MYLER COMBINATION BITS By Hilary Vernon

On the 27th March Horse & Hound published an article by International Judge and Trainer, Eric Smiley, suggesting that Myler Combinations, Mikmar Bits, Elevators and Four Ring Gags, should be banned from FEI competitions.

I can only talk with authority on the Myler Combination but he suggested that the problems with Combinations arise from the Western origins of the bits.

I am a very traditional and BHS trained Rider and have taken BHS exams to teach. But in my interest to learn as much as I can in order to be as well rounded as possible, I have had the great good fortune to have had instruction over the years on different forms of Riding and Equestrian Training among these Western Horses to try out Myler Western Bits. Myler has an extensive range of Bits many of which are never seen over in the U.K and Europe as they were designed specifically for the many Western Riding disciplines and techniques.

When we first discussed bringing a range of Myler Bits into the U.K only some of the mouthpieces out of the then 52 that were available were though correct for the way we ride over here and after lots of discussions Myler even designed or introduced different Cheek pieces to suit our larger range of traditional Equestrian disciplines.

As with all Bits and most particularly Myler Bits the most important thing is to choose the right mouthpiece for the individual Horse and then choose the cheek for either the discipline you are riding in or the degree of control you need. The Myler System used in its purest form by trainers taking a Horse from the beginning of its training onto becoming a superbly trained animal would work through a series of mouthpieces and cheeks as the Horse progresses and becomes increasingly better balanced and trained to more highly developed communication. The whole Myler philosophy is to start a young Horse off with comfort, security and very clear easy to understand signals and then to develop those signals into smaller, lighter and purer signals as the Horse progresses.

I always say this but it is very relevant; to train, ride and manage Horses correctly takes time and great deal of patience and the constant idea that you never stop learning. Although basic Horsemanship is the same the truly gifted adapt the basics to the individual Horse or rider / pupil. And at the end of the day simply placing a Bit in the Horses mouth does not train the Horse or damage it, it is the hands on the end of the reins that train and achieve or in some cases can hinder and damage.

The Myler Combination is a form of Bitting that will not suit every Horse and Rider and if it is used poorly without good fitting and backed by information and training it just like any other piece of equipment will not work or could even be detrimental in the wrong situation or wrong hands.

The Myler Combination is a simple re distribution of pressure as the rider uses the reins the pressure is distributed evenly between the nose the jaw and the poll and then lastly as the cheek turns the mouthpiece rolls down into the mouth, and depending on the chosen mouth piece uses pressures in different places inside the mouth. By distributing the pressure you naturally soften the signals by the very nature of using other places on the Horses head other than directly into the mouth. I have chosen when I have been doing my Bitting Days and Bitting Clinics to use the Myler Combination successfully on some Horses and have had excellent feedback from clients who have kept in touch with me over the years

Good uses of the Combination would be:

Training Young Horses ------- it is for some young Horses a natural progression to carrying a Bit. They are trained from an early age to yield to face pressure but it can be a huge step to go from face pressures alone suddenly to Bit pressure alone the Combination teaches a Young Horse to carry a Bit in its mouth while responding to clearer face pressure signals.

The Ridden But un Bitted Horse------- There is no reason for a Horse to wear a bit at all but if you want to teach a Horse that is trained only to face pressures to carry a Bit and turn it into a Bitted and Bitless Horse so that it is comfortable in all Bridles then the Combination is a great piece of equipment to achieve this

Re Training-------- the Combination can teach a Horse that has been severely Bitted or injured to confidently hold a bit in its mouth again. To put a Horse that has been badly Bitted into a Bitless Bridle really says to the Horse would you like never to be bitted again. Not leaving you with an easy way back to a Bit if you need one.

Re gaining signalling ability------ the Combination has been used very successfully on Horses that have learned through poor training not to heed the signals of a Bit alone it gives a Rider or Trainer the ability to ride the Horse while re teaching it to be responsive again to a Bridle.

All the above are subjects in them selves but none on the above can be rushed or achieved without time and patience and always at first used in a safe environment.

The main thing to remember of course is that if you are training or re training a Horse to improve its way of going then they simply cannot maintain a new frame for any period of time so you can often get a resistance or difficulty because the Horse is forced to maintain a shape that it is not accustomed to, and sometimes the rider gets heavier with the rein pressures to try to make the Horse keep the frame or the pace, thus desensitising the Horse to any pressure at all. So for every good bit of work a Horse must stretch and build up to sustaining a frame or a lightness in the Bridle over a period of weeks even months.

Equine Management and Training are in full agreement with Hilary Vernon.

We use a variety of bits from within the Myler Bitting System spectrum but in particular the Combination. We have found it to be an extremely useful addition to the tackroom for a range of breeds/types of horses whether starting their training, undergoing further training or in need of corrective or rehabilitative schooling, It is equally of use, for example, for the horse that is bit-shy as it is for one that has become strong in the hand. There is a range of mouthpieces and cheek styles to choose from depending on individiual training requirements but, as with any bit or piece of equipment, the effectiveness and suitability is totally down to the knowledge and experience of the trainer/rider.

We recommend that if you are considering using a Myler Combination, then seek proper advice and guidance from someone experienced with their use and fitting as a proper understanding of how this bit works is important .

Please contact Hilary Vernon (http://www.informedbitting.co.uk) or refer to the advice posted at http://www.equinetraining.co.uk/Horsetalk100.htm

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