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[sjharris53]

I am brand new to the world of gaited horses.  At 60 years of age, yesterday I bought my first gaited horse after a lifetime of riding quarter horses and appaloosas.  My biggest concern right now is choosing a proper bit for my new boy.  When I rode him before buying him, he was in a twisted sweet iron broken bit with the typical walking horse shanks.  I ride my AQHA mare with a D ring snaffle; what suggestions can you give me for buying one for him?

I have been researching online, and found a pricey one called the Gary Lane Western Freedom Curb Bit "Phase III": 

http://www.nationalbridle.com/product-p/1-8037.htm
 Another one that I read about is  described as a T bone curb with a center wrapped latex bar: 

http://macgregorstables.com/A%20training%20guide%20on%20bits.htm 

I realize it may take time to find the right bit for him, but what is a good gentle one to start out with?  I really want to ride him in the lightest bit possible.   He is a 7 year old TWH, who will occasionally push his nose out.  Like I said, I am totally new to the world of gaited horses, and welcome advice, input from you experts!  Thanks! 

[abbypeaches]

Have you done any ground work with your new horse to establish a relationship that way first? And if I were you, I'd try some of the less severe bits in an arena & see how he does. Try some inexpensive bits to see what works before you invest in something really pricey. Is he hard-mouthed? What did the previous owner tell you about him & how he goes? Is he a rushy-type horse or he is calm & bomb-proof? 
  Do you have a friend or found a trainer willing to help you in this journey? That could prove invaluable.
  Also, get the book,"Easy-Gaited Horses" by Lee Ziegler. She has lots of good advice in it.
  Good luck & keep us posted.  Marilyn

[sjharris53]

He seems calm, but I am not a good judge of whether he is rushy or not - riding a gaited horse is quite a new experience for me.   I purchased him from a TWH breeder in Shelbyville, TN, and will be picking him up tomorrow. His owner told me he is very calm and safe, but does tend to toss or push out his nose from time to time.   I am planning to do round pen work with him, and let him settle in to his new home.  All my friends ride stock type horses, some even think I'm a little nuts for going gaited!  But I am very willing to learn, and do right by this sweet boy!

Is there a specific bit you would recommend to try?  I was thinking of heading out to my tack store later today.   Just a training snaffle?  Just watched a Charles Wilhelm episode where a TWH was being ridden in a snaffle, and the discussion was on the importance of groundwork to get him to soften, lower his head, and learn impulsion.

Thank you for your book suggestion - I think I'll be riding all the good advice I can get my hands on. 

[KysaSD]

Good advice there, and I will add one more.  If you have some bits you already own, snaffles, try them first.  Try in an arena or round pen, and become familiar with the horse.  You can also try some short shanked solid mouth (with some tongue relief) bits, if the horse is expecting poll signals.
And if you don't already own what works for the horse, find a tack store that carries Myler bits, and chances are they will do bit rental.  I am a Myler dealer, but do bit rental on every brand of bits I carry.
The bit rental program is so you can try the bit on your horse and in your riding conditions before you commit to buy a bit.  Sure helps.

I ride all my gaited horses in a medium port bit, two in a snaffle of said mouthpiece, and one in short shanks.  Long shanked bits are not required for gait, although your horse might expect a long shanked bit. 

Mostly, no matter what bit you end up with, take some time in an arena setting to just get to know your new horse.

[gallatingal]

Gaited horses are just like any other horse, they need the right bit for them.  That being said I ride all my horses in a d-ring snaffle in the arena and out on the trail if they are controllable in it. I did have a Rocky for awhile that hated every snaffle I put in his mouth and so I ended up going with a very short shanked (4") TWH bit with a roller. He loved it and so that is what we did. I ride my husbands big racking horse with a snaffle for schooling but  he was trained to lean on the bit while racking. Although i am trying to get him over this, I do not fee comfortable riding him on the trail in a snaffle, so I ride him in an Imus bit. Just like any other breed you will have to figure out what works for him and you. The only thing with a curb that is different is that most gaited people  ride with two hands, so I would look for something that has loose rather than fixed shanks.

[sjharris53]

Renting bits - didn't know that was possible!  I think I"ll take the first few weeks just getting to know him, and doing round pen work.  I do have several snaffles I can use, and see how he responds.  In the meantime, I'll research Myler and Imus bits to learn about those.  Thanks for the tip on loose shanks vs fixed; he doesn't neck rein - again something new for me.   I have no doubt I'll be on here often for advice! 

Susan

[ClaudiaIN]

I always suggest using the bit he (she) is used to --
See if maybe even you can buy the current bit from the current owner

[Laurie]

I second what Claudia said .....ask the previous owner what bit the horse is used to.  He will have been trained and ridden in a particular bit, and I would suggest using what he is used to until you get used to riding a gaited horse.  Changing a bit may throw him for a loop.   I would get used to riding him in his standard equipment until you are real familiar with how he gaits, then make your changes if you want to change bits.  He will very likely react differently to a snaffle if he has never been ridden in one.

Many TWHs are ridden in a standard walking horse bit, which is a ported shanked curb bit.  If that is what he is used to it will be a big change to just put him in a snaffle........I'm not saying not to use a snaffle, but just realize that if this is a big change....he may gait differently.  First try what he is used to using

[Walkin45]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  Ditto What Claudia said.
Would be curious as to where you bought?

[kckc]

there are some things to consider depending on the type of trainer you bought him from.   some of the walking/racking horses are sort of backward trained - they are held very firmly (harshly is how I think of it now) in the mouth while pushed forward trying to get a headset and front leg action (knee height).  Some show horses routinely go faster if you pull in their mouths because it has been trained into them.  (some racking show horses actually slow and stop if you get out of their mouths).   It would be nice if this trainer were a different type - if the horse is used to a twisted bit with long shanks he may totally not understand how to react to nice soft hands.   if you have video of the horse being ridden (or have you ridden him?) you could get a feel for what training you are going to need to do.   some horses that start off with harsher bits have no respect for a snaffle because they do not know what you are asking for when you pull back or sideways.  can you ride with the prior owner or watch the trainer ride the horse to determine what the horse knows for stopping or going or mouth pressure?  do you know if the horse was a show or an attempted show horse?   ground work would be a really good way for you and the horse to get to know each other.
congrats!
ps, pictures are required  :-)

[crazy4equines]

I agree with the what the other have posted as well. I still ride my fox trotter mare in a o ring twisted wire snaffle bit. My daughter's Kentucky mountain mare is ridden in a mylar comfort snaffle bit and all of my other gaited horses in the past have been ridden in the mylar bit as well.

[NoBite]

Despite what you might be told, there are no "gaited horse bits" just as there are no "gaited horse saddles". We ride our gaited horses in low to medium port medium shank grazing type bits. Solid mouthpieces. But, really, we do that mostly because that is what we are comfortable with and our horses seem to get along with those bits. I test rode a horse a while back that the owner had trained with a simple snaffle bit. The horse liked it, but I did not have a good feel for that bit. In other words, I couldn't communicate effectively through that bit. It wasn't the horse's fault, but, still, the communication wasn't there and the result was a nervous rider and a poor horse-rider team. So, the only thing to add to what has already been suggested is this. Consider what bit YOU are comfortable enough with that you can communicate with all the nuances appropriate for the situation.

[Cowgirl Up]

Yelp good advise I only use a simple snaffle on my gaited boy. But big but get to know him .

[NoBite]

I sold a good horse that I had been riding for about two years. I always rode him in low port medium shank curb bit. The lady that bought him brought her own saddle and bridle, with a simple ring snaffle bit. I asked if she was sure she wanted to test ride him in that. She told me she almost always rode her horses in that bit. In other words, SHE was comfortable communicating with that bit. i would not have been, but the difference was me, not the bit! And, she did wonderfully well with that bridle and bought the horse. I have kept up with her and she continues to be very happy with the horse.

[Hatcherdm]

Agree with the advice given--but when learning to ride my TWH in a twisted wire snaffle with long shanks, I really worried that my hands were too untrained to use the bit--and he also seemed to respond negatively to my inexperience. I switched him to the Imus comfort bit, and saw an immediate response in his headset and his gait--all for the better.