Advise on bits!!!! Common one this eh!!

Gemma R

Gemma R

Natural Sparkle
Nov 22, 2001
293
0
0
45
Kent
Visit site
I am new to this sire - looks great - was after some advise :)

I have not long bought my New Forest Mare. She was sold with a cherry roller bit which for the first 6 weeks was fine - the following 6 weeks mind have been a bit painful on the old arms!!!!

She leans HEAVILY on her bit, doesn't engage her rear quaters at all - no matter how many transitions I ride, or circles we do. Since having her I have added a flash nose band as she was going above the bit by throwing her head inthe air and opening her mouth!! That worked for a week or so then she started going under the bit and sideways - my friend ridews her horse rather successfully in a market harborough so i thought I would buy and try one!!! This also worked for a short time!!!

the last couple of weekends hacking out she is getting VERY strong so much so that we have trouble stopping and her head is nearly on the floor!!! Not much fun for the old arms and back I can tell you.

I want to get the bondage off of her as it obviously isn't what is needed and I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on bits!! I want her to be more comfortable adn something obviously isn;t right!!

I speak to the woman how owned her previously (we're at eh same yard) but she didn't ride her often enough to get her fit and never had problems with the cherry roller. Now she is beig ridden regular all sorts of problems are appearing as I am asking more from her!!!

PLEASE HELP - Sorry for the essay!!! If anyone needs further info let me know!
 
Tricky one,this one,

I dont know if this will work for ur mare or not.
I used to ride my pony in a continental snaffle/dutch gag/bubble bit whateva u wanna call it.
This worked well as for evryday use i had it on the second ring but for competitions or rides where he got strong i had it on the bottom ring so it was slightly stronger and he knew i was still there!!
well its just a suggestion,i dont know if itl work.
let us know how you get on.:)
p.s dont be put off by the word 'gag' its not as evil as it may sound!
 
yeah the gag sounds like good one if you really can't get her to settle or work from behind doing transtitions, or perhaps a pelham a lot of horses go well in these.
the only other thing you really need to do is school her get her listening to you, and lunge her maybe using side reins, this should get her engage her hindquaters and will stop her leaning on the bit, have you every thought of using a myler bit, you could get a strong one with a roller bit that is still gentle if you understand that!!!!
look at the other thread called *****the mysteries of myler bits**** this may help you!!! :D

let us know how you get on :)
 
Might be worth trying a pelham. My friends horse used to pull her arms out of their sockets in any jointed bit, but with a pelham she goes much better - I think she prefers the straight mouthpiece and reacts to the lightest touch on the curb rein. It can be a bit of a job getting used to using double reins, but I think its worth it if your horse is happier and your not having to pull on her mouth.
Good luck.
 
There are two main reasons why horses get strong - either they're fighting the bit, or they just plain want to go faster!

It certainly sounds from what you say that your mare isn't happy with the cherry roller, and strapping her down with various gadgets to try and make her accept it will just make her fight more, as you've obviously recognised.

Several people have already suggested the Pelham, and I think it's a very good bit to try first. Try an ordinary "hard rubber" mullen-mouth Pelham (vulcanite is often much too thick for a lot of horses). The mouthpiece is very kind, so that should stop any fighting, but you've got the additional control of the curb when you need it. I found my horse went very nicely in his Pelham when I first started riding him in it; I used an elastic curb until very recently, but then I found as he was getting fitter he was getting very headstrong in the fields, so I switched to an ordinary metal curb chain and he was suddenly very obliging and controllable! (Little monkey...)

Let us know how you get on.
 
Thanks for the comments so far. I am not keen on either the gag or pelham because of riding with two reins. I tried draw reins with her for a while and I really couldn't get used to the two rein thing.

Does anyone use a pelham with roundings or a kimblewick?
 
with the these, you don't need two reins if you can't handle them, for a gag, if you know that she will be strong you move it down and if you are schooling you go up, so you just judge accoding to what you are doing!!
with pelham you can get a d peice which fits to both the snffle action and the leverage action and so only one rein is used!!
i have known this to work just as well, although you are not rewarding for the right response!!! :)
 
I felt the same about using two reins until I got used to them. Now it feels really funny if I just use one! Don't use roundings with a Pelham, and you're right that any sort of gag should always be used with two reins as well.

I never particularly liked the idea of a Kimblewick, but Heather has mentioned elsewhere that they can be a good compromise, and I do have friends who say their horses go very happily in them, so perhaps you might try one if you REALLY feel strongly about using two reins.

Draw reins have a very strong effect and are not a satisfactory option - I don't think you were suggesting them, rather just mentioning that you'd used them in the past?
 
Can I make two slightly different suggestions - No 1, instead of using a different bit, try the old adage transitions, transitions, transitions - at least 100 every schooling session or hack, and just refuse to let her lean, if you don't get into a battle in the first place, you don't have a winner or a looser.
No 2, maybe a bitless bridle would work, have a look at www.htsequestrian.com, they have produced one on the same lines as www.bitlessbridle.com, I'm going to get one for my baby horse when he is ready to ride - let me know how u get on!
 
Bit advice

If you strap your horses mouth shut and has been uncomfortable in the mouth before it, then I would have had her teeth checked out first. If there are any lesions or teeth trouble she is bound to be throwing her head about because of pain.

Alternatively, if she is leaning on the bit and literally pulling your arms out (having had her teeth checked) then I would try a continental french link 3 ring gag.

Using the 1st ring it acts as a french link snaffle, using the second ring for competition work such as jumping then opt for the second ring and you do not have to use two sets of reins.
 
Is there something about New Forests that make them bolshy and strong? I've got one that's much the same and have similar sorts of problems - ie once he was fit gets stronger and fights against the hand - I find him particularly strong in the downward transitions.

On the advice of my instructor I've just switched to a hanging cheek snaffle and first impressions are good. It's very early days as I've only ridden him in it once but he was much more attentive, better brakes, much more inclined to mouth the bit and not set his jaw against it.
Might be worth a try for you too.
 
Please don't use a Dutch Gag (three ring gag) they have a confusing action and don't tend to work for horse's that come above the bit or pull downwards. I, personally would go for a thin metal loose ring snaffle (it's very hard to lean on that) and combine it with a loosely fitted flash. Whenever he leans on you drop the hands and he/she might learn that he really can't lean on you. Also lots and lots and lots of transitions.
 
My New Forest/arab ex-riding-school problem mare was in a really strong roller bit when I got her it was a pitched battle each time we went out!! I wanted her any-where else!!!
I put her in a hanging cheek french-link snaffle and I have never looked back!! Bit of poll action and sympathy worked- as did sitting deep and intensive schooling!
Mind you she still loves to race......
Headstrong beasties those New Forests!!!!
 
Hi everyone - thanks for all your advise. I finally amde a decision on bits to try and this weekend I hired a kimblewick!!!!! I have ridden in one before and therfore felt wuite confiedent i could ride her iindly in it. Anyway she went like an absolute dream on saturday. Was VERY light up from and was even engaging her rear quaters and flexing nicely at the poll :)

Today was a little different but that was my fault - I didn't fit the bit high enough in her mouth and she kept getting her tounge over the bit adn was VERY uncomfortable as you can imagine. After a couple of mid ride dismounts and adjustments every thing went swimmingly :)

I will carry on with this for a while adn see what happens - if in a couple of weeks I am back tosquare one again I think i'll try a Myler - but i have never known her to work so well and slober sooooooo much so fingers crossed - but thanks everyon :)
 
advice on bits

Hi Gemma M

Assuming you've done all the usual things, inspected mouth, had teeth checked, made sure there's no back, neck, poll problems, then you could try going for a softer solution. Often a strong pony is put into a stronger bit, pony gets stronger - put into stronger bit and so on. I have a very strong welsh x Appaloosa 14hh mare. I ride her now in a french link sweet iron snaffle, having dispensed with running martingale, flash noseband etc as I intend to do western classes with her and these 'add-ons' cannot be used. She is 16 yo and is rather set in her ways, having been a teenagers cross country mount! So what I'm asking her to do now is completely alien to her. But - I am happy that this bit has achieved the best results. Of course, try a mild bit in the safety of a menage first.

Doris
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back