Best driving bit?

[Leeana]

I ended up ordering this bit in 3.75" - http://www.iowavalleycarriage.com/content/miniature-or-pony-french-link-half-cheek

One thing that I like about this bit, is that the copper inlay is in the middle vrs near where they could chew on it or chomp on it. My driving mare does not chomp at the bit, but chances are I would use this bit on other horses at some point down the line and they might. With the copper being in the piece in the middle, it will not really take any impact if the house chews at the bit.

Thank you for all of your advice - I took all of it into consideration. Comfort comfort comfort is what I am going for, I just want to make my driving mare as comfortable as possible so we BOTH can enjoy our trail drives. Now, I am looking into new options for harness pads

 

[wildoak]

The first Myler I bought was for a big mare who tended to lock her jaw and get rigid...she relaxed and went beautifully in the Myler, and I have found the same with most of the minis I've used them on. Some of the response of course depends on your hands, since you can lock the Myler up more like a curb bit.

I've seen the results of a Myler knock off that broke in a horse's mouth - much like the picture above. The bit broke, the mare came unglued and is not driven anymore...really not worth the risk.

Jan

 

[cathyjo76]

Leeana, that is the same bit I use on my welsh pony and it works well. Let me know if you have questions about harness. I can lead you to local and national vendors that have suitable tack depending on your needs.

Happy driving!

 

[Leeana]

I sort of figured you used that bit considering it had that beautiful photo of you and your welsh pony! Have a good day, Cathy!

 

[Reble]

I ended up ordering this bit in 3.75" - http://www.iowavalleycarriage.com/content/miniature-or-pony-french-link-half-cheek

I have been using that one for about 7 years now.

When I sold my older stallion he was not a happy camper with any other bit, so sold his harness and bit, that way he was comfortable.

Since than, have bought 2 more, one for our other driving mini and one for our next driving horse, who will be coming up 3 for next year driving.

Like to have their own bit and harness makes sense to me not to use their equipment on others.

Good Choice

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I have been using that one for about 7 years now.

Are you sure you bought that older bit from Iowa Valley?

They didn't have a half cheek French Link when I was first looking for bits for Kody; I think they started carrying them around 2008. I know they had them when I went to the National Drive in 2009 but I don't recall seeing the new selection of mini bits in their booth at the 2007 event and I was looking for everything mini that year since it was my first trip to a place with driving vendors!

My preference for the Mylers is only with the minis and mostly for the tough to fit, tough to satisfy ones just because there are (or were) so few quality bit options out there for the little guys. It looks like that's improving and now that I take a second look at that copper French Link I'm more impressed with the construction than I was the first time I saw one. I may try one for Turbo as the snaffle would be legal in AMHR where the butterfly cheekpieces are not and I could keep him in essentially the same bit for awhile. I didn't like the fact it had those bumps on the bars when looking for Kody (who prefers a slim bit) but Turbo likes a fatter bit so it might suit him well. Hmm!

Thanks for the idea.

Leia

 

[MiLo Minis]

Yes the bit I have at the moment does work fine, but, its a $6 bit I purchased from the amish and it does seem to pinch. I had never thought of a bit pinching (halter horse person), but when I read more about bits, I took a long hard look at my bit and I do believe it does pinch her. So, in my journey looking into other bits, this topic came to be. So not, it aint broken...it does work....but I want to improve it.

I found a french link half cheek bit, with a copper middle piece that is no pinch and about $30 from the Iowa Carriage website, that I like the look of and will order tonight and try out.

Okay, this is a different story. If the bit you were using is pinching her, and you would definitely KNOW that it was, or even if it has the potential to pinch, then it IS broke and needs fixing.

The bit you have chosen is a favorite of mine for a lot of Minis although there are those Minis that don't care for one. I like the french link because you can effect each side separately and individually, it doesn't have the nutcracker effect on their tongue and it has a small enough mouth that it fits the palate of most Minis. You need to watch that there aren't lumps on the stainless parts of the mouth, it almost seems as if some of them are pony bits that have been cut down and put back together for Minis making lumps where they are connected. I am not sure if it was a mold that was refashioned or what but I have gotten some that were just not nicely made. I would go through the same steps to try this bit out on her that I suggested earlier as it also has a completely different feel to it than the broken snaffle.

Leia, I agree that there is nothing wrong with striving to make our horses comfortable but I have never seen a horse that wasn't comfortable and wasn't doing anything to let me know

even if he didn't know there were other bits or equipment out there

 

[Minimor]

Iowa Valley Carriage has some lovely (in theory) bits, but I won’t buy them because all seem to have those tiresome bumps on the mouthpieces. Many people don’t seem to care, but I refuse to buy a bit that has bumps on the bars of the mouthpiece. IMO it is a sign of a poorly constructed bit and worse—the majority of the pressure from the bit is centered under those two bumps. I do not want a bit that concentrates pressure on two little spots in the mouth! I have mentioned this to Sandee at Iowa Valley a couple of times but she cannot seem to get her bit makers to make bits without those bumps—or perhaps she hasn’t tried, I don’t know. I suppose that if the majority of people will buy the bits as they are there’s no incentive to get them changed or improved. The bit pictured above does show clearly the bumps I refer to.

 

[Reble]

Are you sure you bought that older bit from Iowa Valley?

They didn't have a half cheek French Link when I was first looking for bits for Kody; I think they started carrying them around 2008. I know they had them when I went to the National Drive in 2009 but I don't recall seeing the new selection of mini bits in their booth at the 2007 event and I was looking for everything mini that year since it was my first trip to a place with driving vendors!

Leia

oops sorry not quite the same bit.. sorry

bought mine from Mini express

picture of my bit...

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Leia, I agree that there is nothing wrong with striving to make our horses comfortable but I have never seen a horse that wasn't comfortable and wasn't doing anything to let me know

even if he didn't know there were other bits or equipment out there

Ah, but how many novice drivers know how to read the signs of a stoic horse who is putting up with something as opposed to comfortable?

It took me a long time to realize how unhappy Kody was with his bit and I'd been riding competitively for years. I thought it was just my hands! (And a lot of it WAS my hands, but he also hated the bit. LOL)

The other thing that made me say that is the way humans and animals both tend to put up with things because that's all we've ever known. A horse who is raised in a barn tends to find his stall comfortable and safe, but a horse who is used to more room finds it confining and boring. In this case a horse who is used to (for instance) a straight breastcollar or a heavy cart with bad suspension handles those things well until he is shown there's a more comfortable way to do things. Then he tends to object to what suited him fine before! So to my way of thinking that theoretical horse wasn't complaining not because he wasn't uncomfortable but because he assumed that's what driving was like and he just accepted it as a matter of course. (I've run into that so often that I purposefully started Turbo in a straight breastcollar, comfortable treeless saddle and my show cart so he would think everything after that was an upgrade and not The Way Things Should Be!

)

Now all that said, I agree with you that if it truly ain't broke, don't fix it. But most of those cheapie mini bits are ATROCIOUS and IMO ought to be replaced immediately just on principle.

Not with an expensive Myler or anything fancy necessarily but a good $20 stainless steel Weaver brand snaffle or mullen instead of the pinching, nickle-plated $6 ones that come with the harnesses. We've seen both pictures and video of Leeana's mare now and I was pretty sure that's what she had given the information Leeana had provided. Hence my saying what I did! I agree that you don't upgrade just for the sake of upgrading but I assumed there was need based on the situation and the owner's feedback.

Many people don't seem to care, but I refuse to buy a bit that has bumps on the bars of the mouthpiece. IMO it is a sign of a poorly constructed bit and worse—the majority of the pressure from the bit is centered under those two bumps.

I agree with you but have noticed horses seem to like all sorts of bits I would have thought were uncomfortable. I'm willing to try it on T as he's got such a narrow mouth I suspect the bumps will rest between his bars and his tongue rather than directly on the bars and he'll probably like the increased diameter. That is one reason I purchased the bean link bit rather than the French Link from her though- the higher-quality bean bit didn't have the bumps on the underside of the mouthpiece, had more curve to the mouthpiece, and the link in the middle was a smooth, round lozenge instead of a flat shape with thin edges. I figured if I was a horse I wouldn't want that biting into my tongue! But most of them seem to like that bit so who knows.

oops sorry not quite the same bit.. sorry
bought mine from Mini express

picture of my bit...

View attachment 4310

I've always thought that one looked like it could pinch on the sides. Anyone had any problems with that in running your finger or a panty hose up the sides?

Leia

 

[Reble]

No Leia does not pinch on the sides.

My husband loves to drive.

I've always thought that one looked like it could pinch on the sides. Anyone had any problems with that in running your finger or a panty hose up the sides?

Leia

 

[Minimor]

Nope, I've checked my bits (I have those from mini express) and there's no problem with pinching. They actually fit together closely, and don't have space for pinching.

 

[Minimor]

and the link in the middle was a smooth, round lozenge instead of a flat shape with thin edges. I figured if I was a horse I wouldn't want that biting into my tongue!

Are you meaning that the edge of the link bites into the tongue? If so--it doesn't. In actual fact, when you use the reins the link is lying flat on the tongue, so the edges aren't digging in.
The link on a Dr. Bristol, on the other hand, has a link which is set at a slight angle to the plane of the bit. So, with that bit the edge of the link DOES bite into the tongue. The exception is if you're using a full cheek bit--by using the keepers to hold the bit in a fixed position in the mouth the bit is rotated slightly so that the center link lies flat on the tongue.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Thanks, guys, I appreciate the info about the Mini Express bits.

Good to know.

Leia

 

[disneyhorse]

I hadn't been to Herrons Tack in a long while... and it seems he's expanded his selection of bits A LOT. He's got some that are harder to find... such as the snaffle bit with keys (I think he calls them "players") in the Bowman bit section. I've not had a Bowman made bit, but it looks decent from the photos posted. Maybe something might catch your eye.

Andrea

Herrons Tack