An ex polo pony used to a gag how would i get him used to a different bit?

RedVixen: An ex polo pony used to a gag how would i get him used to a different bit?
I just purchased an ex polo pony to use for hacking. He is very sweet natured but is used to having a gag bit used on him. I dont want to use this bit and wonder what other bit i could try on him and how to get him adjusted to a new bit? He is not strong in hand just very dead in the mouth from polo. Thanx any help appretiated.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Levi.xx
start by putting the reins through the first hole in the gag (the holes closest to his mouth).

polo pony owners often use gags on horses because gags make the horses mouth sensitive, you need hardly any contact and the horse responds.

good luck 🙂

Answer by Qiri Q
Keep the part that is inside his mouth the same when you are first switching. Gags are usually plain singlejointed snaffles so I would go with a simple bit like an eggbutt snaffle or evena loose ring. Polo ponies usually have very sensitive mouths so you shouldn’t need much bit for regular riding.

Answer by lemondrop3620
start with a well balanced loose ring snaffle (i’m partial to myler brand snaffles). if you find you need a little more leverage, you can try a full cheek with keepers. if you find that he lays on your hands, you can try a slow twist or square twist snaffle, you can find both mouth pieces in a full cheek or ring snaffle. remember that you’ll want to try out a bit for several rides to determine if it will work for you before switching to a new one (unless he’s obviously very uncomfortable.) it takes a few rides for a horse to become accustom to a bit.

Answer by JA12
You could try a hackamore. Bitless bridles often work on horses that will not respond to a reasonable bit.

Answer by Lusitano
I highly recommend a combination bit, like the Myler combination bit or an elevator/ pessoa bit that you can add a nose piece to. Ride with one or two sets of reins.

First, on the bottom ring, you have a bit that acts like a mild gag, but only moves about an inch up in his mouth, then stops. Once it stops, it acts like a curb bit (you can even add a curb strap) by giving poll pressure and tongue pressure. Depending on how tight you have the nose strap, it will start to give pressure before the gag or any time after. This is a good way to transition your horse to a curb or hackamore. If you have soft hands you can really adjust it and feel which part the horse is responding to!

Next, with the reins on the large snaffle ring, the bit acts a s a normal snaffle, bit with light pressure on the nose, or heavy, depending on how you set it.

I use a French ling elevator/Pessoa bit and in the winter a happy mouth for trails. I I attach an old flash band or leather strap across the nose from snaffle ring to snaffle ring, then tie it to the caveson so it doesn’t fall too low on the nose. I also add a curb strap to limit the bit’s movement. Depending on my horse’s energy level, i either put the reins on the snaffle ring, giving me that extra nose action so I don’t need much bit pressure, or I put it on the lower ring. It works very well with light hands and even in an emergency stop. My horse is now responding nicely to a serreta or a curb bit, but normally just uses a plain old snaffle. 🙂

myler combo bit:

Photo of my bit (forgot snaffle for pix) ;-(:
***edit***
I found a better pic of my bit!

click the arrows until you reach the gray horse with bridle

Answer by BAT
Go back to basics. A dee ring snaffle should work fine for you.

Answer by lisa m
Trying to hack out in just a snaffle when you’ve had quite a breaking system before is asking for trouble. I worked with high goal polo ponies for a few years and it’s not a good idea to try ride them out in just a loose ring snaffle when they have been in gags all their life. When we weren’t playing chukkas or schooling, we would hack them around the roads and countryside in pelhams with just the bottom rein and just having that curb gives you the leverage that you need.

Answer by annabanana242
I absolutely agree with Lisa M, I used to be an active university player in the states, not quite as nice of ponies as hers! Try riding in a pelham but before you go out hacking, I would do quite a bit of flatwork in a ring just until you are used to one another. As with any horse, the more lightly you use your hands, the more light in hand and responsive your mount will become.

Answer by westerngamergirl
a diamond- draw snaffle would be great, then progress down to a d-ring snaffle.