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Rebeckah
Silver Member
 England
330 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 2:19:14 PM
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Hello
My gelding has recently become a little headstrong due to the influx of yummy grass and taken to throwing his head up to try and go faster and using his weight against me. He's not being dangerous but is annoying and I would rather he had a stronger bit in his gob than me having to pull on his mouth to slow him. He's also very "jolly" when approaching jumps.
He's currently wearing a loose ring snaffle happy mouth. As far as I know it is all he has ever had. He is a terminal bit chomper and always has been. He has been looked over by the dentist who said his mouth is fine and that he is obviously just one of those horses who mouths his bit a lot.
So can anyone recommend a stronger bit as I dont want to give him a "dead mouth" - I'd much prefer to keep him on a light and responsive contact.
Many thanks in advance 
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baxter
Gold Member
England
1123 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 2:36:26 PM
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This answer you may not like to do or in fact believe but it worked for me.
Aurran became very silly at my last yard i was at, basically all full of himself, leaning horrendously on the bit and making my riding appalling! (he's in a french link loose ring snaffle)
Anyway, after much pinging about and general merriment i built up the courage to ask my instructor for advice on bits, which resulted in an immediate lesson.
We basically worked on asking him to respect the bit again, without being too heavy on my hands. This takes quite a bit of work and involved me giving him a couple of sharp reprimands with my hand, and we worked on canter to walk, trot to halt, etc etc... basically walk and canter resulted in a halt so i didn't have to hang on, pull back and fall into a trot to a walk to a messy halt.
We worked on this maybe two/three sessions in total until he settled and became light and responsive again.
At present we're working on long and low and me giving the reins a lot more (this actually require quite a lot of trust from the rider and some bluddy good leg and seat work from the rider) This is something i would not have been able to do a little while ago.
He's still in a french link snaffle, and when he's going nicely it's like riding or should i say floating on a cloud with a mouth as soft as butter that all i need do is close my fingers to gently remind him my hand is there.
Good luck! |
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Arachnid
Platinum Member
England
1872 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 2:59:54 PM
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| You might just try changing the bit for another type of snaffle - ie not stronger just different. Mine gets used to a bit and then starts to abuse it. I have found if I use three different types of snaffle in rotation it works on our respect issues. I use a french link like Baxter, a loose ring like you Rebeckah and a hanging cheek snaffle. If I want ultimate heel-clicking control I have a pelham but I dont use it very often as I think the transition back to a snaffle might be too hard! Or depending on the type of evasion, you might just try a flash - I know they look a bit mean but you probably wont have to use it forever. |
   
West Sussex |
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Baikala
Gold Member
571 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 3:04:56 PM
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Everybody will have their preferences, and all horses theirs, and so I am not even going to start suggesting what to use, it is an absolute minefield. Rather I will just say what worked for me.
I found the Myler helpline was incredibly helpful about mouthpieces without being pushy.
I had such trouble with getting a bit that my gelding a) would go forward in, and b) would respect.
Out hacking and at home he was absolutely fine in a hackamore or a snaffle, in company, or out hunting, he was suicidally headstrong. I tried no end of bits and mouthpieces, and yes, instructors too.
I was absolutely horrified when a friend recommended a Myler LS Combination, but, valuing our lives and not wishing to be carted off the edge of a mountain I tried one. He loved it, no more vertical head carriage, head tossing, violent bit chomping,ramming into people, reversing etc, etc, he still piaffed for Britain at a covert but that was just him. I rode with two reins and most of the time never touched the curb rein. It looked like an instrument of medieval torture but worked for us.
This is what all my horses go beautifully in now, if I had known anything about western schooling back in the UK, and been able to find instructors in South wales, I would have changed disciplines and training years ago.
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Edited by - Baikala on 03 Sep 2008 3:05:45 PM |
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Pauline
Platinum Member
England
3185 Posts |
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Zan
Platinum Member
Scotland
3213 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 6:01:25 PM
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| Baxter's advice sounds great. If anything changes in my horse I look to my riding before I would dream of changing anything else, and definitely not a more severe bit. |
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Rozy Rider
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4545 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 8:37:25 PM
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| How about trying a waterford with the three rings. |
Sue
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Edited by - Rozy Rider on 03 Sep 2008 8:39:10 PM |
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loosefur
Gold Member
584 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 8:47:29 PM
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Finding the right bit is almost as big a headache as finding the right saddle!
Waterfords can be great for horses who like to take a hold of the bit. Myler combos can also be great - lots of breaks but some horses can lean on them. I think it's because of the action of the noseband - some horses just lean into the pressure. This is what Hajar does in one - it's the only bit he leans on. I now ride him at competitions in a Pee Wee bit, at home just in a lozenge snaffle. The Pee Wee bit looks strange but he goes lovely in it - doesn't fight or lean even when cantering in company. He doesn't fuss with it either - no chomping or yawing, which he can do with some other bits I've tried. |
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 04 Sep 2008 : 11:28:34 AM
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Agree with Baxter Zan and Loosefur.
Took me ages to find something mine was really comfy with and that was a neue schule hanging cheek with lozenge. I never got as far as mylers so saved a few pennies. Now I ride in my halter and would stress what has already been said that it would be better if you could get him to respect what you are using if he was happy with it before.
Good luck
Sandie |
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