like and accepts like the tom thumb but an english riding bit


 
Got me about the bit...I ride mine in a french link snaffle and havent really used much else. Wish you luck in figuring it all out...he is a lovely boy (saw your pics on another thread)..and gotta love those OTTBs.


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## txhorsejumper (Sep 19, 2010)

Thx yea I really love him he's sweet


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I like bouchers for working with OTTBs because they encourage young horses to come into the bit and collect up, which is great for them to learn early on. Your problem, though, is not in equipment--it's in the horse's training. Nothing but time can train balance and form into a horse.

I advice against a curb bit, it will make it that much harder to transition to a snaffle bit when it comes time. Kimberwickes, tom thumbs....they're not what you want to use in an English horse because of the reliance your horse will have upon the curb action. Your goal is to be able to ride this horse in a simple jointed snaffle, or similar. I would put him in a boucher or an eggbutt/Dee ring and work with him there.

My trainer, when she got Molly back (she trained her off the track, sold her to people who messed her up, sold her to someone else who quickly got scared of her and sold her to me....I found her off track trainer and had her retrain her) is very experienced, since Molly had begun bolting as a result of bad riding by her second off-track owner, she put her in a Pelham so she could retrain her. After a few weeks, the pelham was gone and she was over the worst, so she was able to go back to work with her in a boucher. If done wrong, though, a Pelham can do more harm than good.

A trainer would help you out a lot with this, especially if you're new to OTTB's. Are there any reputable English trainers in your area you guys could take lessons from?


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## txhorsejumper (Sep 19, 2010)

I am taking lessons from a guy a few times a month and also my friend is helping and she has trained a few OTTBs. This is my first at retraining one. Thx for the info. The trainer likes the tom thumb but he is more of a western trainer and works mostly with problem horses. I am looking around for other trainers that have experience with OTTBs and a jump trainer too.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

I have used a french link with a copper roller extensively, they are my favorite bits for lots of reasons. For an OTTB, the tend to be effective because the copper roller encourages them to mouth the bit, and the french link joints are in a different place in the horse's mouth than a standard snaffle which makes it harder for the horse to brace. 

OTTBs that are really confirmed in the habit of traveling inverted (which yours sounds like) need a very different training regimen. With most young horses, you can challenge their balance with transitions, hillwork, etc., and encourage then to find better balance by using themselves differently. With a confirmed OTTB, they can balance just fine inverted, braced on the bit, and shoulder popping to the inside, and ordinary attempts to encourage to move differently fail because they're perfectly comfortable and secure they way they are. 

For these tough OTTB reclaims, the only think that I found that worked was dressage-style flatwork in the mildest bit possible and really working on getting them off the inside leg and onto the outside rein.

If your horse doesn't consistently accept the bit; it really doesn't matter *what* bit they're not accepting.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

> I like bouchers for working with OTTBs because they encourage young horses to come into the bit and collect up,


If you use gadgets, such as these Bouchers, to achieve some false sense of "collection" - how do you know they are using themselves properly? What is it that you are doing in the saddle, to ensure your horse is developing the correct muscles to beable to carry themselves properly, and to ensure that your horse is using themselves properly?



> For these tough OTTB reclaims, the only think that I found that worked was dressage-style flatwork in the mildest bit possible and really working on getting them off the inside leg and onto the outside rein.
> 
> If your horse doesn't consistently accept the bit; it really doesn't matter *what* bit they're not accepting.


Exactly.


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## txhorsejumper (Sep 19, 2010)

maura said:


> I have used a french link with a copper roller extensively, they are my favorite bits for lots of reasons. For an OTTB, the tend to be effective because the copper roller encourages them to mouth the bit, and the french link joints are in a different place in the horse's mouth than a standard snaffle which makes it harder for the horse to brace.
> 
> OTTBs that are really confirmed in the habit of traveling inverted (which yours sounds like) need a very different training regimen. With most young horses, you can challenge their balance with transitions, hillwork, etc., and encourage then to find better balance by using themselves differently. With a confirmed OTTB, they can balance just fine inverted, braced on the bit, and shoulder popping to the inside, and ordinary attempts to encourage to move differently fail because they're perfectly comfortable and secure they way they are.
> 
> ...


Thanx a lot for that. He has no idea what leg pressure is he just thinks it means faster lol. We are working on moving off leg pressure and he's getting the idea and he is starting to be able to do a shoulder in and out so he's a fast learner and very willing. I like the french link with copper roller idea I think he would respond well to it. So you think a D-ring or should i do a leverage bit? I just want to be able to stop him if he takes off and attempts to jump out of the arena again. Eeek. He does just fine in a round pen tho...completely controlled.


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## txhorsejumper (Sep 19, 2010)

I am trying to see if I should be so concerned about complete collection right now more than complete control and teaching him to use himself properly but without him knowing and having the muscle to carry himself properly he can never be collected.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

NO leverage bits. At best, the horse will tuck their chin in to avoid the leverage and travel in a false frame; then you'll have another issue to retrain, at worst, the horse will learn to brace against the leverage device. The style of the cheekpiece is not that critical; a full check, a D ring or an egg butt are all fine. 

Seriously, there is no cure for this except a long, slow, program of flatwork, teaching the horse to accept your leg and the bit. If he doesn't understand what leg is for, then there's no bit in the world that you can put in his mouth that will stop him if he panics and runs.


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## txhorsejumper (Sep 19, 2010)

maura said:


> NO leverage bits. At best, the horse will tuck their chin in to avoid the leverage and travel in a false frame; then you'll have another issue to retrain, at worst, the horse will learn to brace against the leverage device. The style of the cheekpiece is not that critical; a full check, a D ring or an egg butt are all fine.
> 
> Seriously, there is no cure for this except a long, slow, program of flatwork, teaching the horse to accept your leg and the bit. If he doesn't understand what leg is for, then there's no bit in the world that you can put in his mouth that will stop him if he panics and runs.


Ok I think I will go with that. Any chance youre near TX to help lol


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Without acceptance of the aids, there can be no collection, no connection, no using himself properly. 

From your posts, I'm guessing that you're using "collection" to mean moving united, back to front, in a connected, organized fashion, not "collected" in the dressage sense, but even so, you're a long way away from either. 

You mentioned you're working with a trainer, *with a trainer's supervision*, a program of lunging in a surcingle and side reins can be helpful in reclaiming an OTTB. It encourages them to work correctly and begin muscling their topline, making the undersaddle work easier later on. However, done incorrectly, it can just confirm their bad racetrack habits, so do work closely with your trainer. 

CONTROL comes from acceptance of the aids, and correct application of the aids, not equipment. When you are working undersaddle, I would strongly recommend using elementary aids on loose reins, with voice commands, while doing lots of basic transitions. The voice commands and loose rein pull-release, pull-release will give you something that can overwrite the racehorse "Riders pulling - must lean and run faster" conditioning.


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## txhorsejumper (Sep 19, 2010)

maura said:


> Without acceptance of the aids, there can be no collection, no connection, no using himself properly.
> 
> From your posts, I'm guessing that you're using "collection" to mean moving united, back to front, in a connected, organized fashion, not "collected" in the dressage sense, but even so, you're a long way away from either.
> 
> ...


yea you're right collected but not the dressage collected. I know he is a long way off from either of those so thats why its not my first priorty my priorty is getting him to understand what my aids mean vs racing and building from there. I do lunge him in a surcingle and side reins he does well we still just have a lot to do but I think he is worth it. I am doing a half-halt pull release on the outside rein when he gets too excited he is starting to figure out exactly what that means. Would you recommend stopping the ground poles or is it ok for him to be working over those?


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

At this stage of your horse's training, a true half halt is not really appropriate or effective. You have to completely release the contact at least on one rein, sometimes both. So an alternate pull-release; first on one rein, then the other, or a big pull-release, completely dropping the contact is what you need. 

Unreclaimed racehorses are sneaky - if you maintain steady contact on even one rein for a period, they'll figure out a way to lean. Reclaiming starts with not ever giving them something to lean on or brace against.


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