Republished as still quite a big issue!

One of the main topics on the advice line recently has been the fitting of the bit.  Often when I am speaking to a client, it sounds like they are in what should be the best design of bit for the horse and the level they are training at but somehow things just aren't going quite right.  After all of the usual checks (dentist etc) have been ruled out, the next topic is does the bit actually fit?  More often than not, it seems it doesn't. 

If your horse is in a loose ring, say with a lozenge for example, and it is snatching and grabbing or leaning on one rein, it may just be worth checking that the bit is the right size and not too big.  If too big, we often find that this can be quite uncomfortable for the horse, even if the bit is a very good design.  If too big it could be sliding back and forth across the tongue and that is often the reason the horse tries to grab it and lean on it it; to keep it still and to stop the discomfort.  

Too small a fit can lead to more obvious issues such as bruising and cuts to the inside of the cheek pouches, the lips and also externally at the lip curl.  The horse can sometimes be accused of not wanting to take the rein forwards when the bit doesn't fit and once we understand why this is, at least it can be rectified with a good fitting bit and training can then be resumed.

What sort of noseband do you use?....and do you have a reason for using it ?  Depending on your chosen discipline and your horse in general, a noseband can have no effect right through to a beneficial or adverse affect.  HBH Daisy was started by us, is (in my opinion) bitted correctly and has a plain cavesson noseband.  I can't see why I would ever need anything else.  Indeed, if the future pans out as I hope and she goes on to have a dressage career, I will always eventually (when doubles come into play) ultimately need her only in the cavesson.

Why would I use a flash?  A drop?  A grackle?  Recently I have been helping some horses with their bitting and going from the transition from a snaffle to a double.  These horses have had regular top level training and for years have been ridden in a flash or a drop due to mouth issues.  So not only now does the horse have its mouth free from restriction, it is now expected to happily accept two bits in there without any evasions.  Can people see that by not dealing with the issues to a successful resolution other than "closing the mouth", they have simply postponed a problem that has been magnified and can take an awful long time and retraining to resolve?