Which Bit - Gag to ...??

[AndalusianSara]

Hi im currently riding my new horse in the bit he came with - a 3 ring happy mouth gag with a peanut roller mouth piece. He has a very high head carriageway esp when jumping (in fact too high for him to see ahead sometimes but were working on that!). He doesnt seem overly comfortable in the bit so i want to experiment. Any ideas i need something that will give me the brakes i need when out hacking thro fields and esp when jumping XC & /or SJ but something fairly kind for him to except the bit abit more and not run from it? Any suggestions? What type of mouth piece? :confused:

[evilgiraffe]

What is it about his current bit that you think he dislikes? The action, the mouthpiece, or the material it's made from? I would guess it's the action, so your first move would be to find something different but with the same mouthpiece in a happy mouth. I'm afraid I don't know enough about the different bits to be able to suggest something that won't exacerbate the high head carriage problem, but I'm sure someone else can :)

[monsoon1983]

I am a firm beliver in hackermores, i took on a horse with problems to help him work through it all (riding was only part of it!) and he improved no end with a hackermore, he was so scared of putting him head down and relaxing his mouth as his previous owner had seriously jagged him and punished him by doing sharp japs on his reins.

Hes now a new horse and we have started using a simple rubber snaffle no as his owner is hoping to show him next year.

Maybe it could help?

[puzzles]

trial and error

xx

Good luck!

[ashlingm]

sadly it seems more then a short term fix of just changing bits .
i personally would go right back to baiscs and get a french link eggbutt and lunge him in that for a day and then hop on...do loads of flatwork and he should become more responsive and may begin to work on the bit once hes comfortable - it worked on my 16.3 irish hunter who used to have no brakes at all....hes absoloutely fab now!
maybe get his back and teeth checked out if he still dosent seem comfortable after youve changed bit.
best of luck in the future to you both!

[sj2007]

a gag like the one your using is actually designed to raise the head so it is probably adding to your problems.

i would suggest the same mouthpiece with single rings rather than three.

good luck :)

[NoviceNic]

Have you tried the Myler Loose Ring Snaffle???

I use a gag on hacks and a snaffle in the school. Now on hacks if he goes, he blows. Sets neck and grabs the bit. :eek: But in the school he is so quiet I can use the snaffle. Still a lot on his fore and sets his neck. My RI turned up with the Myler one day. The difference was amazing. Softer, more natural and no setting neck etc. Im gonna buy one of these and then get to grips in the school before I try out on hacks. ;)

[coss]

I am a firm beliver in hackermores, i took on a horse with problems to help him work through it all (riding was only part of it!) and he improved no end with a hackermore, he was so scared of putting him head down and relaxing his mouth as his previous owner had seriously jagged him and punished him by doing sharp japs on his reins.

Hes now a new horse and we have started using a simple rubber snaffle no as his owner is hoping to show him next year.

Maybe it could help?

hackamores can be very good but i have found that they are hard to fit. i put a hackamore on my mare and she used to be ridden in it and works well but it slips to one side and the cheekpiece goes to go over her eye (so lots of stopping). They can be very severe and some horses will freak at the pressure and bolt. Only yesterday i was speaking to my RI about hackamores and she commented on how heavy they are and they can back a horse up or make them bolt as they can't cope, the more you pull back the more they run. It is something to be used with caution ;)


a gag like the one your using is actually designed to raise the head so it is probably adding to your problems.

i would suggest the same mouthpiece with single rings rather than three.

good luck :)

my mare has also been ridden in the same mouthpiece but a loose ring rather than gag.
on a good day she used to be like this:
http://file015a.bebo.com/0/large/2006/08/15/17/1359860817a1712592699b641923472l.jpg

i changed to the happy mouth roller and she accepts it much better, i still have to do a lot of schooling to get her to relax down but after a while she will go like this for short spells:
http://file012a.bebo.com/4/large/2006/07/16/22/1359860817a1382790211b599603424l.jpg
http://file036a.bebo.com/6/large/2007/05/05/14/1359860817a4289112806b838353722l.jpg

i would go to an eggbutt or loosering with the same mouth piece to start with, try doing a lot of schooling and get the seat aids working a bit (no pun intended).

[AndalusianSara]

http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e274/AndalusianSara/?action=view&current=breeze.jpg
Im having weekly lessons to concentrate on his flat work (& schooling X3+ weekly) hes not strong when schooling so im going to go as kind as possible, i guess its just trial and error. Thank you very much for all your hints and tips. Im also considering the hanging cheek for a little leverage when jumping, just not sure on the jointed or french link as yet!

[coss]

the main thing i notice about your horse is that he naturally has a high head carriage because of the position of his neck. I know a horse with who look similar in build to that who works very well in a hanging cheek. the more mobile the bit the more likely your horse is to mouth it, it depends how set your horse goes on the bit as to how much mobility you will want.