Well, I tried yet another bit on Mia on Wednesday, a 3-piece snaffle with a copper roller in the middle. While she was more accepting of the bit I was still getting some head tossing when I applied rein aids. Tear my hair out time, what COULD be wrong? I had lightened my contact, which she liked, I was doing my rein aids lighter and lighter, which met with Mia's approval, Debbie said my hands were fine, and what else could it be? Debbie and I discussed it and decided we needed to go bitless at least for the next few weeks so Mia did not get into bad habits.

When we untacked her I got an idea, and I looked into her mouth. After some discussion with Mia I finally got to see into her mouth from the side. And there it was, Mia's tongue now filled the whole cavity of her mouth, there was absolutely no room for a bit. No wonder she was so resistant to the rein aids! No matter how good my hands were or how gentle the bit was there was NO WAY Mia would ever be comfortable in the bits I used. When I got home I thought through my considerable bit collection, and the only one that would even begin to be thin enough was an old 4 3/4" Mullen mouthed loose ring overcheck bit, with REALLY tiny rings. I thought about trying to fine one wide enough for Mia, looked at the thinness of the mouthpiece and decided I was being ridiculous, the mouthpiece might be thin enough for Mia's mouth but it was way too thin for my comfort. What if I lost my balance and accidentally hit Mia's mouth. OUCH!!!! No, all bits are unacceptable to Mia now, and I will not risk injuring her tongue just to try and prove a point.

I thought back. Around two months ago Mia had started resisting the bit I was using, the Wellep full cheek snaffle, not a lot but I was having to make my rein aids lighter. Then I tried the Mullen mouth which was fine except Mia wanted something to play with in her mouth--she likes moving her tongue and playing with the bit! I don't blame her, I am sure it gets really boring just going around the ring no matter how much I try and amuse her. Then I tried to adapt the Wellep bit (with bit converters) so it would be useable for both of us. Mia then decided she really did not like it. Mia, like all of us is getting older every year, and is now in her late 20's at least. As horses get really old they grow out their molars, a lifetime of chewing wears them down to stubs. At the same time the front incisors start slanting forward. Both of these things together brings the top and the bottom jaw closer together until there is absolutely no room for any bit. I think her mouth had gotten smaller and smaller all fall until there just was not enough room for the bit which seems to explain her gradually worsening reactions. I won't be using a bit on Mia again.

Looking for the silver lining in this situation I decided that this was a golden opportunity to get my hands back in with the Dr. Cook's and the Nurtural cross-under bridles so that I can make an educated comparision with the Spirit Bridle when I can afford one after Christmas. I am really curious if the difference in the rein attachments makes a big difference in using the cross-under bridles. The other wonderful thing is that it means that my hands had not degraded severely, and that my bits should be fine with other horses. Since the effects of MS tend to get worse with time this is a great relief for me, I trust the horses to tell me how bad my disabilities are.

I went out this morning all cheerful, my hands should still be good enough to use a bit! I used the Myler bit again. Shannon remarked that Cider willingly took it into her mouth, she had gotten reluctant to take the Wellep bit when I was using two pairs of reins on it (another experiment that did not work out.) Cider cheerfully took full contact with the bit, nice stable contact that tells my hands where they are. Nice full contact, but at first when I used my normal strength rein aids, the head shaking and going behind the bit started. This stopped as soon as I lightened my rein aids almost as gentle as trying to stroke the back of a butterfly. Then something wonderful happened, as long as I kept my seat even and the reins even, Cider started traveling straighter. Every few strides she tried to pretzel herself, but she responded readily to my leg aid and straightened out again. The trick seems to accept the good steady contact that Cider gives while giving aids light enough to be almost unnoticeable. With my MS this is a real challenge, but I like anything that will make my hands lighter because light rein aids demand skill, you can't depend on force, proper timing and release become essential.

I will miss using a bit on Mia. She is soooo eloquent in telling me when my hands become unacceptable that she keeps me on the straight and narrow path. We would get a good conversation going, from tongue to finger, giving and taking, until we strode forward in perfect harmony (at least for a few steps.) But old age eventually comes upon us all and all we can do is adapt. Thank goodness for the cross-under bitless bridles because I have as much ability to control the horse as with a bit. Now I just have to figure how to replicate that wonderful conversation I used to be able to get with her.

Have a great ride!