Bitting Rigs

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

Well, I'm trying to get a bitting rig for Christmas!

Im looking at 2 different bitting rigs, both from Mini Express

The Leather



or the Nylon



I have used the leather before. A friend of ours let us borrow one of her circingles to train Jazzy to drive. Im pretty sure she got hers from Mini too.

I feel more comfortable with the leather, but i dont know about the nylon. Which would you choose?

I wont train with this rig, its just for Bentley to bring his head in more and Jazzy may need it in the future, both are "B"s

 

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

I have no idea how or why im replying to this topic? LOL

 

[disneyhorse]

I would always go with leather if you can afford it.

However, I just put together my own. Just buy parts.

I buy a nylon surcingle, leather turnback and crupper (the turnback is the strap between the surcingle and crupper).

Then, I use a leather work bridle, with and without blinders. I then have both elastic side reins OR I run a piece of clothesline to make a sliding side rein depending on the horse and level of training.

This method, for me, is cost effective but maintains quality where I want it (crupper and bridle).

 

[Becky Horat]

I would love to see photos of horses being used in the bitting rig. I've been trying different things to get more out of my horses for driving. I have Classic type driving horses. What are the different methods people use? Or maybe I should start a whole new post on this topic?

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

Honestly, I just take my harness, leave the breast piece off, and use a little baling twine. Tie it right to the bit, and to the appropiate area on the saddle depending on the headset you want. I usually use bungee cords, but my stud found it more fun to play with the bungee cords than to actually give to them, silly ponies

A surcingle would work too instead of the harness saddle. Unless you are training a ton of horses, I would suggest trying the cheap version first.

I use mine on the lunge line ( i hate free lunging, but thats a different story), it REALLY helps with a topline. My guy just "didn't get" bending until i introduced it on the lunge with the bitting rig. Now, he gets it! Be careful though, start with only 10 to 15 minutes tops, even on a fit horse, they use muscles they didnt know they had!

 

[Becky Horat]

FurstPlaceMiniatures - Do you use a check? Attaching side rein higher or lower in most cases? I know each horse differs. Would really like to hear opinions on this part of training. And thank you for your explanation. Yes, I use the cheaper method as well.

 

[disneyhorse]

I wouldn't attach side reins to a driving saddle personally, its not designed for that.

 

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

For those who make theirs, if you have pictures, I would LOVE to see them! I cant ever picture anything in my head (its bad i know LOL)

 

[Becky Horat]

I bought a Mini Surcingle from Horse.com, I think for about $35. I use a crupper, backstrap from an old harness to keep it from slipping forward. It has many rings to tie your reins too. I have the elastic side reins (mini size). But I actually like using thin rope, like climbing rope? or clothes line.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

http://www.starlakefarm.com/bitting-rig-training-aids.html

Star Lake has the same leather bitting rig for $100 less. This is the one I use, it's well made and has all the gitgaws on it!

I prefer leather, nylon can chafe, you can't punch holes in it easily, and it gets hard with age, whereas leather softens....

 

[rabbitsfizz]

This one has sliding reins attached to the halter- I deliberately set the breeching a little low when starting as it gets the horse used to the "feel" of it better, I find.

This one shows you the difference in the head position when the reins are off....

And this is DC being long reined from the "saddle" on a halter again, without side reins, and , again, breeching too low at this stage. (but not as low as Leo above!) Both sets are an old nylon driving harness I used on Rabbits Dad, so it is now over 30 years old (not doing too badly, I feel!!!) and I have put a leather crupper on it, that is the only modification. The saddle is very similar to a surcingle, it has not got a tree and I would never use it for driving these days. Luckily for Fred (Rabbit's Dad ) we had a four wheel cart so there was no pressure on his back.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

Here is my bitting rig. Works well for me. Was aiming to develop a topline, and get a bend - hence teaching him to balance himself and carry himself a lot better, which it defintiely accomplished. This was day 1, so i left the check off. Didn't want too much "confinement!"

I was too lazy to take pics after day 1 LOL. Usually I put the overcheck on, to stop him from peanut pushing. I HATE free lunging, so I do all my conditioning on a lunge line like a hunt horse, and he desperately needed to learn how to bend to truly be conditioned this way.

The bitting rig gets a green horse used to contact too this way - which is something he desperately needed. The concept of having a feel on his mouth was a hard one for him to get. He was almost a little too soft, any little bit of pressure/contact and he would stop/turn. The way i have the side reins got him used to a bit of contact. The concept of a bend, (you want me to turn JUST my head mom?) was tricky for him too. I also firmly believe in getting collection in a lower headset before trying to raise it.

Yes, I know he's fat. He was MUCH bigger when i purchased him 6 mos before these were taken. I know a driving saddle isn't ideal. BUT, It's cheap, it works, Im not putting a few hundred dollars into a bitting rig when i only own one horse who only uses it occasionally and my hubby doesn't have a job.

Before - unbalanced, didn't get bending, just, bleh. The check was very loose, so he wasnt' fighting it - he was just unbalanced and out of shape

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff477/courtfurst/Cloudy%20Pants/559159_10151133827318969_1875145024_n.jpg

Day 1

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff477/courtfurst/Cloudy%20Pants/546649_10151245252403969_1785655206_n.jpg

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff477/courtfurst/Cloudy%20Pants/523372_10151245252623969_990037416_n.jpg

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff477/courtfurst/Cloudy%20Pants/199636_10151245252183969_1605515336_n.jpg

I used them every other session or so for a coupla' months. Worked well for me, wouldn't change a thing. After they came off, he carrried himself so much better because he had the proper muscles to actually do so. Collection is a tough concept to teach a horse, but I think he's "getting it."

 

[disneyhorse]

The issue I'd wonder about setting the "side reins" low where the shaft loop is... Is that bits aren't designed to have that low of a pull on them and I'd be afraid of damaging the mouth. A rider's hands or saddle terrets pull the bit somewhat upward, and would never have that downward pressure. The horse will have to lower its head to avoid the pressure, especially with a nice bit like a Myler.

Many people aren't looking for driving horses to have a dropped head like that, and will want the side rein position to be high as possible, which is why there are devices like dumb jockeys for driving horses.

The issue I'd wonder about setting the "side reins" low where the shaft loop is... Is that bits aren't designed to have that low of a pull on them and I'd be afraid of damaging the mouth. A rider's hands or saddle terrets pull the bit somewhat upward, and would never have that downward pressure. The horse will have to lower its head to avoid the pressure, especially with a nice bit like a Myler.

Many people aren't looking for driving horses to have a dropped head like that, and will want the side rein position to be high as possible, which is why there are devices like dumb jockeys for driving horses.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I would not use a bit with side reins at all these days and you all know (I would hope, by now) how I feel about using a check rein at any stage of a horses life. I am also never going to use a lunge rein without a round pen ever again! Even with a round pen I use it as little as I can. Free round penning takes a little bit longer to get through to a horse, it is true, but you have the advantage of the horse having truly learned what you have taught it, you have no way of making it do as you say......

 

[rubyviewminis]

I have the bitting rig from Star Lake as well and love it. It fits my very big guy, and my little bitty filly. They have a conversion kit if you want to use it as every day working harness which is what I plan to do, or parts that match it that you can buy piece by piece. It is very nice leather and the saddle is well padded, there is many, many adjustments on it. I am still very new to this but...

In a land far, far, away, many years ago, this is VERY similar to the equipment and techniques we used for training colts for any discipline. So that hopefully will help.