Bits

[Cree]

What is the best way to figure out what kind of bit to use on an off-track TB? Should I contact the trainer?

[Tiz]

Buy or rent Clinton Anderson, Chris Cox, Craig Cameron, Pat Parelli, Ray Hunt, John Lyons........training tapes. They will be worth their weight in gold to you.

[Cree]

Thanks Tiz.

My mom swears by Ray Hunt's methods. I guess I will bother her for her tapes!

[spex4me]

Every horse I have trained I have 'stolen' applications mostly from John Lyons and more recently Clinton Anderson. For the few OTTB's and babies, I worked with I used the full cheek snaffle. Still as gentle as a bit can be, but the full cheek sides make control of the head for flexion so much better, and a whole lot less pulling as with a conventional snaffle. Ground work first then progress up. Gives you more sense of who/what you are working with!

I wonder if Anderson/Lyons has or will ever train a race horse..... that would be interesting to see.

[madelyn]

For some OTTB's, the first bit I use is a mild, non-jointed kimberwick or a tom thumb mullen mouth pelham. Once they have lightened up and are more sensitive, we gingerly return to a snaffle and I use a french link, maybe full cheek if the horse is still resisting bending. One thing I never do is try to retrain totally in a single jointed snaffle. I find this takes 4-6 weeks OFF the process.

[Crystal]

ditto to the kimberwicke. Loved my full cheek snaffle, until I loaned it out and never got it back!

[Tucumcari]

Many train in a D bit sorry for my ignorrance, but why change?

[Cree]

I think I may try the D Bit and see how he does in it.

[madelyn]

If you ride an OTTB in a D-snaffle the horse will likely spend a lot of time and energy on "edge"waiting for the cue to run. By entirely changing the kind of bit, I think the horse "gets" the idea that this is a NEW kind of riding he or she is learning about. A riding horse needs to be light on the front and not hanging 1000 lbs in your hands.

[Sylvie Hebert]

you may laugh but i re-train at the beginning with either a leather straight baby bit or no bit at all...been doing it for 40 years and like to work a lot on ground so i get on a "trained "horse when i finally get there(old woman hates to get hurt)i think slower is faster...

[Tucumcari]

If you ride an OTTB in a D-snaffle the horse will likely spend a lot of time and energy on "edge"waiting for the cue to run. By entirely changing the kind of bit, I think the horse "gets" the idea that this is a NEW kind of riding he or she is learning about. A riding horse needs to be light on the front and not hanging 1000 lbs in your hands.

That's not even remotely true. They don't run off every day. they aren't all on the edge waiting to giddy up. They ought not to be a thousand lbs heavy on track either. They should be responsive and lite. Not all are but D bit is really all one should need initially . And remove the horse from a racetrack environment and it will really really change. You don't need leverage, you need hands. Man people's ideas of the TB are so scued. even people in the business.

[BridledObsession]

This is all very interesting.......makes me want to experiment. I'm definitely not an expert on bits and admit to being very lax about what I put on who.

I have to agree with Tuc though in as much as every OTTB is different and most that I've dealt with mellow out relatively quickly. Last night I exercised our horse that is racing Thursday night. He's pumped and fit, but he is a dream to ride. So light on the bit -- it only takes gentle reminders to keep him at a jog -- even if he is literally chomping at the bit to take off. Tuesday night I rode, for pleasure, another OTTB that's been off for over a year. He has no desire to run, so he's been someone else's pleasure/trail horse. This guy is very heavy on your hands and likes to throw his head around --- it's a work out and not as pleasurable as I had hoped. I think I WILL try a different bit on him.

[Discovery]

I retrained many ex racehorses and I have always used the same bit. I use the happy mouth 3 ring bits

You can get jointed, straight bar, or the one with the roller in the middle. Every horse I've ever had has loved this bit. It's very versatile because the stronger the horse, the lower you can put the reins to begin with. I usually always end up on the snaffle ring though.

[Tucumcari]

We ue that at the track as well on some of the tougher horses. We call it an elevator bit. It has leverage due to the shanks and is a nice bit. BUT i always think more hand" requires less bit. but that's just me.