bitting help for over exuberent TB!

[eyesdontlie]

hi guys looking for a bit of bitting advice this is new territory for me and eyes as I would never have described him as a strong horse but now is a completely different story!!!!! he is working so well in the school we have been teaching him to go forward into a contact and work more through his back which is great but it has resulted in a huge development of muscle and power and this has caused us problems out hacking I can almost hold him in trot but when I take it upto canter I do not have a hope of bringing him back I always prided myself in the fact that although eyes was a fiery horse and trotted sideways etc I could always keep him contained but now he is so strong and so powerful that I cannot control the canter outside at all and the other day I actually felt that nervous feeling in m,y stomach that the more I asked him to slow he just went through the air and went faster!!!!

I ride in a snaffle always except for showing but now I feel this is unsafe to hack out in as my control is non existant so what would you guys suggest for an over enthusiastic TB I never would have thought that I would have to find something a bit stronger for eyes but feel it unfair to try and get control in a snaffle. I was considering trying a combination bit as it works on more than just the mouth has anyone tried one?


don't you just love a TB!!!!

[flash98]

I've tried a few different bits with Flash, he came to me in a 3 ring dutch gag, and you needed it! Obviously i couldn't use this for dressage, so after a lot of bit trying i thing i have found the perfect one. Flash isn't always strong but when he does decide he's going somewhere at great speed it's not good, so i know the feeling you're talking about.
I tried a snaffle and he hated it, he knew i had no brakes and just took the p*ss basically! So then i tried the Myler Low Port Comfort Snaffle with hooks, it was great but i would say more a training bit as it isn't dressage legal for me. Flash is very strong in his jaw, so because the myler moves at the sides it wasn't giving me enough pressure to get him to soften.
But depending what sort of things you do it is a fab bit, i know a few of the girls on here use them.

Anyway, we are now happily in a hanging cheek french link snaffle....he seems to like this and most importantly it has brakes! He took off on the weekend whilst out hacking but i managed to contain him, which i was quite suprised about. So i would give that a go if i were you. Still a snaffle but has a bit more to it.

[bobby]

I hack Bob out in a Kimblewick and used to jump him in it, it just used to give me that little bit extra if I needed it.

[Alliecat]

I'm a fan of both French & peanut link bits, which don't have the nutcracker action of a jointed snaffle, but seem to encourage a bit more respect.

[pst]

Glad to hear Eyes is feeling soooo well I ride Eddie in a loose ring french link snaffle but if I'm going xc or in company I use a cherry roller & he has great respect for it but I don't use it very often. I changed from a fixed ring snaffle to a loose ring & this in it's self made a huge difference in the way Eddie schooled. Goodluck

[eyesdontlie]

thanks guys I ride at the moment in a neu schule bit which has a peanut

will just need to try and see how we go I am so tempted to try my friends swales!!!!!!! I am sure he would be be begging to go back to his snaffle

[Eleanor]

Don't go for the Swales If it is just outside in open spaces that you don't have as much control as you want to then how about a Dutch 3 Ring Gag or a another Pelham of some sort? I absolutely hate gags but they do have a purpose and if Eyes learns a little more respect for having one and realising he can't get away from you as easily he might go back to a snaffle after a while without a problem, so long as he remembers who is in charge. The reason I say don't go for the Swales is because they are fiendishly strong bits and are more designed for horses that lean on your hands, are very front end heavy and just need lifting up a bit. I ride my fell pony in one because he does, well did, just that - it felt like I was carrying his head for him! There are also so many different snaffles out there that going down the roads of gags and pelhams might not be necessary. If you can, try a Hanging Cheek or a Wilkie, they both give extra brakes using poll pressure aswell. In effect they are gags but they are not quite as severe as the rest of the family. Plus they are perfectly acceptable bits to show in - even Lead Rein and First Ridden ponies can be shown in them, but thats a different bug bear of mine. Eyes is obviously just feeling very well for himself and turning a bit back into the race horse he used to be.

Just a thought, does he put his tongue over the bit at all?

[eyesdontlie]

hi els I was only joking about the swales ha ha would be far too strong for eyes he would prob dump me after about 2 secs!

no he does not get his tongue over the bit it is just unfortunate at the moment he is feeling way too good is way too fit and way too powerful and very well muscled he has developed quite a muscley neck and has def learnt to use it against me. I know I will only need to use something a bit stronger a couple of times then I will be able to go back to my snaffle.

dont ya just love them!!!

[fifoss]

hi! I sometimes ride indie in a happy mouth dutch gag and also hunt him in one! they are brilliant ! every horse i have ridden in one love it!I school in a snaffle and mainly hack in a snaffle but if he gets a bit above himself on goes the gag !

[eyesdontlie]

I have decided to try the nue schule universal as it sounds like a happy medium between a snaffle and a gag and I know he likes the mouth piece and it gives me the option of a curb strap if needed.

always said I would never get eyes fit and now I know why!!!!

[debbiebrookes]

Just gonna shove my 2 pennies worth in I have a TB x mare that will only ever work in a gag for hacks x country etc but perfect angel with a snaffle for schooling dressage and show jumping. I also have a very exuberant 4yo ex racer that is SO strong its unbelievable and at 17 hh is very big so if he gets away from me i about wet myself lol simple solution was to put a flash strap on with his snaffle for a bit and now he is the perfect gent i never take a pull it's all voice aids with him, he's a different horse that was scrapped from racing as the jockey couldn't control or contain him!!!

Another ex racer wouldn't go well in a egg butt snaffle but goes amazing with a loose ring snaffle.

Think bits are like everything else what works for one won't necessarily work for the next horse to come along.

I am personally not a fan of the gag but without it my mare would run over the edge of a cliff out on a hack (trust me she tried) so experimenting is sometimes the only option available.

Sometimes after being in a stronger bit a horse will be sweet and soft when you put them back in a snaffle but i have known of horses to be even worse after being in a gag to the extent they set their selves against it and just pull like a freight train.

I' sure you and eyes will sort it out sounds like you're having fun ;D

[kookie1988]

I have tried so many different bits with my mares and both have told me which ones they like and which ones they hate! My friesian mare was very strong when she came to us and had been ridden in a mullen mouth pelham with roundings and 1 rein. She grabbed the bit, stuck her head out of reach and tanked off! We re-schooled her (bravely) in a loose ring french link snaffle and now she rides out perfectly in a french link hanging cheek.
My other mare is anything but strong, however she often refuses to work through her back and after lots of bits she now works really nicely in a mullen pelham with double reins. I can hack her in a head collar if i wanted but the pelham gives her a lovely shape, she respects me more and she still has a very soft mouth. I would never use one rein with it however, I think that double reins are kinder and even jump with them.
Im not so fond of gags as i think they pull your horses head in and encourage them to fall on the forehand. I would school in different bits to see what he accepts!