This week I got to try the Wellep single jointed snaffle bit on Mia. I brought both Mia's bridle with the JP Dr. Bristol and the bridle I used on Cider last week with the Wellep bit so that Debbie could make a choice. After listening to how Cider reacted to the bit Debbie decided it would be worthwhile to try the Wellep bit on Mia. Debbie had a little trouble getting the bit into her mouth, Mia saw it and did not know what to think of it, just that it was a different bit, one that she had not seen before or approved of. Once the bit was in Mia settled down, the poor mare had been trimmed the day before and her front feet were a little tender. Luckily in the deep sand in the ring she went better than outside on the fine gravel.

As usual when introducing a new bit I started out in a loose rein walk. My loose rein walk is not a poky shuffle around the ring, as I always ask the horse to stretch out its stride. During the first 15 minutes or so I started using the bit for a few halts and for some brief sessions of light contact. I got the usual "you mean that I have to obey this bit too?" from Mia, but by the third halt she was mostly back to her usual responsiveness. By then Mia had decided that this bit was okay and she started reaching for contact on her own. I started off with light contact, and as Mia warmed up I started working up to full contact. By the end of my lesson Mia gave me some decent trot with full contact, but by that time I was too tired to make it around the ring posting. I ended the lesson with a nice slow sitting trot on light contact and Mia was quite willing to keep contact with the new bit.

On Friday I had transfered the Wellep bit to Mia's regular bridle. The Micklem Multibridle, small horse size, is just too big for Mia's lower head, so on her I have to use a pony size Multibridle nose piece and the horse size crown piece. Arabs can be really challenging to fit a bridle so the horse is completely comfortable (my most callenging Arab case ended up with a warm-blood sized browband, horse sized crown piece, and cob sized cheek pieces.) Mia was slightly more cooperative about taking the bit into her mouth. Her feet were less sore so she moved out well, and I had no problems with contact-loose rein, light contact, or full contact-Mia liked this bit! I had some trouble changing over from a 3-piece mouth bit to a single jointed mouth bit, my fingers are having to recalibrate themselves somewhat, so our performance was not as smooth as usual, but I am sure when my fingers learn the new bit that we will get back to normal.

Unlike Cider, Mia did not play with rotating the barrel of the bit in her mouth. This may be because I put the bit up a hole higher in Mia's mouth than I had in Cider's mouth (one wrinkle.) Mia was NOT slobbering. By the end of both rides Mia was gently "chewing" on the bit, gently taking the reins through my relaxed fingers when I halted her. She seems to like the fact that when I got to full contact the mouthpiece stiffened to the Mullen mouth like mode, and I was able to easily send her into the bridle to take full contact. Unlike the Mullen mouth snaffle, the Wellep bit still feels "alive" to my fingers on full contact when the mouthpiece is stiff, and Mia reacted like the bit felt "alive" to her too. It must be that steel cable going through to mouthpiece, I think that since the horse can move the mouthpiece 3/8" from side-to-side it helps ameliorate some of the problems my hands have from my MS, and Mia did not tighten her jaw and tongue as she did in the Mullen mouth snaffle. This is gratifying, if Mia has ANYTHING in or on her head that does not meet her exacting standards of comfort she flips her head or yanks the reins out of the rider's hands or tries to rub the bridle off on the fence. I don't mind too much, I'd much rather know that the horse is uncomfortable so I can fix the problems by my next ride.

Mia has graduated to being a regular lesson horse! Debbie changed Mia to the Nurtural bitless bridle for lessons. She has a 10 year old girl riding her in the group lesson, and Mia is behaving both while being groomed and in the ring, giving the little girl no problems at all, she even trotted willingly. This has happened to me before, my MS symptoms irritate the horses so I have to ride on an advanced level, but then the horses usually are so happy to have a normally reacting human on their backs that they are happy to plod around and obey their beginning riders. This is sort of frustrating to me, that I have to ride so well to get a good performance and then a beginner has no problems, but on the other hand it is also gratifying that the horses I ride improve so much in obedience that beginners can ride them. At least when using the Nurtural bitless for lessons Mia's mouth is not abused in any way and I can go on working on contact without having to overcome any additional problems that come with beginners using a bit. I am so proud of that little Arab mare, that she can be used for beginners! Can you imagine a greater thrill for a little girl than to learn to ride on an Arab? I can't.

I finally got my lever cheek Wellup bit, the one that adds poll pressure. I am going to try it on Cider the next time I get to ride her. I have a few reservations about the lever cheek as it looks like the top of the cheek piece of the bit might turn in and rub the horse's face if I use an opening rein for turning. Apparently some cross-country riders used the lever cheek Wellep for cross-country competition. To me it looks more like a bit for loose-rein riding or REALLY light contact, not for the pounds of pressure needed to control a horse in a full gallop. I ordered some leather bit guards, maybe they will help with the extra width (5" in a 4 3/4 mouth) and with the possible face rubbing. It will be interesting to see if my hands are good enough to keep good contact with this bit. I have no problems with contact using the snaffle Wellep bit, the horses do not seem irritated at all with it.

Have a great ride.