"On the Bit"

[HorseManiac]

How do you teach a horse to be on the bit?:confused: Echoe just doesnt seem to accept it when i ask in walk trot and canter.:rolleyes: I no he can do it but we have shows coming up like dressage and showing!:p Help! He is ridden in a dutch gag, with a flash and has two reins one on the 1st and one on the last ring.

Help!!

Anneli x

[MadWoman]

To start with, you won't be able to do either dressage or showing in a three ring snaffle. You will need a conventional snaffle for dressage and, depending on the class, a snaffle or pelham/double for showing.

To get him on the bit, you will need to ignore where his head is and instead spend a lot of time getting him to use his back end properly and lift his back. Once he is both 'working through' from his hind end and truly straight, his head will start to come vertical of its own accord then. Try loads of transitions to get him working though, and shoulder fore to help with straightness. Better still, get some lessons with a decent instructor who understands how to get a horse truly ont he bit rather than just looking pretty.

You will often be told to pull the head in (often with various gadgets) to get a horse on the bit, but if you look carefully you will see that horses trained like this will be in a false outline, pulling themselves along on the forehand, with the crest as the highest point of the neck rather than the poll, and without the line down their flanks which shows they are engaging their tummy muscles to lift the back.

[GemmaA]

I much prefer the old fashioned expression of 'on the aids' rather than 'on the bit' - I think it is a far more accurate reflection of what you should be aiming for.

For starters, you do need to be in a snaffle, you won't be able to do dressage in a dutch gag. As far as the dutch gag goes, is there a particular reason you use one? I have nothing against the bit itself (I in fact hack my dressage mare in one, as she is very strong out hacking!), but it does have a leverage action and works on poll pressure. Both these encourage the head to lower and can cause the horse to 'roll back' on himself or become heavy in the hand.

As for being on the aids - you firstly need to establish your horse with correct, regular, forward paces. He should be moving with activitity and implusion, be in front of your leg (i.e go off the slightest touch and keep moving until you ask him to stop) and be moving in a constant rhythm. You then need to make sure you are riding with a correct contact - your horse needs to have a contact to 'contain' the energy you are creating from his hindlegs. This contact should be elastic and reactive, soften when your horse softens, be stronger if he is resisting your hand.

Most importantly though, do get yourself a good instructor - we could write a whole book on working a horse in an outline, but you do need someone on the ground to make sure you are riding correctly and not forcing your horse into a false outline.

[domane]

Agree with above. There is no magic cure... lots of hard work and it may take some time to achieve it too. Have just gone back to school with Cherry and we are working on achieving a nice outline in walk to start with, with lots of bending and a variety of attempted things like leg-yielding and shoulder-ins to keep it interesting for her. Would hasten to add that I am having to learn all this too, thankfully a very knowledgeable friend who is helping bBIG time! This kind of thing really lives up to the expression "You can't run until you have learned to walk".... :D

[HorseManiac]

He gets very strong! yes im starting going to ride him in a snaffle! in the school but NOT on hacks!!

[GemmaA]

Well somtimes a horse being a strong is an indication of a horse being on it's forehand, and from what you say about your horse's standard of schooling, I would guess that is likely. Back to basics in the school is the best approach.

[HorseManiac]

Ok thanks!:D

[JOJOBA]

Check out Mary Wanless for tips on how to alter your riding to improve your horses way of going - I have lessons with one of her students and she's excellent. You can actually make an improvement in one session - but be prepared for hard work.
If you'd like an explanation of their way of working a horse let me know and I'll outline what I was taught.

xxx

[JOJOBA]

but it does have a leverage action and works on poll pressure. Both these encourage the head to lower and can cause the horse to 'roll back' on himself or become heavy in the hand.

Id always thought this too so was interested to read a thread the other day in which many people said dutch gags lift the head?
I hack my horse in one with a martingale to stop him getting his head UP and out of control, so was a bit worried to read it may be having the opposite effect.

xxx

[ponylover88]

Paddy, when had a dutch gag, was extremely strong and rammed his head to the floor.
Bertha does have a lower head carriage too with a dutch gag, which doesnt suit her conformation at all!

horsemaniac, my guess is that the reason why hes so strong is because hes on his forehand because he doesnt like the poll pressure. You may find that in a normal snaffle, he after a while (when he realises it no longer hurts his head) will start to carry his head higher, and be more willing to get off his forehand and making your job much easier!

[HorseManiac]

Ok thanks guys!:D