MYLER BITS

I know little about these Myler Bits and wondered if any of you had knowledge of them?

I know nothing Have taught a few kids with them, and a couple of adults with youngsters, they look really severe. I though OMG, what on earth, but they assured me they were super kind, I dont have enough knowledge on them to be convinced either way TBH.
I use a KK, only because it works, its what she has always had, is a mild bit and was a gift. I dont think I would be a person that spents £100 or similar on a bit....but, if its needed and worked, course i would! I am just a bit of a old cow now maybe. But am always happy to try new things, but..... only the once

I use a KK too, and would be really interested to hear about peoples experiences with mylers having heard a lot but never used them

Which KK do u use? I use the one with a 'sausage' in the middle, have heard this is nice and soft. I presume it is as has min nutcracker action, with the double joint, and with the rounded sides in the 'sausage' doesn't have the edges of the Dr Bristle sitting upright on the roof of the mouth, and a little kinder than a French link as this still has a little nutcracker action because of the shape of the 'peanut' in the middle. Let me know what you think, as I say I dont know a lot about all these new bitting ideas, and would welcome and info.

I'm a massive fan and will try KK again on any new horse in the future! I'm BIG on being kind to their mouths and schooling rather than using harsher and harsher bits to solve problems, although I accept there is a place for most of them.

I don't know which one I've got Its a loose ring, the lovely soft metal and I think a peanut in the middle, and slightly shaped pieces... I wanted the equivalent of a french link which F goes very well in. He goes even better in this one! He was spoilt with the first KK one (the same but full cheeks since he was young and steering was an issue at the time) full price, but the loose ring was on ebay - there are often KK bits on there 2nd hand for £25 ish.

I rode Tilly in a Myler at Toni's, and I loved the fact that the reins were totally independent, the movements were separate. I don't know how Tilly's mouth is, but she was salivating a lot and I had a really nice contact...there was no fighting. The other thing I liked is that it got a quick response. We worked in the arena for a while after the hack and Tilly has the same trot as Bella - calm to start with but then she picks up speed. I was able to do really gentle half halts though and it worked immediately.....If I could afford it I'd definitely get one for B. I'm not too fussed about Jay, as his pinchless hanging cheek seems to work really well and I'm not doing enough with Honey to warrant anymore than her lozenge really.

As Helen says, Tilly is ridden in a standard myler comfort snaffle. She was in a loose ring when I got her bit she was quite hard mouthed so I changed it and now she is much softer.

Todd however had the opposite problem, he is extremely soft mouthed and he cam being ridden in a mexican grackle and dutch gag. I assume that because he is almost 17.3 the last owner just over bitted and strapped him down. He hated any contact and would throw his head and hollow. I changed him into a myler combination snaffle and he works beautifully in it. He will hack out on a loose rein in an outline. The beauty of them is the pressure and reward system, once they are in the correct position which is comfy for them any poll or curb action is negated teaching them to work in that postion. The independant rein action is really helpful too.

I looked on the myler website and just as i was getting a bit better understanding of the different levels it went over the top of my head.

I have a 'teacher training day' on June 8th, and the topic is 'modern bits and saddle fitting', and was hoping to get hands on these bits with discussions too.

Don't worry Lorraine, it confuses me too and I've looked at it at least half a dozen times!!

Oh you have to give us some feedback from that Lorraine....

I genuinely know nothing at all about them. All of mine are in simple eggbutt snaffles for everything including hunting, and I've always been of the mindset if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Salad has been in a double for the stressage, but I preferred his way of going in the snaffle so just stood out as the only one there not in a double normally.

I have a little rugby pelham I've used on the odd project horse, but I think I've been lucky with the ones I've had, who pretty much all been started by me or been out of racing and used to loose ring snaffles.

I have had the problem of moving 'on' to a double, dont think I have had the best experience to do this, its really hard when yr horse goes forward and nice into a snaffle to then say, ok, we need to move into ele now, heres a double

I use a myler comfort snaffle on the big chap, he has a very sensitive mouth and has always fought contact, it has take time for him to accept it, had to start of working him long and low for a few months before collecting him, however finally he seems to be accepting it.

He wears his myler in all three phases ( dressage sj and cc ) although cc I do put a grackle on as well.

I have also tried him in a french link, and happy mouth, and I have found he goes best by far in the myler. He too salivates a lot in it.

So wat is the 1st stage myler? Is it the really big one with black string attached?

toad22 wrote:

I have had the problem of moving 'on' to a double, dont think I have had the best experience to do this, its really hard when yr horse goes forward and nice into a snaffle to then say, ok, we need to move into ele now, heres a double

Yup and they curl up behind the contact! Salad has a very soft mouth, and he was worried about it. I never did persevere because I stopped that year. I had a GP schoolmaster that went beautifully in his, and he really helped me develop 'feel', I'm fine with a horse thats used to one, but should really sort out how to school a horse properly through the transition period.

What did you do to get through it?

Sorry should I start a new thread? (had a complementary gin twist and forgetting my manners)

no idea sorry, if you compete you have to be careful though certainly for dressage only a few are dressage legal.

just cheaked as far as I can see myler comfort is a level one.

The higher the level the more severe the bit and higher the port size

Thank you llannerch for that. 'the higher the level the more severe the bit and higher the post size'. That makes things much clearer. I need to read the website again now. See i f i can progress.

So if a mw irish cob isnt accepting the contact and taking it down a little, and has limited brakes when in company, and usually is ridden on the snaffle or 2nd ring down of a 3 linked loose ring french link, what would you any of you suggest? The riders hands are ok but could be better, the horse is 12yrs.

So why does a higher... I presume better level of contact have a higher port?

I think I am missing a basic concept of the bit maybe...