Switching Bits??

[running the cans]

I have a question for you all and would love to hear your thoughts...

Do you practice/warm your horse up in the same bit that you run them in, or do you switch bits when it is time to run?

Would love to hear what you all feel are the pro's and con's.

[PunkinNMe]

I'd ride and tune on the old man in an o-ring snaffle . . .
I'd run him in a Jr. Cowhorse . . .

Most of the Winningruns.com trainers at least touch on this topic in their videos.
Jackie Jaztlau and Tammy Key Fischer both touched on it in theirs I know.

I think it was Tammy who talked about riding and tuning in a slightly harsher bit, but riding in a little less bit.  I was intrigued by her thought process, but am too chicken to employ it.

[barn goddess]

I used to have a horse that i warmed up / tuned on in a dog bone snaffle with rope nose band, but ran him in a rubber mouthpiece pelham ( English ) bit. It worked for him. Now, I warm up and run in same bit. If I need to tune, I generally use something a little harsher just to get their attention and run in something lighter. I generally go with the less is more theory for bits, I want my horses to be working on their own and only have to help them on the backside. JMHO, hope that helps.

[melaself]

I ride during the week in a loomis gag. But run in an Ed Wright medium shank lifter gag with a fixed mouthpiece.

The loomis keeps Sadie light and doing things "my way" and the lifter gives me all the control I need during a run.

[Sherry May]

Cowboy runs in a Jim Warner hackamore and I use it every time I ride him, practice or run.

[olneykat]

I ride and warm up in a pretzel with a german martingale...'cause Boogie can be a little toot and root! :ROFL2: But I run in a short shank pretzel and no other head gear. Works for him!

[Gabe's Babe]

I ride in what ever I grab out of the trailer at home. I run in a low port lifter. At home it is either the loomis gag, shanked port bit, or a longer shank dog bone lifter.

[CaughtYawl]

Right now Jet is the only thing I'm riding, I ride him at home and warm him up in a short shank dog bone mouth Sherry Cervi bit for control..and run him in a dog bone mouth o-ring.

[Rebecca]

At a race I ride in his running bit. At home I will switch around to whatever I feel right for the ride. If I work him on the pattern it will be his running bit or if he needs certain tuning I will change it.