June 3, 2019

Kim Gentry Bit and Bridle Fitting Clinic: Part 1

Holy shit.  You guys.  I don't have enough exclamation points to describe how happy I am with last weekend's Kim Gentry bit and bridle clinic!!!  If you have the chance to do one of these, even if you don't think you need to, DO IT!

I went by myself and got zero media, so have a picture of my pack mule.
I've never done anything like this before.  If you haven't heard of these, GP rider Kim Gentry travels the country with a suitcase full of fancy bits and bridles - Neue Schule, Schockemoehle, that sort of thing. I went into it with no complaints about my bit, but I've never felt like I had a bridle that fit Connor, particularly behind the ears, and this sounded cheaper than buying and selling a pile of bridles to figure it out, so I paid my $150 and hauled him back to the farm we rode with Mary at.

I warmed up and she called us over.  After we talked about our background, she stuck her hand in his mouth to get to know his anatomy.  Some of the things she said were "low palate, large tongue, extremely sensitive bars, big puffy lips."

The first thing she put us in was a Neue Schule Turtle Top, a French link loose ring designed to lessen the pressure on his low palate.  Predictably (for me), he got his tongue over less than a lap in.

"Oh!" said Kim, "Do I have something for you, mister!"

I didn't recognize the second bit she put in his mouth, but HOLY SHIT it was a revelation.  The first thing I noticed was that his front end, neck and withers were lifted from the moment we left the mounting block.  The second thing I noticed was that he felt SO good in the contact - consistent, light, comfortable.  The third thing I noticed was that I had access to every part of his body with so little effort, he felt like a gumby horse compared to normal.  And the fourth thing I noticed: instead of launching himself into the canter chest and underneck first, he actually started the transition from his hind end and pushed forward instead of pulled.

"This is great!  He immediately got round in his topline, and that transition was great," she said.  "Let's try a variation on that bit and see if he likes it better."  This was the same bit, but with a slightly more forward curve to it.


Within seconds, I knew this one wasn't it.  He was back to feeling like a wood block.  But I was glad she tried it, because after that I got a second spin with the Choirs of Angels Bit, and it was just as good the second time.

This time, she taught me a brief 10 minute lesson.  And it was then that I was really sold on this bit.  Connor was offering so much that she was able to push us way further into collection than I've ever felt on that horse before.  At one point she asked me to transition from canter to trot by pushing his hindquarters out on the circle and then leg yielding steeper and steeper until he was forced to offer trot, and I swear to god he was cantering in place with his front end so elevated it felt to me like he was rearing with each step (he wasn't, they have mirrors, remember I'm really not used to his front end actually being elevated), and I was smiling and laughing with a joy I couldn't hide.
What, you don't have a baguette mule?  He's a farmer's market essential accessory!

"THAT is an incredible transformation," she said.  "There's a really fancy Dressage horse in there, this is going to unlock new worlds for you.  And all it took was getting him really comfortable, that's what it's all about, finding the bit that makes them the most comfortable with their anatomy."

And, for me, being pushed that far with him and him not getting his tongue over the bit told me he really WAS comfortable.  I doubt he could get it over the port, but he wasn't even trying or thinking about getting it over.  Either way, both horse and rider were happy.

The bit?  A Bombers Happy Tongue loose ring.  Literally would never have tried this in a million years. From the website: "The Bomber Happy Tongue Loose Ring allows for immediate release and relief from tongue and bar pressure. The bit is immediately reset to a neutral position in the horse's mouth...The rider will know immediately if this is the correct bit, as a horse with a sensitive tongue will finally begin to work into, and accept the contact."  Um, yes, yes that was my experience!  (And yes, it's USDF legal.  May not be USEA legal based on quick inconclusive Googling).

It also has to be shipped by carrier pigeon from South Africa and will take a month to get to me.  Cue tears of sadness - I'm seriously considering giving him a month off until it gets here, I'm not sure I can go back to the way he felt before.  I'm not sure he wants it either.

Also the cheapest bit she sells at $90 so, yay!

Next up: bridle fitting!

28 comments:

  1. This is the bit I have Cisco in! Single joint - tongue over top. Double joint - rooting down. Myler comfort ported snaffle - flippy head. This Bombers bit - well, he's no majikal fancy prancing horse yet, but we have something to work with! Though I do think that there is a better option for him still out there.

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    1. That's so interesting! I can't wait to get the chance to ride in it on a regular basis.

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  2. Hampton goes in this bit! Unfortunately it is not USDF legal as a bradoon. Great bit tho!

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    1. Ok that's interesting. Educate me? What specifically has to be different about the bradoon vs the single snaffle that one would be legal and the other wouldn't be?

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    2. I'm not really sure why this bit isn't legal as a bradoon but the Myler comfort mouth IS - it's not exactly the same, but offers similar tongue relief. I think USDF is just weird? I should email them and ask actually. Maybe it has something to do on how it interacts with a Weymouth? Interesting is that Bomber has a happy tongue curb bit that is legal. So I think USDF just likes to confuse us. Yep, that's it.

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    3. I think bradoons have to be single or double jointed?

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  3. Very interesting! I recently changed bits at my trainer's recommendation, and didn't really feel much difference. But I think it's my riding / my hands are too light and unsteady to maintain proper contact so I'm not sure even if we found the perfect bit I would be able to tell! ::laughcry::

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    1. I've definitely had that experience before. It was fascinating to genuinely feel a big positive difference.

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  4. This bit was the source of Nilla's complete transformation. She went from hanging her tongue 6" out of her mouth in every different type of bit I tried, to accepting. I love it.

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    1. Dang, ya'll been holding out on me! I never knew it existed. Or maybe I should pay better attention to bits. Interesting and heartening either way!

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  5. Cool! Glad you found something that had such a drastic change! Hopefully the carrier pigeon finds an airplane or ship when his wings get tired so you can get it sooner. lol

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    1. I knowwwwwwwww. I was like "What can I do? How much can I pay? Anything to get it here sooner!"

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  6. Omigoshes! I am SO excited for you and Connor! That was the best $150 (plus the new $90) I felt you have ever spent. What a revelation!

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    1. Awww, thanks! I completely agree, money well spent.

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  7. That sounds like a really great clinic and how awesome you found such a perfect bit! I just emailed Kim to see if she comes to the New England area!

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    1. Cool! I hope she does. She has a clinics page on her website but doesn't list upcoming ones, which is a shame because otherwise I would stalk it for a riding clinic, I really enjoyed the lesson.

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    3. I just googled and she is in Massachusetts on June 22 & 23rd. I am so bummed there is no way I can get there that weekend!

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  8. Oh wow! It's amazing what finding the right bit will do. I haven't found the right one for Eros yet, I'll have to see if there are any similar clinics in my area. Does she have an understanding for jumping horses too, or exclusively dressage?

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    1. That's a good question, I'm not sure. She's a GP Dressage rider herself so for sure that's more in her wheelhouse, but the basics of mouth anatomy are the same in both disciplines so I would think she could do both at least from a horse comfort perspective.

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    2. Also, Bossy Bridle here in CT sells them, maybe they have one in stock?

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    3. Oh that's a good thought! I already ordered it through Kim though. Leah has a knockoff Shires that's similar that she's going to let me borrow just to try it. If it's even a little better than my baucher it'll be worth it to try.

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  9. Was just scrolling to ask about the similar looking shires- would love to hear if it works similarly! In the mean time, must see if she comes to the great white north. I’d love to bring bailey to something like this...

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    1. The knockoff Shires will be here today, I'll make sure to update and let you know!

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  10. I’ve heard great things about that bit!! I’ve been super happy (as has Katai) with my Neu Schule pony performance eggbutt but it is so amazing how different each horse is!

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    1. Yeah it really is amazing how different they all are. Mouth conformation is fascinating.

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  11. I want to know how you get your baguette mule not to eat the baguette. (My huskythings are kind of feral around baked goods, though.)

    It's really fascinating to me how MUCH difference one bit with very small differences from another can totally change a horse's comfort level and way of going. I grew up riding western ranch ponies and everything went in little 'grazing' curb bits or hackamores and then the h/j barn I rode at in HS literally did not own a bit that was not a D-ring snaffle. This sounds like an amazing clinic and I wish there was something like that around here (okay, realistically, within a 6 hour drive)- there's so much to be learned!

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    1. Haha, Hank is the most food motivated dog I've ever owned. He did try to spin in a circle and grab it but we told him to knock it off and he did. His behavior is so much more GSD than Husky, which means he's delighted to work for people and definitely wants to please (unlike our previous Husky/Malamute mix who would flip you the finger any chance he got lol)

      Yeah, I think we're only at the beginning of understanding what kind of role bits play. It was so fascinating to me that we changed from the bit he liked to one that was almost identical except it was tipped a bit more toward his front teeth and that was just as bad as my NS. Such a subtle difference clearly matters, so I'll bet there are a lot more subtle differences out there that matter too.

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