However, this morning's training ride put me in mind of a topic I felt I should write about. One that IS covered OVER AND OVER AND OVER. But what I have to say is a bit different than most about bitting.
We could all give ourselves a minor stroke delving in the world of bits. But I am going to keep this rather simple. First and foremost, there is no one bit that will make every horse happy, however as a general rule a bit is only as harsh as the hands controlling it. But a current mare I have in training has reminded me that every rule DOES have the exception. No matter how well the bit fits, no matter how soft my hands are, this particular mare does NOT like her bit. She has always gone is a nice dee ring french link snaffle. The french link is my standard bit for most all my horses. I find that most really like the way it lays in their mouth and should they check out mentally for a bit, this bit has just enough "umph" to say "Hey, don't forget about me up here!" 9 out of 10 of the horses I train do fantastic in this bit. But that 1 that does not usually needs to be bitted UP, perhaps a dr. bristol, or a slow twist if they have a tendency to get over excited and heavy out in the big wide world (western riders, take heart, I do use a similar mouth piece when moving in to shanked bits, so I'm not forgetting about you).
However, recently, as this particular mare has been advancing in her training she has begun to show signs of discomfort in her bit. (Please note BEFORE changing bits always have your horses teeth looked at, need of being floated is the #1 cause of mouth discomfort as well as many other methods of "acting out"). She began tossing her head (very out of character), becoming hypersensitive to rein cues, and even mildly anxious. Now, I will admit, 15-20 years ago I would have thought "I better grab the running martingale and take away her ability to be naughty". But, in the past 15-20 years I have let myself learn a few lessons in listening to the horses I am sitting on, some learned harder than others (My boss will often ask "Have you had 20 years experience or had the same year 20 times?"). So, after my last ride on this mare I started rolling the changes over in my mind and thinking over her overall style. This is a very soft, light mare. While she is quite confident, she is always looking for confirmation that she is pleasing her rider and she is by no means a "Marish mare".
These thoughts led me to one conclusion, this poor mare thinks I am constantly yelling at her! No matter how soft my hands are, this bit is too "loud" for her, she is so sensitive this particular bit is overwhelming to her and the only way she has to tell me is the equivalent of a young child trying to cover their head and crying when they hear a loud noise. I immediately went to digging through my gear to find a bit that will be much quieter and allow her to relax. Unfortunately, my first choice, a mullen mouth, has grown legs and walked away (new one on order), but in it's stead I chose a super fat, heavy, egg butt snaffle. One I rarely use because I don't believe it has enough "feel" to it, but this isn't about me, is it? And so we bitted DOWN this morning.
Yes, we bitted DOWN, and you know what kind of ride I got? A much softer, relaxed ride. The little "tantrums" she was having the day before were nearly non-existent, she happily stretched in to the bit and took up contact. She was feeling back to herself again. I am definitely going to be changing her in to the softer mullen mouth when it arrives, as after today she seemed to say "The quiet is so nice!" I believe she will thoroughly enjoy the stable consistency of a mullen mouth.
And, so, my point is this. Don't always assume a "behavior problem" requires MORE. More control, more aggression, or more discipline. It may simply require LESS. And if you are AFRAID to bit down on a horse showing similar signs as this mare, then YOU need to get back with a trainer who will take your reins away and make you learn to ride with your whole body and stop depending on those reins.
As always, feel free to ask any questions in the comments. I will try not to wait so long before posting again.
A happy mare with a nice fat quiet bit this morning :)
