should i try a new bit???

[morgan4eva]

my pony has never been strong.......


until i took him hunting!!!!! he is very light weight a TBxwelsh cob, he has not much cob, anyway i took him hunting yesterday and he took of! LOL! i could not stop him to save my life!!!!!

i over took the master a few times. i am scared to try a new bit because he is very sensitive in his mouth, has anyone got some advice? at the moment i ride him in a snaffel with cheek peices (nuttcrack action) i know it is a very weak bit, but he goes fine in it at home! i used to have him in an eggbutt but he didnt go well in the ring in it! (he would take rush his canter and i found it hard, cause when i checked hm back he didnt listen)
please.......help......:(

[crazystevie]

Horses do get very strong and excited out hunting! My horse is snaffle mouthed at home, and he goes in a dutch gag out hunting, and ocassioanlly a snaffle towards the end of the season, when he tends to chill out a bit.

It's better to pull gently on a stronger bit, than lots on a mild bit, and wreck their mouth.

How many people there were in snaffles? I bet there was very few! Most ofn them would probably have gags on.

I like the dutch gag, as it works gently when they behave, but as they get stronger, it kicks in a bit.

Try bits at home, and mcheck your horse goes happily in them - the hunting field isn't the ideal place to try one out first time.

[Aphrodite]

crazystevie is right, try them out at home first. Tigger used to beridden in a snaffle. when I took him drag hunting he would be in a happy mouth (plastic) straight bar pelham. I always used two reins however, so when he was gentle, so was the bit, as only the snaffle part came into effect. When he jammed his head up, the bottom rein would come into effect, bringing his head back into alignment and making it easier for the bit to take effect.

What a lot of people don't realise is that bits like a snaffle/gag, etc, are elevator' bits. They make the head go up. When a double bridle is used the bradoon (snaffle) creates the head carriage and the weymouth (pelham bit) tucks the chin in due to the poll/curb pressure.

A gag bit is designed similarly to a pelham in the way that two reins should ideally be used. One on the snaffle part and one on the second or thirs ring so that the poll pressure is only used when it is required , not all the time, so the head is constantly in the air. However, I do know riders that have used a gag with one rein to good effect.

My opinion is if you are going for a bit that will make more pressure, then use a gentler mouthpiece, ie, plastic instead of metal.

[crazystevie]

Yeah thats one thing - you want a bit with a bit more pull pressure, and a martingale if hisd head is in the air. My horse tends to grab hold and drop his head to the floor, so thats why a dutch gag works well - i only use it with one rein ( on the 2nd to bottom ring, - but thats mainly because, 2 reins are way to fumbly to use in a hunting field, and theirs very few times when I would only eed a snaffle rein.

[morgan4eva]

thank you so much for your advice, i shall try a gag. my sister rides in a gag as her pony is very strong, it works wonders, but i am afraid that it will hurt my ponies mouth because i am a strong hand. she has got a dropped snaffel, i shall try that. if that does not work then i shall try a gag. do you think that that is right, or should i go straight to the gag?:)

[Aphrodite]

Hi.

Bear in mind there are different types if gag. There are cheltenham gags, where string passes straight down through the two rings (like polo players use) or a continental or dutch gag, which are the ones with more than one rings, which you commonly see in the shops. If in doubt ask a qualified riding instructor to help u make your decision and don't forget to check teeth, tack etc if not already done so. :)