# Best bit while training?



## buckaroo2010 (Nov 7, 2007)

for the first 3months when i was training my horse i use him in a full cheek snaffle but now that he has more exerience with what he is doing i have moved him up in a curb bit with a copper roller on it an he seems to be doing good with that for western pleasure so far


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Usually WP mounts are trained (&shown) first in the hackamore (up to 5 years, I believe?), then a snaffle (can't remember the age limit on this, I think it's to 6??), then the "finished" horse gets put on a curb.
I'm mostly an english rider, and when I competed western, it was on my mare that was too old (by that I mean 7 or 8 ) to compete in a snaffle or hackamore. I just remember my trainer saying something along these lines.
My trainer started her show gelding off in a halter, and now he has a very soft mouth... it may just be him (quite possibly) or the fact that he was started with a halter.. I'm not sure


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

I have already used my mare in a bit so she's already used to the bit and she seems to ignore the bit I have her on (O-ring snaffle with rubber padding) and she responds to the bit perfectly well when I do ground work with her with the bit but whenever I am on her she doesn't respond as well as when I'm doing ground work with her. Thank you for the advice.


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## tim (Dec 31, 2007)

Yea, I think dressageIt might be referring to a bosal. A lot of westerm pleasure horses are broken with these. Many people think it's the only way to start them right. Either way, it is a good thing to consider.

My horse was started with a snaffle and moved up to a shank bit when he turned 6. I usually use bits with copper in them.

Bosal:


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Thanks, tim, yes I meant to say to use a bosal.


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## barnrat (Jan 1, 2007)

A trainer at my barn always starts with a snaffle, that way you can touch there mouths without hurting them to much....pretty much she moves to a harsher bit when she no longer touches there mouths. This trainer at my barn has a 12,000 dollar horse she rides (would be more but has navicular.) and this horse does not like bits at all...if there is ANY pressure at all on the reins the horse goes into a bucking fit. What I am saying by this is the horse is not bad just has opinions, lol. And That riding with snaffles is fair and Okay. Am I making any point....I don't think so.....so um...use a snaffle until you don't really need to even use a bit......


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

You cannot show in a bosal or hackamore that I know of.

I would also suggest a snaffle bit.


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## Delregans Way (Sep 11, 2007)

Hey there...  i train my horses for Dressage and eventing, and i have little knowledge in western Pleasure... although in my years of expirence of breaking and handling horses, i find a french link, for young horses is most suitable. I use to break my horses in around 20months, and the only bit in their mouth was a french link, till 4years old, where then i would compete on them, and i would increase the bit level to a ordinary egg butt snaffle. I dont believe in harsh bits... esp with younger horses. You should always start with the softest and work up... instead of doing the oppisite... it dont work that way... :?


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I believe you can show (in WP, I think?) in a bosal up to 5 or 6 years old.. please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong... like I've said, I am just going on something I heard a few (or more) years ago.

Now, personally, I like to start a horse in a french link. It is even softer than a snaffle, with all the benefits, such as: it won't pinch the horse's tongue, it doesn't use a cracker-jack action, and you still get the horse used to having a bit in their mouth.


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## tim (Dec 31, 2007)

JustDressageIt said:


> I believe you can show (in WP, I think?) in a bosal up to 5 or 6 years old..


Yes you can. At six horses must be moved to single handed riding and theres no reason to use a snaffle with one hand. You can't use it for what it was intended so we use a shank bit. It's actually a rule to use a shank bit now.


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## Delregans Way (Sep 11, 2007)

> Now, personally, I like to start a horse in a french link. It is even softer than a snaffle, with all the benefits, such as: it won't pinch the horse's tongue, it doesn't use a cracker-jack action, and you still get the horse used to having a bit in their mouth.


Totally agree


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## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

I started my boy in a full cheek snaffle and have been riding him in a loose ring snaffle (he is now age 5). Next year I will have to transition to a curb bit, but will still train most often in a loose ring snaffle. 

It seems like many youngsters actually have to learn to be soft on the bit...not because they are naturally hard on the bit, but because they don't fully understand the cues and are therefore fighting a bit. 

Though I started in a snaffle this time, I think I will start my next baby in a bosal and only use the bit on the lunge line with side reins to help him learn to get on the bit. Though I have no experience starting riding in a bosal, I think I will like it better because it will give me a chance to teach cues and the horse won't be fighting them with his mouth keeping the mouth much softer...we will see. Teaching pressure - release for head/body movement and position will be the same cues (bit or bosal)


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## drop_your_reins (Nov 4, 2007)

I'd say any type of gentle snaffle would be fine (if you don't opt for the bosal).. Snaffles that are thick and broken once or more are generally really gentle. Also consider rubber snaffles. I prefer loose rings. I'm starting my three year old in a rubber loose ring (its not broken, but she doesn't seem to mind).. I haven't ridden her yet, but I may find a rubber snaffle thats broken at least once to ride in.. Right now she's just learning to hold the bit in her mouth in her stall.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

> Snaffles that are thick and broken once or more are generally really gentle.


Yeppers... but those are called French Links


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## I Love Lane (Dec 11, 2007)

BluMagic said:


> You cannot show in a bosal or hackamore that I know of.
> 
> I would also suggest a snaffle bit.


You CAN show in a bosal Blu  I also start ALL my little ones in a snaffle and then move them on to a bosal if they are not a fruit cake :twisted: - you don not have the same level of control with a Bosal that you have with a bit.....


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## drop_your_reins (Nov 4, 2007)

They are not necessarily called French Links. A french link snaffle is a bit broken twice with a flat piece in the middle. There are many other bits that fit the qualification of a "thick snaffle broken once or more.." 
Dr Bristol (generally the piece is bigger in the middle and lays at an angle, still very gentle though)
a regular broken once snaffle, fits that qualification
You can also have a broken snaffle with rollers.
There is a snaffle that is just the french links linked across (IDK if there are 5 or 6 of them, I forget what its called).. 

a happy mouth mullen mouth or rubber mullen mouth is also really gentle, even though its not broken. 

anyway I didn't necessarily mean french link only, or I would have said french link. there are several bitting options, and really depends on what the horse likes best. French links are a good option because they lay relatively flat in the horse's mouth, but they aren't the only bits that do so. (any bit that is broken two+ times will.. and some may have rollers [which a young horse may respond to]) 

I would pick one gentle bit and stick with it for a while. Once he has the basics down, you can confuse him by switching bits. =]


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Standing corrected


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## drop_your_reins (Nov 4, 2007)

lol thats okay I just wanted to make sure my point was clear (about really most snaffles are appropriate for training..) 

(well most snaffles, excluding any twisted wire or thin mouth pieces!)


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

No no it's fine  and a very good point.


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## quixotesoxs (Jan 19, 2008)

JustDressageIt said:


> Usually WP mounts are trained (&shown) first in the hackamore (up to 5 years, I believe?), then a snaffle (can't remember the age limit on this, I think it's to 6??), then the "finished" horse gets put on a curb.
> I'm mostly an english rider, and when I competed western, it was on my mare that was too old (by that I mean 7 or 8 ) to compete in a snaffle or hackamore. I just remember my trainer saying something along these lines.
> My trainer started her show gelding off in a halter, and now he has a very soft mouth... it may just be him (quite possibly) or the fact that he was started with a halter.. I'm not sure


That's false, WP horses can be shown in a bosal or ring snaffle 5 & under and then they must be shown one handed in a curb bit.


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## quixotesoxs (Jan 19, 2008)

I usually start my pleasure horses in an offset D ring Robart, these are great bits, awesome for using with draw reins, really easy to set heads in. Then I either move up to a twisted snaffle if the horse is a little hardheaded, or an easy horse I use a bosal. Then I move up to a curb bit. Draw reins are key in getting a WP horse collected and headset.


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

Oh, alrighty then, thank you.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Okay, quixotesoxs, that makes sense since I saw the WP horses competing in bosals and snaffles together.

However, I don't agree that draw reins are the key to a good headset. If a horse is well-balanced, they will collect underneath themselves and you can get a headset through this technique. I believe (and this is only my opinion) that draw reins should only be used to show the horse into a headset, not to be used to force them into it, or get them to collect. A horse should be muscled enough and be able to hold a headset without draw reins before you ask for collection.


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## quixotesoxs (Jan 19, 2008)

dressageit is right, i put it in the wrong way. i meant get your horse collected and on the bit, but eventually you will want draw reins. if you ask anybody who does wp, they have used draw reins at one time. i know it sucks, but they need to be used to get the low headset required. thats why i don't do wp anymore because its so artificial.


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

Ha ha, yeah I know all about draw reins, and considering I'm obsessed with headsets, I pretty much love draw reins.


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## tim (Dec 31, 2007)

Well, personally I have known many people who train very nice horses without the use of draw reins. They aren't in fact nescessary but when you need to use them, they are quite effective. 

There are many horses whose natural way of going is just very relaxed and slow and western pleasure is their best discipline. These horses are a pleasure to ride and a pleasure to handle and often compete quite successfully in halter, showmanship and horsemanship as well. These horses would be confused if confronted by a cow or a jump. I like to compare them to comfort food


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## PaintsandPintos70 (Jan 1, 2008)

i mould say start with a snaffle, move to a bosel for shows and then slowlt wean into a shank snaffle than go from there!! Thats what i do with all of mine and it works on almost all except the occasional fruit cake!!


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## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

*Bits for western training*

The trainer I have been helping has a very effective way to train a horse to have a good mouth for western bits. First we use a regular loose ring snaffle. Once the horse responds well to the snaffle we move up to Argentine snaffle. It's a great transition bit from a snaffle to a western curb. Finally once the horse is confident with the Argentine bit we step up to the curb. This has worked very well for all the horses I have seen trained and I hope it helps you!!


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