Kerri&Smarty
2nd Jan 2003, 10:28 AM
hiya all :D
Well, i have a 14.1hh new forest who can be extrememly strong. He can be quite on the forehand and leans down so i tried a waterford snaffle which we have got on with very well while schooling on the flat and out hacking BUT i don't feel i have enough control when show jumping or XC-ing! I have had done the usual checks, back, teeth, tack etc. In my opinion he just gets very excited when jumping and wants to go FAST, i am pretty sure he isn't in pain. I attend a SJ and XC clear round morning with my local RC every month, i really h8 having to constantly hold him back when SJ cos otherwise he would canter flat out and we would never make the turns. Out on the XC course he is usually hell but we manage to do some nice jumping inbetween mad outbursts of bolting. I just feel that i am having to pull (well, u know what i mean-hold not yank) the reins way too much on his waterford snaffle for jumping. So i think it would be better for both of us if we used a stronger bit for jumping and having to use the reins less than having his current bit and having to use the reins constently. Also i agree that the severe-ness of a bit depends on the hands at the other end, i think i have good light hands.
The one BIG problem is that smarty puts his head right down to evade and he leans quite a lot, so i can't have a bit with poll pressure as it makes it worse. Most stronger bits have poll pressure. So far the only bits i can think of that have a lifting action are cheltenham gags and the american gag which i am guessing are pretty severe-although i have read that the cheltenham gag is the mildest of the gags (i guess that includes dutch gags), the ring size of the cheltenham gag will effect the servere-ness, i wonder if i can get a small ring one?
Oh, u know that hanging cheek snaffle, some people say that it has poll pressure but other say that because the bit is suspended in the mouth it is lifting action? Wjat do u lot think?
ANY IDEAS ANY1?!!
help :(
Well, i have a 14.1hh new forest who can be extrememly strong. He can be quite on the forehand and leans down so i tried a waterford snaffle which we have got on with very well while schooling on the flat and out hacking BUT i don't feel i have enough control when show jumping or XC-ing! I have had done the usual checks, back, teeth, tack etc. In my opinion he just gets very excited when jumping and wants to go FAST, i am pretty sure he isn't in pain. I attend a SJ and XC clear round morning with my local RC every month, i really h8 having to constantly hold him back when SJ cos otherwise he would canter flat out and we would never make the turns. Out on the XC course he is usually hell but we manage to do some nice jumping inbetween mad outbursts of bolting. I just feel that i am having to pull (well, u know what i mean-hold not yank) the reins way too much on his waterford snaffle for jumping. So i think it would be better for both of us if we used a stronger bit for jumping and having to use the reins less than having his current bit and having to use the reins constently. Also i agree that the severe-ness of a bit depends on the hands at the other end, i think i have good light hands.
The one BIG problem is that smarty puts his head right down to evade and he leans quite a lot, so i can't have a bit with poll pressure as it makes it worse. Most stronger bits have poll pressure. So far the only bits i can think of that have a lifting action are cheltenham gags and the american gag which i am guessing are pretty severe-although i have read that the cheltenham gag is the mildest of the gags (i guess that includes dutch gags), the ring size of the cheltenham gag will effect the servere-ness, i wonder if i can get a small ring one?
Oh, u know that hanging cheek snaffle, some people say that it has poll pressure but other say that because the bit is suspended in the mouth it is lifting action? Wjat do u lot think?
ANY IDEAS ANY1?!!
help :(