So as per our company ethos we were approached to become a stockist of Myler bits, we had been watching the evolution of Myler for a while & when the news broke that they had managed to get there bits with ports legal with British Dressage we were thrilled.
So instead of jumping in we needed to trial first, why do we do this you ask? Well as a retailer we feel it is really important to know our products as how can we truly sell anything without the knowledge behind it! We pride ourselves on this fact & we feel due to this we offer far more in terms of our customer service than most of the other retailers in this field.
I had previously used a Myler comfort snaffle for quite a few years with my horse Castle Troy. He was a big 18hh DWB but he loved the feel of the Myler comfort snaffle so much so I kept him in a snaffle all the way to Advanced level.
Bitting is such a contentious thing & it does like most things in the equine world move & change with fads & fashion. Back when I was a teenager it was fashionable to use bubble bits & Pelhams & french link snaffles.
Then it was a bit with peanuts then different types of metal. I once spent a whole day trying to find somewhere I could buy a German silver snaffle bit! So yes I feel all your pain 🙂
The trouble with all the above was that all the bits had a tendency to pinch in one way or another.
Plus we never gave a second thought as to the horses own mouth conformation!
Nowadays I’m much more safe when I bit, I don’t tend to try to many different bits as I have a good idea normally on what will or won’t work & once I find something that works I tend to stick to it. Good or bad that is what I do.
Now when it comes to my PRE (Andalusian) & bitting I get quite stressed, he’s not easy to bit & has suffered for years with multiple Diastimas (gaps between his teeth) his contact as a youngster due to these issues wasn't good. He also has a big tongue so peanut type bits he has never got on with.
When I saw the Myler 36 forward tilt ported barrel mouthpiece, I instantly thought ‘my god Galante would probably really like that bit’. He hates bits that sit on his tongue (which is most let’s face it ) The forward tilt of the port on this non-collapsing bit give tongue room even when the horse is off the contact, it is really the ultimate in comfort. However it is only a medium port so there is some tongue pressure for when you need the horse to re-focus on you.
Did i mention how excited i was to try this bit!
Having been riding in a Double bridle for the last few years with Galante, as this was the only option he was comfortable in, it was lovely to have Galante back in a snaffle bridle but not just any old snaffle bridle we chose the Stubben Freedom bridle. (btw we offer trials on these bridles)
I introduced the bit to him & then started having a little play in hand standing by the side of him & moving it around, once I was happy that he was happy, we moved to the arena & I jumped on.
Instantly I could feel a positive difference, I felt like he was moving into the bit rather than ducking behind.
Once I had fully got him used to the bit on a long rein I started to bring him up into a competition frame. He still felt extremely positive so I started moving him around laterally, his Half passes were brilliant, he stayed to the contact & I could even lift the shoulder by a half halt.
Galante has a nasty habit of grabbing hold of the bit & pulling using his ridiculously big wannabe stallion neck against me, as a way of getting away from me when I’m asking a bit more of him. I was worried he would get away from me, he tried it once & to no avail. He never bothered again after that & hasn't tried again since.
I then played with all the collected work & then changes which are still green & very airborne however he felt so comfortable & relaxed they were better than ever, needless to say the days that followed were all the same great work. So I decided to bite the bullet & take Galante to our trainer in the Freedom Bridle & the Myler 36
He felt mega more together happier & more stable in the contact. He was really happy to be forward to the bit & my two days away training where brilliant & we kicked it up yet another gear. I can honestly say I’m thrilled with the bit.
I will continue to ride in it now & compete plus i will be trying my tricky mare in this bit also.
So all in all i think this is the most positive review i could ever give, im no Bitting expert & dont try to be but Myler, make it fairly easy for a change with there amazing designs. We now have so many more options for our horses thanks to Myler.
Worried about which bit to choose? Well just drop us a line & we will be only to happy to help or go to Mylers own Facebook page
Needless to say we also feel the Stubben Freedom bridle is a great bridle to choose also.
Even though we haven't added the Bits yet to our website you can buy through us, just contact us, by Telephone, email or messages through our social media.