Bitting Dilemmas!

At Tictac Equestrian, we are all strong believers in starting a horse’s ridden career in very basic tack. “Over-bitting” can cause more problems than necessary when starting to train a young horse, often masking problems and making them worse! Choosing a suitable bit for your horse can be a mind wracking task and our Tictac Equestrian team would like to try and help you J

I myself, believe that when a horse has any issues such as being too strong or forward, leaning on the bit, locking their jaw, putting their tongue over the bit or any other issues; this may be caused by some training or schooling issue. Throwing a stronger or more severe bit in your horse’s mouth is definitely not the answer! This can make your horse’s problem even worse and cause them a lot of discomfort. My new horse Honey is very hot headed and nervous, she has a very sensitive mouth and I found it very difficult to find a bit that she would accept and happily chew away on. I found the answer with a Nathe Pelham. I think these bits are absolutely amazing and would recommend anybody who has a horse with a sensitive mouth to try one. They are made of soft and flexible rubber which Honey absolutely loves! She is so much more relaxed and accepting than when I ride her in a simple linked metal snaffle. The Pelham is definitely not as severe as a pelham with a steel mouthpiece as the soft rubber is so flexible and forgiving and it gives me just the right amount of pressure and control for my hot headed little thoroughbred. The Nathe bits come in a large variety of styles and sizes and I would encourage everybody to have a look.

Do you have any issues with choosing a suitable bit for your horse? If so, we advise that you seek advice from your regular instructor or a reputable instructor that you trust. Often a second opinion from a trusted person can mean the world and we are sure your horse will thank you for it J Check out our full range of bits on our bit section on our Tictac Equestrian website. If you have any questions for our team or any advice you would like to share with our customers, we would love to hear from you! Contact us through our Facebook or Twitter.