Winderen Bits - What Does HDP Think of Them?

We have been hinting and showing "bits" about these bits for a while now.
Now that we have trialled them for a year, we are ready to give our full review of them!
Do you use a Winderen bits? We use them with all of our horses now - and many of our graduates use them at home too!
Let us know what you think of them if you've tried them!
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[@JanWestern]

Fascinating video as always Barry and you can honestly see that the Winderin bits 'scream' quality. The old saying that 'we get what we pay for' says it all ❤

[@angiew1841]

When I bit my horse for the first time I’m definitely getting a Winderen bit , thanks Barry great little video

[@jeanviarengo231]

As we've discussed... the affordable bits I have available in rubber or similar are very fat and honestly, my horses tend to gum over and over as if uncomfortable. More expensive rubber bits that are advertized are not commonly available. So I am currently using a Myler 33 mouthpiece (pelham) with reins on the snaffle, and another is using a metal eggbutt with a broken mouth with a soft copper losenge... These bits might be worth investing in!

[@annamcknight2573]

I'm a bit tardy with feedback this week. Fascinating. I love learning about anything that can make a horse more comfortable. Since watching and learning from Barry & Rhi, I find myself looking far more carefully at bits in mouths and getting cross at what I see

[@AndreaDingbatt]

Thank you very much for this advice! I prefer to go bitless, but sadly its almost impossible to find a bitless bridle that wont pur pain/pressure on the poor dears poll and/or nose... the old ww1 leather headcollars were fantastic, but its really difficult to find anyone to make them now, So these soft rubber bits will be fantastic, Thank you Barry and Rhi, much appteciated!

[@sheilasmith1109]

Hey Andrea! Would you please explain exactly what a WW1 Leather Head Collar is? I've never heard of one. My relative was an English Veterinarian in WW1. He never spoke of one. And I heard many stories! I'm a Bit-Less fan as well! Thanks!

[@AndreaDingbatt]

@@sheilasmith1109 Hi 👋. Thank you for your kind reply!🕊️ The Head collar I'm trying to describe was a leather one, and it's like a Bridle without the bit, Also,it didn't put strong Pressure on the horses nose or poll and was a great piece of tack,,, I remember them from Holland, and I had one for years, bringing it to the UK, and haven't seen them since we moved now, I inherited it from my(Great ) Tante Ekka, and I have seen it in Photographs.. They did put a gentle touch with the horse in order to communicate, But No Pain, bcos the nose band is placed higher up than the sensitive part where the nerves and blood vessels are. I'm very happy to see other bit less Horse people here!! More and more people are realizing that pain is not appropriate for handling of horses. Namasté 🙏🕊️💞 Andréa and Critters. ...XxX...

[@yadlim]

last week I searched for what might be the best rubber bit as I will be starting my Arab mare in harness this fall... and the bit I ordered came in today. It is not a Winderen bit! Looks like I know what I am asking hubby to buy my horse for Christmas this year!

[@tracyblack1509]

I have a bit in my basket, and after your review, I purchased it. They are not cheap, But your review sold the bit. The sexy feature is they are interchangeable. Please recommend Winderen make these bits for minis!!

[@barryhook2]

Great to hear you've got one! They are expensive but we find them worth it. The interchangeable option at least means you do not have to buy multiple bits! We are talking to Winderen about making smaller and larger bits as there certainly is a market for them!

[@sarielos8303]

Really wish I could get one of these for the Shetland I'll be mouthing early next year...fingers crossed they make smaller ones soon!!

[@Acrobat888]

Really, really helpful, thank you so much for this.

[@gkseeton]

OH! Thank you so much! I've wanted a better kinder bit, always had good hands, so when I had a horse I was riding who needed a strong bit but could be ridden with a very light contact on a snaffle, I used two sets of reins, one set to the snaffle action, and the second to the curb. But driving is so different. I want a bit that they like, and I can hardly wait to buy a couple of these to test out on my ponies!

[@MegF142857]

I need to check that bell... as though subscribed had not been seeing videos in quite awhile. You are looking super good, btw. Glad to see you taking care of yourself. Clicking the bell!

[@lanasoto88]

Sure wish they had mini size! Would you recommend a leather bit for a mini since rubber are so hard to find for them?

[@barryhook2]

We are in talks with Winderen to ask them to see about producing mini and draft size bits!

[@matthewconroy9652]

Great video as always 👍

[@sarahbarraclough747]

They look great and I know my friend is hoping they will make some in miniature horse size 👌

[@BeaKing-ob7fq]

Great review. I am not driving but dressage and very sensitive mare with small mouth and fleshy tongue and light contact needed but cant decide if I need flexi or super flexi and thoughts?

[@Vee-zx6eh]

I will buy one. Barry how do we correctly find the correct size bit for our horse would you know?

[@kenmorris2290]

Yes a video on sizing these bits would be great. I find that different types and brands of bits fit a little differently.

[@barryhook2]

Will add it to our list of videos to make!

[@debtompkins5363]

my problem is my new off track STB came with mouth issues. a missing and a broken tooth in front and a VERY STRONG HABIT of instantly putting his tongue over the bit so I have been riding him in a sidepull and driving in a nylon halter and he handles easy but I am finding the finer points of communication harder to accomplish with the rather vague connection.

[@barryhook2]

Perhaps see how he goes in rubber! He might feel less inclined to put his tongue over a lighter, warmer, less solid bit. On the other hand, maybe not!

[@poppymason-smith1051]

Go and research bitless bridles and bosals. They can offer a bit more feedback to the horse than just a halter. With bosals you can also put horses on the vertical. Bosals can also be called loping hackamores but really should only be ridden with neck reining and not direct rein aids, to not put pressure on the face all the time. For direct reining or english riding there are bitless bridles but avoid any that tighten as they dont release that pressure fast enough to properly follow the principles of training. I comment this as someone currently horseless but in the hobby and hoping to ride bitless one day on my own horse, so i spend ages researching pros and con of each. I also have an animal cognition and training degree and that influences why i dislike most bits and also the tightening bitless bridles.

[@kenmorris2290]

Thank you so much for your testing and review! I always shied away from those black rubber bits because to me they smelled bad, a nasty acrid smell like burning tires, which I thought certainly would not taste good to a horse. And my guess is there are harmful compounds as well. What breed is that chestnut under saddle? Nice looking horse!

[@barryhook2]

Some black rubber bits are not made of very nice compounds! The ridden horses in this are Suffolk Punches.

[@kenmorris2290]

@@barryhook2 I thought they were! Nice horses!

[@dougster2k]

Are you using the flexi or super flexi Winderen? Thank you

[@barryhook2]

Both! Depends on the horse.

[@susangoddard9257]

What do you think of the Happy Mouth bits. Ive always used them, never had a problem, but always looking for something kinder

[@barryhook2]

Hi Susan, we don't like them personally as if they are chewed at all they tend to be very sharp and it can happen in the space of one drive/ride very quickly!

[@user-wn8gf1to3q]

Hello Barry I just purchased a rubber bit but it was disappointing to find out that it was a steel bit covered in rubber. Where can I buy a full rubber bit like the one you use. Cheers Waldina

[@barryhook2]

Hi Walinda, that's annoying for you! Many are marketed as 'rubber' but are 'rubber covered'. Make sure you always check it says 'flexible' and you should be fine. Korsteel and Shires do the black ones, these ones we are reviewing which are our current preferred bits are Winderen.

[@margaretscott3815]

Only thing I find with shires bits are bit chunky wish they be bit thinner you know for like fleshier tounge horses but fantastic video Barry abt those new bits tbh I watch all of them ❤

[@Smaranda0]

I was thinking about getting one of these, but they do not have it in the size i need

[@barryhook2]

Do you need larger or smaller? We're looking into discussions about a Winderen producing a draft and a mini size if possible.

[@Smaranda0]

@@barryhook2 I need a smaller size🙂

[@barryhook2]

Great, another person to our 'mini bits please' list!

[@Smaranda0]

@@barryhook2 Thank you! I just need it in a size 10.5 cm.

[@internetcowgirl12]

Do pieces chip off as mouth it? I don't eat with rubber spoons and I'm not a fan of plastic either. Everyone seems to love sweet iron bits, but how much of that metal is actually good for them? I don't chew on my Lodge frying pan!😂 I normally stick to stainless steel bits because of the interaction factor. I don't stick rusted metal in my mouth, so why stick it in theirs?

[@Mitmacher]

Try it with gum or chewing tobacco

[@internetcowgirl12]

@@Mitmacher Ha! I don't do either of those!😂

[@Mitmacher]

I too.

[@barryhook2]

No, not at all! They would have to chew a lot to get anything off these bits.

[@Mitmacher]

Eat your horses out of an old, frayed unwashed hay net ? Then you eat your spaghetti also out of that? A nother disadvantage of the hay net, in my opinion, is that they also eat what they otherwise sort out. But use them too. Once I converted a postcard stand into a food stand. They now ate from steel bars. I liked that better.

[@simonheed7964]

I don't know why ,but the sound quality was really down this week ,being a deaf old fart I could hardly hear a word 😢

[@lindavonh131]

145 usd.