Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question posed is: What horse or horse type has a Waterford bit worked the best on in your career?
Here are their answers:
“About 5 years ago, I had a horse with a very active hind end for a junior rider. He was quite wiggly, like a “fish tail” at times behind. He also had a smaller mouth, so I ended up showing him in a Waterford bit. It helped him focus on self carriage, and although he didn’t lean or get strong 100% of the time, I found it encouraged responsiveness in conjunction with the rider’s aids to control his hind quarters better.” -Quinn Partridge
Read more from Quinn here.
“I have used and liked a Waterford bit on lots of different horses in my career. Sometimes on horses who root or get strong and lean on the contact. Sometimes on horses who need the pressure dispersed throughout their mouth or ones who just have difficult mouths to bridle. For the jumpers, I particularly like the full cheek ball bit gag or the ball bit Pelham. Trust makes a Waterford with cylinder shaped mouth pieces instead of ball shaped links and I quite like it as it doesn’t have the potential to pinch! And when using a loose ring Waterford, remember to use bit guards so it doesn’t pinch!
But with any bit or bridle, it’s not just the equipment you use…it’s the hands that are using it!!” -Michael Tokaruk
Read more from Michael and listen to him on The Plaidcast here.
“We find that horses with narrow mouths, sensitive bars, and/or low palates like a Waterford bit. It lays flat on the tongue and distributes pressure nicely.” -Traci Brooks
Read more from Traci and listen to her on The Plaidcast here.
“I’ve had two horses that went well in a Waterford. One had a very busy tongue and was always playing with the bit, trying to get his tongue over (even when adjusted properly). Changed him to a Waterford bit and it helped a lot with his ADD. The other horse that it worked well on liked to lean on the bit and root a little. He was a lot better in the Waterford. Likely because it had less bar pressure.” -Jennifer Pigue
Read more from Jennifer here.
