I got in contact with Matt and sent some videos. I ended up with the same flatwork and jumping bits as you have. Game changer for my very fussy in the contact, but super throw your head up and charge when jumping, Irish Sports Horse!! Really pleased! Ember looked really relaxed on the flat in the comfy barrel
So good to see this, he's still anticipating it being uncomfortable, but every time he took his nose slightly in front of the vertical he stretched a bit more and seemed so much happier. His trot stride was noticeably longer! Well done listening to your boy.
Haven’t even got halfway through the vid yet but I just wanna say how bloody NICE it is to see a grackle that isn’t hiked up to the max tightness!! Good lawd it’s my BIGGEST pet peeve seeing tight nosebands 🙌
My OTTB Peregrine LOVED that Myler comfort snaffle. I had it in a Baucher. I went through similar bitting hell with him and amassed a large bit collection before I found the comfort snaffle and then it was all SOOOO much easier. If you think he needs even more stability, try that mouthpiece either in a Baucher or a full cheek (with keepers). Ember looked like an entirely different horse! You guys can make some real progress now!
OMIGOSH I understood ALL of that except I couldn't get the eggbutt part until I saw it , recognized the loops wow this is rather encouraging Lucy!! 😄😁 First time jumping this year and you got him back every time 🤯🤣 the head tilt didn't look, um sorry 🤭 manic, it looked.... playful?? No more eating the ears would be a VERY good thing!!! 😄😁😁❤️🥰
Expert bits ported blue eggbutt was magic for my ex racer. Bombers happy tongue have been magic on every tricky mouthed horse I have had but expert bits were £40 rather than £110 and had same result.
We had a bit fitter for my pony last year and omg the difference!!! Lucky for us the first one we tried was literally the one, much softer and happier pony and does everything in it. I think it’s similar to Embers, it’s an eggbutt with a barrel of some sort but some clearance for a fat pony tongue 😂
I love that bit. It changed everything for Lemme. I'm also using it on my little Morgan. He's really liking it also. I just love Ember, he is suck a QT!
Very interesting. I think there are many elements at play here......Embers maturity, lots of training both flat and jump, and finding the right tack. A long and interesting journey that looks like it is all coming together this year. Best wishes for the coming season.
One comment, Lucy, if I may: I notice that your hands are usually flat with open fingers. That FEELS like it's kinder, but it's really not. Close your fingers and turn your hand so your thumbs are always on top. Keep a bend in your elbows. That way you have a firm, supportive contact with elasticity in your elbows. Flat hands and thumbs on the side gives him nothing. 🙂
The thing is, when you’re trying new bits the horse is so used to a certain way and we don’t necessarily want to give him a bad experience straight away. For Ember even if the bit is perfect he’s so used to feeling discomfort that he’ll be expecting it to happen even when it doesn’t. There’s always a time to open and close the hand and I know Lucy knows what he needs . He’s just figuring out having a new bit and it’ll take him a while to relax and trust it.
No hate but your trainer looks way to big for your horse probably causing so much damage and don’t be like “she’s respecting the 20% rule” because its clear she isn’t specifically that horse looks small
My horse is mostly TB, has a very narrow mouth, low palate, and plump cheeks, finding a bit/noseband for him was quite the adventure!! I finally gave up and got a flexible rubber snaffle (the old fashioned black ones), and a loose cavesson that's more for decoration than anything. Problems sloved!! Could really see a difference in Ember's trot with the new bit xx
This was super interesting Lucy, I have the exact same problems with my tb, fussy and chompy in the mouth, reluctance to go forward into a contact and she has a small mouth, low pallet and huge tongue😋 I’ve tried this bit with a ported barrel to give her tongue room but may try the same as you to see how she goes and if not get expert bits out🙌 thank you for sharing🧡
Lucy very good video , AND SO glad you maybe getting your biting ishowe solved .TAKE CARE and all the best ,AND a BIG thank you to Justin's help .Thank you to mat .😊😊😊👍👍👍🐶🐶🐶
Personally I love Herm Sprenger Aurigan or German silver bits-French link with the "bullet" turned so it does not nutcracker at all=my horsies love 20 mm but with low pallet he could have much skinnier-my Dutch draft TB mare disliked bits and even this bit was yucky for a while-now she grabs it out of my bridling hand and vacuums it in.
Im glad you finally addressed this! He looks much happier but please get his bridle fitted next, the headpiece is too tight and the buckle is too high . The grackle looks like a torture device too :(
I have a little ginger OTTB who does exactly the same thing - fiddles with in his mouth, cocks his head and drops back off the contact - he is like sitting on a rocking horse. Put pressure on and he just comes back at you 🤷♀️ He’s in a loose ring with lozenge link, and it’s some sort of warming metal, best I’ve found so far (and oh have we tried them all!!), but watching this, having a fixed ring so it’s more stable, with a bit that is designed for a small pallet makes much more sense! I’ll be ordering one of these I think! Ember is looking fab 🥰
So they were great for him last year at that point in his training, but found he started to run through the flexi mouthpiece in the end rather than take the contact down and forward. Also why the cross country turned a little too hairy 🙈
@@footluceeventing that's super interesting. Thank you. I had a similar experience with them. Loved them for the first year with my TB but found she got a bit dead to it jumping (bit quick!). I've actually landed with a fixed ring Fager Marcus which isn't too dissimilar to the bit you've got now (I think) x
You both have come so far overcome so many obstacles and best team and so proud of you Lucy and Ember and keep up the fantastic work 🦋🌸💕🌞🌞🌞✨🌷❤️❤️🪻🌼🌺🌺🌞🌞🌼🌼❤️❤️🌷🌷🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴📚🌞🌞🌼🪻❤️🫶🏻🫶🏻❤️🌻🌷✨✨📚🌼🌺🌞💕🌸🌸🦋🦋🌸💕💕💕🌞🌞🌺🪻🪻🪻🐴🐴🐴🌷❤️❤️🫶🏻❤️🐴🐴🐴🐴🪻🌞🌞🌞🦋🫶🏻🌸💕🌸🫶🏻🌺🌺🌺🪻🌞🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🌷🌷😊😊😊😊😊❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Such a good idea Lucy! Hope you find the perfect Bit that Ember feels happy comfortable with loves too.🌺🌞🌞🌺🌸🪻🌞🌺🌸🌸💕🫶🏻💕❤️🌷🐴🐴🦋🌼✨🫶🏻🌺🪻🐴🌷🌻🌻🌸🪻🫶🏻💕🌼🌼🌼🌼🫶🏻💕🦋🦋🌸🌺🌺🪻🐴🐴🌸💕💕🦋❤️🌸🌼🌼🌺🪻🌸🐴🐴❤️❤️🌷❤❤❤❤❤😊😊❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
He looks much softer in the barrel eggbutt! Only things i would say are with the comfort mouths you often need to go up half an inch so the angles of the mouthpiece sit where they should and the bit looks rather high and having it lower would help him relax, obviously i cant see the inside of his mouth so i dont know his anatomy but you want the bit sitting where the 2nd groove on the top pallet is as a rule of thumb, different horses will be different though and like it in different positions so you could try putting some bit butter on it to make him want to take it more and then just let him hold in in his mouth to find where its most comfortable for him then adjust your bridle according to that. Ive also noticed the buckles on his bridle are rather high, you want buckles to be in line with the corner of the eye or slightly lower otherwise they can affect the TMJ and make them sore there/give them a headache. His headpiece also looks tight over the top (which would loosen if you drop the bit slightly/allow him to pack the bit) and slightly tight against the back of his ears (which could be fixed with either a larger browband or a different anatomically shaped headpiece as long as you got the right headpiece for him as not all 'anatomical' ones actually fit every horse anatomically depending on which one is causing the issue). I hope this helps and i can try and answer any questions if you have any! -Someone looking to become a bit and bridle fitter
