Horses sucking the bit.(was Control and Courtesy)

["April" <adlee@bigfoot.com>]

Apache is a gelding, actually.  14 year old Appaloosa.   We haven't tried a
snaffle (rings, no shanks), yet, but I do own one.  I have been hesitant to
put in his mouth because he will suck (or try to suck) other bits right up
into his mouth.

When I first got him, he was ridden in a hackamore (mechanical), but I don't
have control of him with that.  He'll run right through it with me (probably
due to me not understanding how it works and his training is off, but that's
beside the point).  So I tried a short-shanked broken bit.  Like a Tom Thumb
with really short shanks. The shanks come flush with his muzzle.  Apache
will get bored (or impatient) and start to play and just end up with the bit
in his mouth and I have no control because he's chewing on the darn thing.

So I bought a longer-shanked Tom Thumb grazing bit.  The shanks are about 6"
long and curve back toward his chest.  Apache will try to play with that and
suck it up, but since the shanks are longer AND curved inward, he has a hard
time getting it into his mouth (although he HAS managed to flip one side
over so it's curving toward the sky and then tried to get THAT into his
mouth).

I'm really hesitant to try a ringed snaffle because he may just suck it
right up.  I bought some of those bit guards, but I couldn't figure out how
to get them on the bit (the guards are solid, no break to slip the bar of
the bit through).

I don't use port curbs.  They don't fit his mouth very well and he just has
a fit when I put one in his mouth. (A mild fit, but I know he's not happy).
And he'll try his darnest to get a port curb bit into his mouth, but it's
really a chore because they're one solid piece!  :)

This is not a huge problem.  He goes well for me in the tom thumb grazing
bit; but it does get irritating when he starts playing with the bit in
earnest because he CAN get the bit all twisted wrong if I allow him to play
long enough.

I just mentioned it as an alternative possibility for ringed snaffle bits
winding up in the horse's mouth (other than the rider yanking it through)

April & Apache
Chattanooga, TN

----- Original Message -----
From: <SandyDSA@aol.com>


In a message dated 6/2/99 11:42:57 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
adlee@bigfoot.com writes:

<< What if the horse is sucking the bit into his mouth?
  >>
Now THAT is WEIRD - doe she do this with every bit? I would like to hear
from
others - anyone had this problem?
Sa



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=