i ride my foxtrotter in a broken full cheek snaffle with a copper link in it. i am considerig getting a new bit for her. she is starting to "pull" a bit more. (no pun intended) my question is this, do i get the comfort bit or the training bit with no shanks? i am not sure that i need the shanks. she gaits well so that is not the problem. she does ride good in her halter and lead rope too. just once in awhile she gets a bug up her tail and wants to go her way. do any of you ride with the training bit all the time or does everyone ride with the shanks? i have a hard time with change so i need every opinion i can get.
I ride my Walkaloosa gelding in the ICTB. He came to me a year ago in the regular ICB, but he hated the curb. Tried a full cheek snaffle, but the broken mouthpiece was not to his taste at all. So, I bought the training bit and left it in the snaffle position for 8 months. He went much better (no head tossing and shaking, no rushing) and when he began to be more responsive, I moved the reins into the mild curb position on the ICTB. He's improved remarkably in softness.
Though I am training him in NH, we do not ride in a halter alone. My boy always wants to go his way, and it's a daily struggle to maintain dominance. He needs contact with his mouth to maintain gait.. maybe that was the way he was trained before I got him. But, we are happy with the training bit, so I'm not messing with a good thing just now. I can recommend it.
