Bit of help please

[Hugo10]

Hi,

My sed D is currently ridden in a NS loose ring waterford which he goes ok it but i have a job at getting him to come down onto the bit. I read on another NR post somewhere (couldn't tell you where) that although the waterford help the horse carry himself it doesn't help with contact and coming onto the bit?

when I got him (6 years ago now) he was in a sweet iron dr bristol as his last owner used to hack alone and he could get strong, but as I never hack alone I didn't need it. I'm thinking about trying him in a sweet iron loose ring snaffle with a copper lozenge. has anyone used one of these and what do you think of it?

[Yummymummy]

I use the sweet iron french link snaffle on my baby and have no problems with him in it.

That doesn't really answer your question, every horse is different, I ride my mare in a ported Kimblewick, which is fab for her, you could always try a few till you find what you are looking for.

I am a firm believer that for my baby I will never use anything stronger than a snaffle as he has a super mouth. Maybe you should work on mouthing issues??

[chev]

Lots of horses have trouble with finding a steady contact in a waterford - the bit's design makes it very difficult to find a contact. It's designed to stop horses leaning on the bit - this it does very well but the fluidity makes steady contact a difficult thing to achieve.

[Joyscarer]

Lots of horses have trouble with finding a steady contact in a waterford - the bit's design makes it very difficult to find a contact. It's designed to stop horses leaning on the bit - this it does very well but the fluidity makes steady contact a difficult thing to achieve.

Ditto that.

I used the loose ring waterford on my sec d for only about 2-3 weeks, just enough to break the leaning habit and then swapped back to her french link.

As it turned out I then swapped again and she is happiest in an unjointed bit and has no stopping issues so an increase in 'severity' isn't always the right answer :)