What is the best bit for a young green horse in training

I am currently using loose ring snaffle, and it comes out of each side of his mouth by about 2cm, and sometimes more on one side. I think it is too big. he fights it even when I have loose contact. Reason? How do you get them to accept the contact of the bit? I dont expect him to stretch down into it much yet.

Help?

:)

It sounds like your horse's bit is too big. If the bit is not sized correctly, it doesn't matter what kind you use-- your horse won't accept it happily.

In order to get your horse to accept contact from the bit, you may need to play around with the type of bit you use. Snaffle bits in general are good for young horses, and loose rings are OK, although in my experience they can pinch, especially if they are sized wrong. Eggbutt snaffles avoid this problem, although they have less "play" in the horse's mouth than loose rings. D-ring snaffles are good for young horses because they won't pull through the mouth (due to the ring design), which is helpful with horses who haven't learned to accept the bit. Full cheek snaffles are similar to D-rings. French links (they have a double-linked mouthpiece instead of a single link) are the gentlest form of snaffle, and my personal favorite for working youngsters.

If you are really having trouble getting your horse to accept contact, there is a brand of bit called "Happy Mouths" which can be helpful. The mouthpieces are covered in plastic, making them soft, flexible, gentle and comfortable for your horse. They are also apple-scented, which encourages the horse to accept the bit.