headset trouble!!!! PLease help!!

[equestrian3241]

ok, so I am going to be in a dressage show soon and the rules say that I can't use my kimberwick bit that my horse splash is used to, so I switched to a snaffle bit. He has been in a snaffle before and he doesn't act bad, he just isn't as collected as he is when he is in his kimberwick. He also tends to open him mouth and evade the bit (only at a canter) when I ride. Should I get a flash noseband? Would a flash noseband also help his collection?? PLease help! Thanks a bunch!!!

[equestrian3241]

Oh he also leans heavily into the bit when I ride him in the snaffle, does this mean he is leaning to avoid pain from the bit or is he just being lazy?

[Bay Mare]

No, a flash noseband won't help his collection. It will clamp his mouth shut and cause more problems than it solves. He may not be able to open his mouth if you winch it tight enough but he'll still be objecting in some way.

Have you tried different snaffles? Have you looked at his mouth to see whether the current bit fits? Are his teeth ready for doing?

How are you riding him? Are you kicking him into a contact or have you been working on getting him to work correctly from behind? What is he like at lengthening and dropping his neck? Does he stretch out nicely when you give the rein?

It's impossible to give advice without seeing the horse and your riding but there's a lot to think about before you even consider a flash.

[domane]

Are you sure he is really collected? The only reason I ask is that my mare rounds her neck and holds her head in a beautiful vertical position when I use the kimblewick but i know she is not rounding through her body and working from the rear in a nice outline... the only way I can get her to use her whole body correctly is to push her into her bridle when I school her in a snaffle. It's flippin hard work but I can definitely feel when she is working correctly.

[Skyhuntress]

Are you sure he is really collected? The only reason I ask is that my mare rounds her neck and holds her head in a beautiful vertical position when I use the kimblewick but i know she is not rounding through her body and working from the rear in a nice outline... the only way I can get her to use her whole body correctly is to push her into her bridle when I school her in a snaffle. It's flippin hard work but I can definitely feel when she is working correctly.

That's an extremely good point.
If your horse only rounds on a kimberwick, more the likely, she's doing it to avoid contact with a harsher bit instead of actively using her hind end and pushing through with some contact.

A flash noseband will help him from opening his mouth (the rule of thumb is to start looser then you think you need...and never go tighter then you can fit about 1 full finger in), but it won't much help with the contact.

I would eliminate the kimberwick entirely and concentrate on gentler bits. I have yet to meet a horse who could not actively be schooled in dressage in a snaffle (in fact, that's what you NEED to do), given a bit of time and work to make them lighter and more responsive to the aids.

[equestrian3241]

Have you tried different snaffles? Have you looked at his mouth to see whether the current bit fits? Are his teeth ready for doing?
I know that this bit does fit him and his teeth got done about 4 months ago so I know that isn't the problem.
How are you riding him? Are you kicking him into a contact or have you been working on getting him to work correctly from behind? What is he like at lengthening and dropping his neck? Does he stretch out nicely when you give the rein?
The way I have learned to collect him is to hold good contact with my hands and push him into the bit with my legs, I might give a little wiggle with my fingers if he is being lazy. I ride with a lot of leg muscle because I know that helps him stay round. The funny thing is, he feels collected, I know he is using his hind end but his head just isn't rounded! Is that possible?
When I lengthen the reins, he does stretch out and down, sometimes I have to wiggle my fingers to get him to really stretch down but he does it pretty well on his own.