I NEED A NEW BIT, please help

[disneyhorse]

My horse is a Shetland pony, not a mini, but I figure I'd get more input this way.

Will be a lot of information to follow, because I want to find a specific bit that will help him.

I always start my horses in an eggbutt snaffle. Usually this suffices for most of their beginning careers and I can even start them in the first few shows in an eggbutt. Most of the minis I've had seem to like the eggbutts and I got good communication out of them. I like that the eggbutts are so soft, non-pinch, and the horses can really hold them if they want for contact.

However, my colt seems to have "grown out" of his eggbutt snaffle, either that or he just doesn't like it. He's only been ground driving/long lining for 30 days. He is two years old, has been "mouthed" in an eggbutt snaffle since last year and is shown in a Weymouth bridle (curb bit) in hand. He has been bitted up in both sliding side reins and firm elastic side reins off and on this year. He has an unsteady head and takes advantage of the sliding side reins to look around and work somewhat crooked... he works much better in the traditional side reins (so that he knows he is supposed to hold his head forward and keep to his job) and in fact I usually put him in the traditional side reins for a couple laps around the arena before I long line him so that he remembers where he is supposed to put his head.

He is being trained somewhat in a traditional way right now, I am not checking him up much or asking for a great head set, I just want him to start getting the idea. I plan on working him in the lines until January, when he will (hopefully) be ready to hook to the cart. He will be a Pleasure or Roadster horse (similar to the minis).

I don't think he likes the eggbutt snaffle. Not that he hates it, he is never worked with a cavesson in the lines OR bitted up and he has a very quiet mouth and will happily take the bit with great contact. He does not generally gape unless he gets his tongue over the bit which makes him very unhappy.

However, when he gets his head where he is supposed to have it in the lines, or when he is bitted up somewhat tightly, his tongue does not look happy with the bit. He kind of "braces" the middle of his tongue against the joint of the snaffle. I am not sure if he is using his tongue to keep the joint from hitting the roof of his mouth, or if he does not like the pressure of the joint against his tongue.

I see many bits, like the French link or lozenge bits, say they are good for horses that don't like pressure on the roof of their mouth from the joint. I see other bits, with a slight port in the mouthpiece, that say they are good for horses that don't like excessive tongue pressure.

So, I'm not sure what my guy would like. I want to stick with a softer mouthpiece if possible, and I DEFINITELY want a non-pinch cheekpiece. I won't even look at bits that don't have non-pinch because I just don't trust them. I think he'd like a copper or sweet iron bit, too.

I have been looking hard at the Myler comfort snaffle with the slight port... but the Mylers that I have driven in are pretty "moveable" and I'm not sure how they work for bitting up. I don't want such an active bit for bitting up, I want something a little more firm that he can grab and take hold of.

I hope any of that helps... I don't want to continue in his eggbutt snaffle because I think it's not a great fit for him.

Thanks,

Andrea

 

[cretahillsgal]

I won't be much help. But I was told that the french-link snaffles are easier on their mouths. As they don't "pinch" the tongue so much.

 

[targetsmom]

I love (and my horses do too) the Myler bits. I bought the comfort snaffle first and really have no issues with that one, but the second one I bought is the mullen mouth version. That is the one I am using on the mare that gets driven the most, including in ADS events. So no check, more the traditional style of driving.

Here she is at an ADS show - no check - in that bit. Early in the day so not much moisture in her mouth, but later on there was a lot.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I don't think he likes the eggbutt snaffle. Not that he hates it, he is never worked with a cavesson in the lines OR bitted up and he has a very quiet mouth and will happily take the bit with great contact. He does not generally gape unless he gets his tongue over the bit which makes him very unhappy.However, when he gets his head where he is supposed to have it in the lines, or when he is bitted up somewhat tightly, his tongue does not look happy with the bit. He kind of "braces" the middle of his tongue against the joint of the snaffle. I am not sure if he is using his tongue to keep the joint from hitting the roof of his mouth, or if he does not like the pressure of the joint against his tongue.

I see many bits, like the French link or lozenge bits, say they are good for horses that don't like pressure on the roof of their mouth from the joint. I see other bits, with a slight port in the mouthpiece, that say they are good for horses that don't like excessive tongue pressure.

So, I'm not sure what my guy would like. I want to stick with a softer mouthpiece if possible, and I DEFINITELY want a non-pinch cheekpiece. I won't even look at bits that don't have non-pinch because I just don't trust them. I think he'd like a copper or sweet iron bit, too.

I have been looking hard at the Myler comfort snaffle with the slight port... but the Mylers that I have driven in are pretty "moveable" and I'm not sure how they work for bitting up. I don't want such an active bit for bitting up, I want something a little more firm that he can grab and take hold of.

Good morning, Andrea! You gave us a great description to work from so here are a couple of thoughts based on what you say you're looking for.

Looking at the first paragraph, you say he doesn't gape when taking contact and has a pretty quiet mouth. To me, this indicates that his problem is probably not with the single joint hitting the roof of his mouth. I tend to head for a French Link or other double-jointed bit with a horse who gapes every time you pick up contact but fusses and champs endlessly on a solid bit like they're looking for some play or movement from it. With the way your colt is bracing his tongue I suspect he isn't happy with the way the bit folds in his mouth and squeezes the sides of his tongue. I agree with you- how about a bit with some tongue relief and maybe a little firmer mouthpiece? (Incidentally, how is he with the Weymouth inhand? Does he mouth it a lot or take hold of it and seem happy with it?)

There are two bits that come immediately to mind for him. Iowa Valley Carriage has a nice German Silver bit (copper alloy) in a straight bar with tongue relief port that I eyed with some interest at the National Drive and might have tried if I didn't already have a Myler for my boy. It's pretty good quality, no pinch, and is a firm but gentle bit that I think your horse could pick up and carry easily. It wouldn't come down on his tongue and make him brace yet it's shaped and pretty fine so he isn't going to have a massive mouthful of metal either. Might be worth a try! The other bit is the mullen mouth Myler with tongue relief that TargetsMom mentions. It looks just like the comfort snaffle but when you pull on both reins it forms a solid bar that the horse can really take a hold of and carry without a lot of wiggling. I like this bit because it still has independent side action so when I need soft turns and bending it has the sensitivity and movement we both want, yet it becomes steady for those straight lines and moving out. Kody really likes this one and of course like most Mylers it comes with copper inlay strips on the stainless steel for a nice wet mouth.

Both bits are non-pinch, firm, gentle, and probably good for a wiggly, easily-distracted two year old. Good luck! If he's not finding his balance on the sliding side reins then chances are this is more a mental thing that both growing up and a slightly more solid bit will help with. He hasn't learned to settle into his work and focus on his body and exactly how he's moving yet.

Leia

 

[disneyhorse]

I am unsure of which Iowa Valley Carriage bit you are speaking of, but my pony must be in a snaffle bit (for showring purposes). I can't use a butterfly or liverpool type cheekpiece.

My pony is fine in the Weymouth, but to be honest he only wears it at the shows and he's plenty distracted by everything going on and I always have a fairly tight cavesson on. It has a low port and curb on it, so I don't want him gaping with it and don't take the chance. I don't consider it to be anything like a driving bit, because of the shanks on it.

I think I have a mullen mouth snaffle here somewhere, maybe I will see if he prefers a solid mouthpice. And I may pick up a French link. I guess from there I would know which Myler to go with. I have to say for some reason I have always preferred jointed bits over solid mouths, I'm not sure why. I just gravitate to them. I always rode in some type of jointed Kimberwickes when I was growing up, I liked the versatility of them. I guess I need to experiment and move on

Has anyone bitted up a horse with a Myler bit?

I hate to say it but he will need some fairly rigorous bitting up in the future, as he is a Modern Shetland and that is how they go in the ring. I would like him to find his own way as much as possible though, because he is not as gifted in the neck as he could be.

Thanks for the help so far,

Andrea

 

[Mominis]

Have you tried a Dr. Bristol? The slightly different action of the Bristol v the French link may just be the key. While they both don't have the nutcracker action, the action of the bit as it relates to the angle of the pressure may just help him out. Here's some good information contrasting the two:

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding_tr...ery/frenchlink/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding_tr...lery/drbristol/

Hope this helps. I'm a HUGE fan of the Dr. Bristol. I start everyone in them.

 

[Mominis]

One more thing, since he keeps getting his tongue over the bit, have you triple checked the fit of the headstall? If it is not a fit issue, but an acceptance issue, you may want to bridle him loose in his stall and let him hang out, eat, and that kind of thing while wearing the bridle and learning to suck the bit up into his mouth a bit.

I would never suggest doing this if you or someone that you trust cannot be in the barn while he is wearing his bridle, just in case he gets himself into trouble. But it can help them learn to deal with the bridle on their own and learn to accept carrying it as part of life. I used to do this with youngsters right before I would feed for the morning feeding and then let them wear it while eating. It would stay on while I mucked the stalls, cleaned tack, etc. Then, I'd work that horse first and after his workout, carefully remove the bridle until it was time to repeat the process for dinner feeding. Then I'd let him wear it while everyone got blanketed, the barn cat got fed, etc. and finally remove it before tucking everyone in for the night.

 

[End Level Farms]

I have bitted my mini mare in a myler bit and she was not happy. But I also bitted a curly pony in a myler bit and he was just fine. (I know that doesn't help I am sorry) Just said that to let you know I have had it go both ways.

I am a huge fan of the french link snaffles.

I also prefer not to use a Mullen mouth unless I have too.

 

[Sue_C.]

I do not like the Dr Bristol at all, because of the way that the the mouthpiece lays across the tongue. Like that article said..."when the bit is at a certain angle in the horses mouth, the edge of the middle link will be in contact with the tongue." This is a very severe bit, and I would never bit a horse up with one.

I am a huge fan of french links, or well-arched, or low port mullens, especially as they are the "softest" of bits.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

[SIZE=8pt]I'm learning here so I want to throw this out:[/SIZE]

I've seen horses with two bits, one on the caveson and one on the headstall. Would this be an option for a horse that gets his tongue over the bit? Is that the purpose of a flashband?

 

[Sue_C.]

I've seen horses with two bits, one on the caveson and one on the headstall. Would this be an option for a horse that gets his tongue over the bit? Is that the purpose of a flashband?

The PROPER way to use an OVER-check is to use two bits. One is called an over-check bit, most of the ones I have seen were of a mullen mouthpiece...but you can have a jointed one as well. This bit is much smaller in diameter than a regular bit, and is only connected to the over-check...not the bridle itself. This bit goes above the regular bit. A side-check does not use a separate bit...it simply connects to the one, regular bit.

I don't know if it would help a horse to keep it's tongue where it belongs, but I have tied the bit over the face of a green horse which does this...so maybe it would help? Most minis don't have enough room in their mouths for two bits, but the larger shetlands do, I would think.

I have never used a flash on a driving horse...but did use it on one of my riding horses, more because she "gaped", and "crossed her jaw" in resistance if I didn't. I only used it for a short time, and was able to go back to a simple loose caveson after she realized that shutting her face on a bit was NOT the end of the world. I would not use it unless I knew it was simply resistance for resistance sake. If you decide to try one, make your you check all the physical posibilities first...such as hooks, wolf teeth, etc...

I am not sure that a flash is allowed on a driving bridle? Something more to check. LOL!

 

[Mominis]

The Dr. Bristol/French link argument is a large area of debate. Yes, as Sue said, " when the bit is at a certain angle in the horses mouth, the edge of the middle link will be in contact with the tongue." However, I will have to disagree that it is a severe bit. A bit is only as severe as the hands in which it is used and the craftmanship of the bitmaker.

If your hands are good, then in general, it comes down to the construction of the bit. Personally, I have had very good luck with Dr. Britols, provided they are well made. But not every bit is the right one for every horse and you may have to play around with his bitting some to find the one in which your horse is the most comfortable. Comfort being key here, as responsiveness comes from education of the horse and not bits, side reins, gimmicks, or other oddities that we see in today's show ring.A well made Dr. Bristol (and many are NOT, which does cause quite a bit of confusion) has a center link that is a long, thin plate set at a slight angle. A well constructed Dr. Bristol is designed to be used in two ways: it can be put into the horse's mouth so that the plate lies flat and works almost like a French-link, OR it can be put into the horse's mouth so that the plate lies at about a 45-degree angle.The degree of angulation is what makes the 'severity' and tends to give a very good bit a very bad reputation. Unfortunately, many Dr. Bristols are NOT correctly designed, and the center plate on a badly-designed bit will either lie flat all the time, making it like a less-comfortable French link snaffle -- or will lie at an ANGLE all the time, no matter which way you put the bit in -- which means that you are using a severe bit ALL the time. The manufacturer of the bit is of utmost importance.

If you are not familiar with Dr. Bristol bits and their adjustment, or cannot differentiate a well made one from a poorly made one, then I wholeheartedly agree that you should go with a French link. However, the versitility of the Dr. Bristol and it's differing action may be just what the doctor ordered for your horse.

I am really enjoying this conversation. I love to talk bits and I have collected (pardon the pun) bits for years.

I would like to add that I am not a fan of the mullen mouth bit. While you avoid the nutcracker action, which is a good thing, you essentially eliminate the ability to have subtle unilateral communication with your horse due to the bit's 'bar like' construction. Again, just my humble opinion.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Flash nosebands are allowed on a driving bridle in ADS competition but I'm not sure about the AMHR rules. I choose not to use one personally, I just don't like the idea of strapping my horse's mouth shut when he's trying to tell me something. Unfortunately the Iowa Valley bits do only come in Butterfly and Liverpool cheeks at this time but if used on the snaffle setting without a curb chain they are, to all intents and purposes, a snaffle.

As for bitting in Mylers, I imagine that just like any other variety of bits it depends on the horse and the particular mouthpiece. Kody tried three different Mylers and hated the first one, loved the second one, and puts up with the third. I imagine he'd probably do fine in the basic comfort snaffle but we've simply never tried one. *shrug*

Like you Andrea, I also prefer bits with some sort of joint or movement to them; I personally dislike the lack of finesse available with a solid mouthpiece but that's also partially because of the type of horses I own and the activities I ask them to do. I want a lot of bending, flexing, and whole-body agility in my animals and don't do a lot of straight line work or headset type work. For a horse that needs that steadiness and support a solid bar mouthpiece can be quite comforting. It's also good for a very forward animal who will work into that bit and turn responsively- as a younger horse mine simply wasn't confident enough to grab hold of a solid mullen and dive through a hazard but he'd trust a jointed bit and turn handily. We'll see next year how the new guy does!

Leia

I would like to add that I am not a fan of the mullen mouth bit. While you avoid the nutcracker action, which is a good thing, you essentially eliminate the ability to have subtle unilateral communication with your horse due to the bit's 'bar like' construction. Again, just my humble opinion.

Thanks, you said that much more clearly than I did! The lack of subtle communication in a regular mullen mouth is why I went with the Myler version. It's got just enough play in it to make Kody happy when he's champing at rest, sends individual signals clearly to each side of the mouth without poking his palate and the rest of the time is a nice steady solid bit he trusts. It's not a cure-all bit or appropriate for every horse but I find it to be a quality bit in general and suitable for many.

 

[disneyhorse]

Thanks for the replies... I enjoy learning others' opinions and theories on why horses respond the way they do to bits.

Mominis... as stated originally my colt has been mouthed in a snaffle since last year... I feel that two years of mouthing is sufficient

His bridle fits fine, and as I said he has a pretty quiet mouth considering.

I don't like to use cavessons to keep their tongues where they need to be... I purposefully have been both bitting him up and ground driving/long lining him without a cavesson so that HE can learn where HE needs to be with his mouth. It has helped immensely and he quickly got a quiet mouth and tongue. Obviously, when you ground drive/long line a hot colt there is some odd pulling that happens (when he bolts, twists his head, etc.) and the extra pressure gets his tongue over the bit and he will have to learn himself that it is uncomfortable so he better not do that! It's not the norm that he gets his tongue over the bit... If it was an issue I could always put on the cavesson or tie his tongue but I don't think it's that big a deal right now. He's not doing it on purpose, he just isn't used to the steering and odd pressure that he gets when he bucks or does something silly in the lines.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who prefers a non-bar bit! I was thinking it was just me, and some sort of ignorance or something...

Generally I don't believe in using many different bits... I feel that the horse needs to get comfortable in a bit and then learn what you are asking. I don't think there is too much of a difference in the wide world of bits... the trick is finding what your horses' mouths are comfortable in due to the individual shape and fit of their mouth.

My colt will be wearing a separate check bit eventually, but that is later on in his training. He needs to focus on setting his head and such first on his own, there is a lot for him to focus on and learn yet and he seems to be a horse that can only work on ONE THING at a time

Ah stallions. We either get to work on collection, front end action, steering, or head set but never more than one thing at a time or he just falls apart!

I am leaning towards the Myler mullen mouth but I think I will work him in my plain mullen mouth snaffle if I can find it and if it is the right size.

Thanks so far!

Andrea

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Thanks for the clarification on the overcheck bit, Sue C. I only saw it once, and there were so many straps on the horse's head I forgot which one the other bit was attached to! I did see the overcheck bit, in copper, while perusing the Ozark catalog this morning. Now I've seen one in person I have a better idea of its size and use. The horse I saw it on was an A size driving horse.

 

[Mominis]

Thanks for the replies... I enjoy learning others' opinions and theories on why horses respond the way they do to bits.

Mominis... as stated originally my colt has been mouthed in a snaffle since last year... I feel that two years of mouthing is sufficient

His bridle fits fine, and as I said he has a pretty quiet mouth considering.

I don't like to use cavessons to keep their tongues where they need to be... I purposefully have been both bitting him up and ground driving/long lining him without a cavesson so that HE can learn where HE needs to be with his mouth. It has helped immensely and he quickly got a quiet mouth and tongue. Obviously, when you ground drive/long line a hot colt there is some odd pulling that happens (when he bolts, twists his head, etc.) and the extra pressure gets his tongue over the bit and he will have to learn himself that it is uncomfortable so he better not do that! It's not the norm that he gets his tongue over the bit... If it was an issue I could always put on the cavesson or tie his tongue but I don't think it's that big a deal right now. He's not doing it on purpose, he just isn't used to the steering and odd pressure that he gets when he bucks or does something silly in the lines.

We either get to work on collection, front end action, steering, or head set but never more than one thing at a time or he just falls apart!

First of all, I couldn't agree with you more about cavessons. In fact, it astounds me that in the dressage world, where they are so hip on the idea of keeping things natural (**cough, cough**) that they allow the use of devices that literally hold the horses' mouth shut. I'm sure I'll get flamed for that, but it's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Now, back to the bitting issue, have you given consideration to trying a three piece snaffle with a small roller? Maybe giving him something to do with his fussy mouth besides trying to evade you would help. Just a thought.

You said you've had him in the lines for 30 days. Maybe I take things too slowly, but at the 30 day mark, I usually am working on even-ness and guiding. I never start working on creating the engine and working on getting a horse in frame until I have those two things fully ingrained in a horse's brain. The statement that you made about his inability to stay even in sliding side reins makes me wonder if maybe it isn't the bit that is the issue, it's his acceptance of the bit that is your problem.

If they don't understand how to yield quietly to unilateral pressure, then asking them to understand bilateral pressure is like giving a calculus problem to a third grader. If I can't reliably take the horse out in the lines, have him figure 8, serpertine, and circle without the use of the round pen or arena wall then we are not ready to work on creating energy to get into frame. In fact, once I have general guiding and good brakes established, I spend a lot of my time with a horse in the lines in a pasture. I know that's pretty unorthodox, but it's just my way and it works for me.

I am in no way trying to say you are doing anything wrong, I am just hoping to share what works for me. I hope you take these comments in the spirit that they are intended. I am certainly not trying to be critical in any way at all. I'm just offering my opinion and trying to help.

 

[disneyhorse]

Okay, I dug out my mullen mouth half cheek snaffle and it happened to be a comfortable size for him.

Switched it out for him for today's workout.

First of all, His Royal Highness threw a HUGE fit about the fact that I changed his bit. I guess he is not one who likes change! It did take him a while to accept the crupper though, come to think of it.

Anyway, he went around the arena several laps with his nose STRAIGHT up in the air like he was trying to flip the bridle off over his back or something. Well, a couple more laps and he would have nothing to do with the weird straight bit in his mouth.

Deciding he was being ridiculous, I bitted him up to let him know that it wasn't acceptable to be such a drama queen about it, and a couple laps and he gave up fighting it.

It did take a while long lining and ground driving for him to accept the new bit. Although once he put it in his mouth where it belonged, it looked more comfortable in there than the jointed snaffle did... but I am not sure I like how it "feels" in his mouth once I collected him up and ground drove him with full contact. He did BEND better in that bit than the jointed snaffle, but it didn't feel great in his mouth. Kind of bulky feeling. But then again, I don't drive in bar bits often.

I think with all this, I will buy a French link snaffle and if that doesn't look comfortable on his tongue, I will then shell out the money for a Myler mullen mouth.

WHERE CAN I FIND A GOOD QUALITY COPPER FRENCH LINK SNAFFLE in a mouth that is about 3.75"?? I want the most non-pinch I can find, too!

Thanks!

Andrea

 

[Mominis]

Okay, I dug out my mullen mouth half cheek snaffle and it happened to be a comfortable size for him.
Switched it out for him for today's workout.

First of all, His Royal Highness threw a HUGE fit about the fact that I changed his bit. I guess he is not one who likes change! It did take him a while to accept the crupper though, come to think of it.

Anyway, he went around the arena several laps with his nose STRAIGHT up in the air like he was trying to flip the bridle off over his back or something. Well, a couple more laps and he would have nothing to do with the weird straight bit in his mouth.

Deciding he was being ridiculous, I bitted him up to let him know that it wasn't acceptable to be such a drama queen about it, and a couple laps and he gave up fighting it.

It did take a while long lining and ground driving for him to accept the new bit. Although once he put it in his mouth where it belonged, it looked more comfortable in there than the jointed snaffle did... but I am not sure I like how it "feels" in his mouth once I collected him up and ground drove him with full contact. He did BEND better in that bit than the jointed snaffle, but it didn't feel great in his mouth. Kind of bulky feeling. But then again, I don't drive in bar bits often.

I think with all this, I will buy a French link snaffle and if that doesn't look comfortable on his tongue, I will then shell out the money for a Myler mullen mouth.

WHERE CAN I FIND A GOOD QUALITY COPPER FRENCH LINK SNAFFLE in a mouth that is about 3.75"?? I want the most non-pinch I can find, too!

Thanks!

Andrea

Hi Andrea. Here are a couple of suggestions, but I swear there was not a single copper bit that I could find in a size that would even come close to 3.75. I totally agree that a copper bit would be best, but these two stainless and one rubber covered ones aren't too bad.

Dover's has a mullen mouth that has some nice flexibility to it, I couldn't get the photo or info to copy, but here is the link, this is the rubber covered one:

http://www.doversaddlery.com/happy-mouth-s...010032/cn/1472/

Then there is this one, stainless, from Just for Ponies:



This bit is finely crafted in England and designed specifically for ponies. The Dee Ring has been scaled down to match those fine pony heads. The dimensions of the Dee ring are 2 5/8 x 2 5/8 inches. The French Mouth Pony Dee is available in 3 3/4, 4, 4 1/4, and 4 1/2 inches and they are made using the finest quality stainless steel. That one is at http://www.justforponies.com/375bits.aspx

or an even better one, but unfortunately, at the smallest, comes in 4":



French Mouth Eggbutt Snaffle Bit ( Pony French Mouth Eggbutt Snaffle Bit )

£ 31.00

A superior quality British made french mouth eggbutt snaffle bit with smaller cheeks for a neater appearance.

Based in Knutsford, Cheshire Abbey Pony bits are made in the UK from the finest metals. With a Royal Warrant they supply the very best components to the saddlery industry. When buying an Abbey Pony bit you can be confident that you are buying a name that is synonymous with quality and craftsmanship.

Abbey Pony bits are manufactured from castings using the "lost wax" technique that produces much finer detail and finish than traditional casting. Where bespoke parts are needed they are fabricated by hand in Abbey’s UK workshops using the highest quality steel.

£ 31.00 from http://www.theponytackshop.co.uk/for_pony/...utt_snaffle_bit

Hope that helps.

 

[Sue_C.]

WHERE CAN I FIND A GOOD QUALITY COPPER FRENCH LINK SNAFFLE in a mouth that is about 3.75"??

I buy mine from Iowa Valley Carriage (bits) and am more than happy with them. My "B" horses wear 3.75 bits as well, and all seem to like this stainless half cheek with the copper link.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I use the bit Sue has suggested from Iowa Valley with only the link being copper. I find with young horses they tend to chew up a copper bit pretty fast creating whole new difficulties. The copper link gives it that sweet taste for a soft mouth without any sharp edges from chomp marks. Iowa Valley also carries a nice slim mullen mouth that I find fits in the smaller mouths much better than some of the thicker mouthpieces on mullens elsewhere.

I would say that with this young colt I would give him time. More often than not stallions tend to have trouble accepting ANY bit and will most likely give you a reaction to begin with over anything you try. Choose the one that seems to fit his mouth the best, and then give him time. I have had colts that take as much as a year to get steady with their head and mouth. As long as you have made sure to check out any possible physical causes you sometimes just need to give them time. Mares and geldings don't often take any where near so long unless they have an actual problem.

Just a note regarding Sue's post: I am not sure why the tape measure is turned the way it is in the photo but,for anyone reading that isn't already aware, you measure a bit from the inside of the cheekpiece across the part that goes in the mouth to the inside of the other cheek piece not, as it appears in that photo, from top to bottom of the cheeks.