# I found my starter bit!!



## Mominis (Oct 6, 2010)

After hours, and I do mean HOURS of searching, I finally found the bit that Shake is going to wear for his first bitted long line exercises. He has already worn the mouthing snaffle and did that like an old pro. In about 9 days (not that I'm counting or anything...) we will be starting back to work after a 30 day layoff for R&R after the Nationals. I was able to find a 3.5" loose ring french link snaffle!!!! I ended up finding it in Australia, so it will take a little while to get here. But, I just had to share, I'm so excited that I found it!!


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## hobbyhorse23 (Oct 6, 2010)

Congratulations! I know to find a decent mini Liverpool I'd be shipping one in from England. Does Shake take a 3.5" bit? That's the size a small A mini normally wears!

Leia


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## Sue_C. (Oct 6, 2010)

> Does Shake take a 3.5" bit? That's the size a small A mini normally wears!


What she said...






Seriously though, I have always disliked loose ring snaffles because they pinch so badly...and if I do "have" to use one, I order a 1/2 size larger so I have room to use the rubber bit guards.


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## jleonard (Oct 6, 2010)

I love loose rings, use them on several of my horses, do not uses bit guards, and have never had a rub



Congrats on finding the bit you wanted, I'm a fan of French links.


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## Mominis (Oct 6, 2010)

Of course he wears a 3.5", it's Murphy's Law for horses. I know this because I have a wonderful collection of bits in 4" from my old Arabian (who had a freakishly small head), including my old French Link, and not a one of them fits Shake. LOL!!


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## Sue_C. (Oct 6, 2010)

> do not uses bit guards, and have never had a rub


I haven't had them rub either, but have seen the lip get pinched several times in that tiny little opening where the ring goes through the bit. You know...the Murphy's Law of horses.





I don't find the 3.5" ones so hard to find, but the 33/4" ones used to be imposible to find, now they aren't so scarce...but go figure, I don't have my "B" horses anymore.


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## jleonard (Oct 6, 2010)

Sue_C. said:


> I haven't had them rub either, but have seen the lip get pinched several times in that tiny little opening where the ring goes through the bit. You know...the Murphy's Law of horses.


Sorry, I was writing in a hurry, meant to say pinched.


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## billiethekid40 (Oct 6, 2010)

Actually Sue, even my 11hh Welsh goes in a 3.5" bit... his muzzle is smaller than Billies.


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## ~Lisa~ (Oct 6, 2010)

I am a huge fan of a French link.. I have been looking for a D ring forever but have yet to find one.

I need a 3 3/4 which seems to be difficult to find I do have a couple 3.5 though


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## cretahillsgal (Oct 6, 2010)

I use a copper mouth french link snaffle that I have only found at miniexpress.com

It was not an open ring though.


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## Mominis (Oct 6, 2010)

I've never had a pinching problem with my loose ring french links or even my fat mouthed loose ring snaffles before. But, just in case, I found that Ozark Mountain has 2" bit guards and I'm going to order a set just in case it becomes an issue.


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## Sue_C. (Oct 6, 2010)

Mominis said:


> I've never had a pinching problem with my loose ring french links or even my fat mouthed loose ring snaffles before. But, just in case, I found that Ozark Mountain has 2" bit guards and I'm going to order a set just in case it becomes an issue.


It only happened a few times, and not with my driving horses, but ridden or driven, the bit is the same...preventive measures are always best in the long run.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Oct 6, 2010)

~Lisa~ said:


> I am a huge fan of a French link.. I have been looking for a D ring forever but have yet to find one.


I want a decent half-cheek one and am not happy with the MiniExpress or Iowa Valley half-cheeks I've seen. Either the quality of the mouthpiece isn't there or the mouthpiece is (in the case of the Iowa Valley German Silver horizontal bean bit) but the cheekpieces are weird. How hard is it to make a decent half-cheek??







Mominis said:


> ... I found that Ozark Mountain has 2" bit guards and I'm going to order a set just in case it becomes an issue.


Let me know how you like those, will you? I was thinking of ordering a set and know other people who are interested for their Liverpools that have pinching sides but really good mouthpieces. I'd like to know if they're smooth on both sides and how well-finished the edges are.

Leia


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## Mominis (Oct 6, 2010)

Sure


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## MiLo Minis (Oct 8, 2010)

Mominis, I am just wondering why you are set on loose ring rather than eggbutt or better yet, half cheek for driving?

Leia, I have a couple sets of bit guards from Ozark and mine are just fine. If you get a bit of excess rubber on the edges you just take an exacto and slice it off - whenever something is poured in a mold there is always the chance of a little excess.


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## Mominis (Oct 8, 2010)

MiLo, a loose ring is my bit of choice for starting out. In my opinion, they get more comfortable with a loose ring more quickly than a fixed ring bit. I know many people like a full or half cheek, especially when the horse is learning basic directional cues. I find this usually isn't an issue because we do all the basic line work with a first timer in a longing cavesson, first in the cavesson alone and then with the horse carrying the bit but all directional requests are still being made off the lines on the longing cavesson (and with a ring bit as opposed to a half or full cheek bit, I get zero interference with the longing cavesson while they are in this stage), and finally moving on to using just the bit. I also think they learn to 'suck' the bit up in the mouth more easily in a loose ring as it moves with them. Once we are through the baby basics, I'll likely move into the same mouthpiece on a different bit, likely a half cheek for driving. I guess everyone has their way, this is just mine.


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## hobbyhorse23 (Oct 9, 2010)

MiLo Minis said:


> Leia, I have a couple sets of bit guards from Ozark and mine are just fine. If you get a bit of excess rubber on the edges you just take an exacto and slice it off - whenever something is poured in a mold there is always the chance of a little excess.


I thought their bit guards were leather? Rubber would have been my preference all along but I didn't know they were available in the right size.

Leia


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