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  Discussion on Is 17 mons old too young for a bit?
Author Message
Member:
Leec

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 6, 2006 - 2:59 pm:

Hi all,
I am about to start ground driving my coming 17 month old filly. My plan was to do this with just attaching the lines to her halter and wait until she is 2 before introducing the bit. However, yesterday I was doing some ground work with her and when I held the bridle up (just meaning to go though the motion of bridling her) she grabbed the bit, so I put it all the way on her. She just stood there with the bit in her mouth, no chomping or fussing. Although, I am still planning to use the halter until she understands forward, left, right and whoa with me behind her, I wondered is 17 months old too young to be using a bit? For some reason I’ve always felt one should wait until they’re at least 2 years old. Any opinions/feedback would be great.
LeeC
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Sep 7, 2006 - 8:56 am:

I see nothing wrong with carefully introducing a bit to a long yearling.
DrO
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Thursday, Sep 7, 2006 - 12:00 pm:

Most yearlings here in Ireland are shown in a bit. Personally at this stage I would only use a "foal bit" which is black plastic with loose rings (not soft rubber but very gentle). I think I'd just let her wear it in the stable for a while though, and wait until 3 yo not 2 yo unless it's a thoroughbred horse to do anything except leading or standing quietly in the stable.

All the best

Imogen
Member:
Leec

Posted on Saturday, Sep 9, 2006 - 6:01 pm:

Thank you both for your feedback. DrO, when you say introduce, do you mean only what Imogen has said or do you mean also to start teaching them to give to it? I have only had horses now for 3 years after having not had them for 15 years (lack of finances, time etc.), and was quite surprised that they are actually being 'ridden' as young as they are. When I had young horses years ago (QH crosses & grades), they were pretty much only halter broke until the fall of their 2nd year, then we would back them and leave them alone until they were 3. Now, it seems a lot of people are not just putting bits in horses mouths at a young age, they are actually backing them before they are 2 (maybe this is not new, but I missed it living out in the toolies...). Mind you, perhaps the majority of these horses are going into the showpen or to the track. The exception being with warmbloods - I have not heard of them being started that young. Anyway, when people started to say to me, 'so, you'll be starting your filly next spring?'... I thought it seemed a bit young. However, now that my only other horse is out of riding commission until possibly next fall, I started to wonder if it would be okay to lightly start her at 2. She is Thoroughbred-Quarter Horse. She is in the 'more physically and mentally mature group', as opposed to the opposite when compared to others I know at the same age with similar breeding. At almost 17 months, she is 14.3hh at the wither and 15.1hh at the hip (her sire is 15.3hh and her dam 16hh). I weigh 108lbs. There is no reason I have to start her at 2, but I just found it interesting that so many of the horsey people I know assumed I would be...
LeeC
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