Introduction to the bit

From: TBear

Hi Jessica,

I've been reading horse-sense for about 6 months now, and I love it! Thanks for all the great advice. I hope you do a clinic in Austin, TX one day so I might get a chance to work with you in person! I wrote to you last spring about a very malnourished thoroughbred colt I was thinking of purchasing, and I very happy to say that I did purchase him and he is turning into a real beauty!! It's amazing what good diet and some TLC can do!

Woody is about 18 months old. He is still a stud, but doesn't seem to know it. He leads well (from both sides), stands for grooming, farrier, vet, etc. He also backs, stops and side-steps on command. I've also spent time sacking him out with blankets, bags, plastic, ropes, etc.

I haven't done any longing or exercise with him other than free turnout, and very occasionally I pony him along when I ride my older gelding, just at the walk. I don't plan to start longing or anything like that until at least next spring. I want to give him a chance to grow up! He lives in a stall with a small paddock attached, big enough for him to trot around and kick up his heels when he wants, and he gets turned out in a big field about 4 times a week, plus my in-hand work with him about 5 days per week. I don't know if it matters or not, but he lives with a very kind and patient 20 year old gelding (they each have their own stalls that turn out onto the shared paddock.)

My question is really about bits. I've read many conflicting things. Some say that a horse should be started with a bit very young so they get used to it. I was thinking of introducing the bit sometime after I start longing in the spring, is that too late? I've even thought about starting his very basic (mounted)training with a side pull and worrying about the bit later.

What is the right time frame and the best way to introduce the bit, and what kind of bit do you recommend? I've been thinking of getting him a nice (not to thick, not to thin) french link snaffle. It seems to be a very kind bit. And what about the material, are german silver bits really much better, or just more expensive? For some reason, this is the part of his training I am most worried about, probably because it is the part I know the least about!

Thanks for any advice you can offer. I just dropped you a note via snail mail requesting a copy of your book, and I'm anxiously awaiting it's arrival!!

Thanks!!

Lisa Pruchansky Austin, TX

Thanks for the kind words about horse-sense, and I'm delighted to hear that you have provided such a good home for that colt. He's a lucky horse.

My first suggestion, though, is that you make an appointment with your vet and have your colt gelded SOON. At eighteen months, he's certainly ready! And it will make the rest of his life much easier and more pleasant. He'll be able to be turned out with other horses, he won't need special fencing, you'll be able to take him to shows and keep him overnight in other people's stables, etc... all of the things that seem so ordinary, but become problems when you have a stallion instead of a gelding.

Now, back to your actual question... ;-)

I think your idea is a good one, and you can certainly introduce the bit that way. Teach him to longe FIRST, though, and use proper equipment -- beginning with a correctly-designed longeing cavesson. This doesn't have to be expensive, Millers carries a good-quality, well-designed nylon cavesson with hinged steel nose plates for around $30. Your longeline should be long enough -- at least 30', and it should NOT have a chain. Your longewhip should BE a longewhip, not a dressage whip or buggy whip. Using the right equipment makes an enormous difference to the quality of your communication with your horse.

While he is learning to longe, you can have his teeth checked and floated if they need floating. This will make him more comfortable when you introduce the bit.

When he is longeing happily and calmly at walk and trot, and understands basic signals (Walk, Trot, Whoa, Stand), you can add the bit. It's easiest if you use a simple strap -- a bradoon carrier is ideal -- and just put the bit on OVER the longeing cavesson. A simple snaffle is ideal, preferably either a mullen-mouth or a French-link, so that he will be comfortable. You'll want to adjust it a little high at first, so that he won't get his tongue over it (that can become a habit, and it's not one you want!). "High," for your purposes, will mean "high enough that it makes one or one-and-a-half wrinkles at the corners of his mouth."

Don't do anything with the bit -- just put it there, adjust it, and longe him as usual. He won't be as attentive for a day or two, because he'll be focused on this strange new thing in his mouth. But if you keep longeing him, calmly, and ask for a lot of transitions, he will adjust very quickly and accept the bit as just one more thing that you put on him.

After a few weeks, you can add sidereins adjusted quite long, or sliding sidereins. Let him trot for a few minutes with the sidereins attached to the bit -- midway through the longeing session is best. The sidereins should be long enough that he has to push down and forward to FIND the connection, and he won't find it or keep it all at once, but he'll get there eventually. All you want to do is teach him (1) that he can continue to trot forward smoothly even when he feels a little pressure in his mouth, and (2) that HE determines the amount of pressure.

Bit materials: stainless steel is fine. Be sure that whatever bit you buy for him is the correct size, and that it is well-made -- that the arms are even, and that there are no sharp or rough edges or pits anywhere. German silver is pretty -- so is blued steel with copper inlays -- but I suggest that you stay with basic stainless steel. You'll have plenty of time to get fancy later when he's going to shows!

Since young horses need all the help they can get when it comes to turning, and you don't want the bit to pinch his lips or pull through his mouth at any point, think about making his first bit a full-cheek, or at least an eggbutt with large rings. He shouldn't regard the bit as a source of pain or discomfort.

When you start mounted work, a sidepull is a good idea -- or use an English-style jumping hackamore noseband, which is more gentle than most sidepulls. You can use your voice to help him understand what you want (remember, he learned a lot on the longe). You can teach him all of the body language that accompanies rein aids, and when you are confident that you can start, stop, and turn him readily, add the bit just as you did while longeing, and just let him CARRY it, while you work him off the sidepull or hackamore. Then you can add a second pair of reins to the bit, and use both reins until you're able to use the bit-reins more than the hackamore reins. At that point, you'll probably feel quite comfortable and ready to use a conventional bridle. ;-)

Don't worry about this! You know your colt, and you know when he is comfortable and when he isn't. Teach him gradually, take your time, and enjoy the process. You aren't going to do anything to hurt or frighten him, and you'll be surprised at how quickly he accepts the bit and learns what the signals mean.

Jessica

p.s. Your signed book went out via Express Mail on Saturday. ;-)

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