Question
I am currently backing my 4 year old 14hh New Forest Gelding. He was cut late and being turned out with mares before I got him he developed a build up of muscle under his neck – this is reducing nicely with lunging and long reining. He lunges very sweetly and carries himself nicely on the lunge, long reins out and pops poles on the lunge too.
The only thing I am not happy with is he is very ‘faffy’ with his bit – a loose ring sweet iron snaffle with a lozenge – and tense through his jaw and more keen on forward transitions. He has had his back, feet and teeth checked and I have had his wolf teeth taken out. I would like to get him an NS Bit and see if it helps to relax his jaw and improve his responsiveness, but I can’t decide which he would be best in. I’ve been looking at the Starter mouthpiece or just the Tranz Angled Lozenge Loose Ring. Any advice would be helpful, thank you.
Suggestion
In this instance we would suggest that the most logical choice would be the Tranz Angled Lozenge Full Cheek with the slimmer 14mm mouthpiece as the first choice and the second choice would be the Tranz Angled Lozenge Eggbutt, again with the slimmer 14mm mouthpiece.
Geldings that were cut late and possibly even covered are always busier in the mouth. This coupled with the fact that he is only 4 and teething would explain his “faffy” mouth and tension through the jaw. We would agree with the Tranz Angled Lozenge mouthpiece, but would suggest that a fixed cheek, such as the Eggbutt of Full Cheek, which would introduce some stability which should quieten and relax him through the jaw. The Eggbutt or Full Cheek should also help with directional control once under saddle.