# Any experience with this bit?



## Monty77 (Aug 8, 2011)

A friend of mine uses a bit the is similar to this on one of her dude horses. The horse is an ex eventer and she would literally rear up and flip over because she didn't like the pressure from her snaffle (I don't know if that's the full story but I'll stick with it). She now has a bit that is very similar to that one and she hasent had a problem since.
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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Not a fan. No tongue relief but concentrated tongue pressure, plus a high port to hit the palate, but no bend for lateral action or finesse. If you want a ported bit, either get a solid one with no joints or a Myler / Billy Allen mouthpiece.


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## xxGallopxx (Dec 1, 2011)

bubba13 said:


> If you want a ported bit, either get a solid one with no joints or a Myler / Billy Allen mouthpiece.


Could you point me in the right direction please  I think my horse would benefit from one of these.


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Well, what are you looking for and what do you want? Horse age? Experience? Discipline? Current bit?


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

A correction bit is very commonly used by reining and pleasure trainers as a transition bit to a longer shank and 'more' bridle as the horse gets more finished and switches to one handed riding. The bit shown has loose shanks and it can be ridden one or two handed. 

The port on this bit is no where near where you have a bit to reach the roof of the horse's mouth. 

Billy Allen bits are very 'dated'. The were used some by trainers 30 years ago, but there are much more effective bit nowadays. You won't find them in a trainer's tackroom much any more.

When you start looking for a bit to get a particular thing done on with a particular horse, you find out why trainers have 20 bridles or more hanging in their tackroom. There are bits that curve forward over a horse's tongue for those that do not like tongue pressure. You have high port for horses that like those. Dog bone training bits for horses coming out of a snaffle and on and on. 

While I have 2 or more different bits set up, most of them have dust on them and I find 3 snaffles that are used on 90% of the horses that are in snaffle and about 2 or 3 shank bits for advanced horses. A correction bit is one of them.

How advanced is your horse and what exactly do you want to get done? What are you riding in new? All are relevant to what you want to move froward to.


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## xxGallopxx (Dec 1, 2011)

Cherie said:


> A correction bit is very commonly used by reining and pleasure trainers as a transition bit to a longer shank and 'more' bridle as the horse gets more finished and switches to one handed riding. The bit shown has loose shanks and it can be ridden one or two handed.
> 
> The port on this bit is no where near where you have a bit to reach the roof of the horse's mouth.
> 
> ...


I read in a horse&rider that this bit is pretty good for green horses and a good transition from a snaffle. Bob Avila apparently loves the correction bit, and I'm a fan of his  . I'm riding my horse in a tom thumb right now. I know a lot people aren't a fan of them.... Currently, we're working on getting a good headset, a nice slow pleasure lope, and getting the right lead. (my horse is 6 by the way)  Bob Avila said it's a great bit for greenies and like I said, I trust his opinion and I think my horse might benefit from this bit. So I want to know everyone's experience with this kind of bit  (P.S. I know that switching bits will not make him get a nice WP lope, get his leads down, get a perfect headset etc....Like I said I just think my horse would benefit from this, judging from what Bob Avila said.)


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

xxGallopxx said:


> I read in a horse&rider that this bit is pretty good for green horses and a good transition from a snaffle. Bob Avila apparently loves the correction bit, and I'm a fan of his  . I'm riding my horse in a tom thumb right now. I know a lot people aren't a fan of them.... Currently, we're working on getting a good headset, a nice slow pleasure lope, and getting the right lead. (my horse is 6 by the way)  Bob Avila said it's a great bit for greenies and like I said, I trust his opinion and I think my horse might benefit from this bit. So I want to know everyone's experience with this kind of bit  (P.S. I know that switching bits will not make him get a nice WP lope, get his leads down, get a perfect headset etc....Like I said I just think my horse would benefit from this, judging from what Bob Avila said.)


A correction bit is good for help in picking up shoulders so it may be helpful with picking up the correct lead. But I am going to agree with Bubba on the Myler mouthpeice. Bob Avila has a bit with a similar mouthpiece. It looks like a squared off correction port that hinges. This bit has the same benefits as the correction bit you pictured but it is better for a green horse.

Professional's Choice Bob Avila Del Mar Square Port Bit and Western Shank Bits | EQUESTRIAN COLLECTIONS.COM


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## xxGallopxx (Dec 1, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> A correction bit is good for help in picking up shoulders so it may be helpful with picking up the correct lead. But I am going to agree with Bubba on the Myler mouthpeice. Bob Avila has a bit with a similar mouthpiece. It looks like a squared off correction port that hinges. This bit has the same benefits as the correction bit you pictured but it is better for a green horse.
> 
> Professional's Choice Bob Avila Del Mar Square Port Bit and Western Shank Bits | EQUESTRIAN COLLECTIONS.COM


Wow I didn't know that....Thanks! Yikes, that bit has a HUGE PRICE TAG!! :shock: He's not SUPER green though...He's got a good headset at walk and trot, were just mainly doing work at the lope....I really think he'd benefit from this kind of bit. I think I'll try the one I had picked out before, and if it doesn't work out, I'll maybe try the one you mentioned...If I can get myself to cough up the money :shock: thank you!


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

xxGallopxx said:


> Wow I didn't know that....Thanks! Yikes, that bit has a HUGE PRICE TAG!! :shock: He's not SUPER green though...He's got a good headset at walk and trot, were just mainly doing work at the lope....I really think he'd benefit from this kind of bit. I think I'll try the one I had picked out before, and if it doesn't work out, I'll maybe try the one you mentioned...If I can get myself to cough up the money :shock: thank you!


There are cheaper ones out there if you don't want to spend that much money, I was using the Bob Avila one as an example. Good Luck!
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## OuttatheBlue (Dec 8, 2011)

I use that type of bit (correction) for shows (I only do small local shows) only. I don't school in it, except maybe a couple days before a show.

Normally I try to school in a snaffle, but my all time favorite bit is a myler. I have this type of myler: SS Hinged Ported Roller Futurity Bit 5in - Statelinetack.com but an actual Myler bit. There IS a difference, the myler has all the right curves and is all over an EXCELLENT quality bit! It isn't as harsh as my show bit which I like a lot. It has swivel shanks so if I need to pick up on shoulder I can do so by picking up one rein. It helped a lot when we were working on perfecting flying lead changes for shows, and all of the transitions from a snaffle to a larger curb.

I was scared by the price too, but trust me it's worth every penny! My horse LOVES mylers. (My myler was about the same price as that Bob Avila, but it didn't have as pretty shanks :wink: either one I think would be a great choice.)


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

You think that's a bad price? Ha! Never bought a name-brand quality show bit, or a Myler, or anything, then. That's just a mid-ranger. And you do get what you pay for.

That said, there are cheaper, off-brand, but still pretty good versions:





































And yes, the bit in the OP has a port plenty high enough to contact the palate if enough rein pressure is applied, not to mention that due to its poor (cheap) construction it will always dig into tongue when on contact.


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## xxGallopxx (Dec 1, 2011)

bubba13 said:


> You think that's a bad price? Ha! Never bought a name-brand quality show bit, or a Myler, or anything, then. That's just a mid-ranger. And you do get what you pay for.
> 
> That said, there are cheaper, off-brand, but still pretty good versions:
> 
> And yes, the bit in the OP has a port plenty high enough to contact the palate if enough rein pressure is applied, not to mention that due to its poor (cheap) construction it will always dig into tongue when on contact.


 I am going to buy the cheaper version to try it out, and then maybe get the more expensive one if he does well in it. I don't want to buy a $100 bit only to find out that my horse doesn't like it, and that I can't return it. I've never bought a ''high quality'' bit before, because I just got my horse this summer! I'm currently borrowing the bit he has now from my trainer, because she's being nice lol. And because I don't have a big enough budget to allow me to buy $100 bits to ''experiment'' with. And besides...I'm asking your opinion on correction bits in general...Not just that particular one...The amount of $ I choose to spend on a bit is my business. You're free to suggest particular correction bits, and try and talk me out of buying certain ones, don't get me wrong. I just don't want you guys to think I'm a big cheapo who will only spend $20 on a bit.


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## OuttatheBlue (Dec 8, 2011)

Oh I just remembered there is a rental system going on for Myler bits that's pretty interesting: Horse bits Myler bits English horse bits Pelham bit Snaffle bit horse bridle bits

I've never used it, and it may not be worth it if you just wanted to go ahead and get a cheaper one to test it, but thought I would share the link


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## xxGallopxx (Dec 1, 2011)

OuttatheBlue said:


> Oh I just remembered there is a rental system going on for Myler bits that's pretty interesting: Horse bits Myler bits English horse bits Pelham bit Snaffle bit horse bridle bits
> 
> I've never used it, and it may not be worth it if you just wanted to go ahead and get a cheaper one to test it, but thought I would share the link


Very interesting. Thank you


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## xxGallopxx (Dec 1, 2011)

OH and some people say that it's NOT OK to ride in correction bits unless it's short term...Is this true? I'm pretty sure my trainer's daughter rides her horse in a correction bit every ride... (her horse is SO stubborn lol he spent 3 months at another trainer this summer)


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