Bit for my Section D

[Mad&Mag]

Hi looking for some advice for bitting my Welsh Cob Section D.

He his currently ridden in a Myler Low Port Comfort Snaffle with d's and hooks in a flash noseband and martingale.

Madoc had a late start to his education due to being kicked and narrowly missing his tendon in his back leg.

Over the past year i have done a lot of schooling with him and over the past two years a lot of hill work to build his muscles in his back and legs.

He now works lovely in his walk trot and can hold his own in the canter, he has a lovely outline and is very powerful in his movements.

However over the past few weeks he has started to get very strong and over antisipating wanting to go fast all the time :rolleyes:.

He is no longer responding to the bit in the way i would like him to as it takes alot of pressure to get him to come back to me properly.

any suggestions are welcomed as i dont have a RI so anything please.

i was thinking probably a new bit hanging cheek or pelham??

Thank you!!:)

Picture was taken in spring sun which is why colour is off.

[Xx_lauren_xX]

i cant really help on the bit situation but he is lush xx

[emmathechief]

If you think you're horse is happy with the bit I would try and stick with it for now. I had a similar problem with my hossy in the school a few months back.

Here's what helped us...
Do lots of transitions, so he can't predict what you will ask for next.
In fact, I spent over a week doing walk to halt, halt to walk transitions as hossy knew best!! and wanted to charge! making turns/spirals anything really just to keep them guessing!!
When I was happy that we could stop :D I added a stride or two of trot, then back to walk then halt. And did it all again but adding trot into the sessions, making sure you are happy with each gait and speed before moving on.

It takes a while (not for all horses) and a lot of patients from you! but I found it really helpful with my girly. I will still revert back now if she's in a wizzy moody, but now she knows it only takes a few halts to get her attention back.

Good luck.

[Little.Miss.Duc]

Is it becoming a problem, where you can not control him or he is bolting off?

[freeformuk]

If your cob is young (lovely chap by teh way) it could be that his mouth has changed shape and the bit you are using no longer suits. Just as we change saddles due them changing shape, their mouths must surely do so too.

I had similar problems with my mare who was a TB x Sec D. She came to me in an eggbutt snaffle with a drop noseband which I instantly removed. Now I do have a pet hate of anything that keeps the mouth closed. There often isn't a lot of depth of room between the upper and lower jaw when the mouth is closed, especially with the fleshiermouths of cob types. There is often only just enough room to cope with the thickness of the average bit so if the mouth is forced shut, that could cause discomfort from an otherwise comfy bit. I went through a thinner jointed snaffle, a mullen mouth pelham and eventually settled on a low, wide port weymouth which she went like a dream in. My current Welshie is ridden bitless - I've never properly bitted him.

Look at your horse's mouth with the bit in and see how it sits. It may also help if you drop it a bit too - the wrinkled corners that are traditionally recommended can often be uncomfortable too. Not only in the stretch through the lips but it might also place the bit in not quite the right place for your horse. In fact a tip I picked up years ago which has worked for me was to bridle the horse with the bit hanging low enough to touch the rear of the front teeth. Leave the horse with this for around 10 minutes and he'll chomp away until he finds best spot for it to sit his mouth.

HTH.

[xloopylozzax]

my D's ridden in a pelham mainly because of showing, but it helps with the issues you have mentioned.

a plain steel mullen mouth pelham with 2 reins tend to suit them and is good if you decide to show as well, he looks a nice type and you will do well if he does all you say!