Had to assume the ski position.

Cortrasna

Cortrasna

Grumpy old nag
Aug 5, 2009
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Ireland
Well I guess it had to happen sooner or later. None of them are machines, even the most steady old nag! The Doll has been very up for it the last few days, combination of some too good grass and a fair old nip in the wind I think.

She has never had much patience for standing about when we are headed for home. Everything against us this afternoon. Had to stop a good bit for a big quarry lorry to get by....then head off towards home again and had to turn and pull over again for a mahoosive tractor....tried a third time and yet another flipping tractor, without an exhaust which didnt help to keep her standing over frankly!

So finally we can get going again, ask her for trot and she leapt forward straight into a fast canter like a rocket for her!:redcarded: Now she wasn't bolting, (I have been bolted with and it certainly wasn't that dramatic) of that I am sure she never even attempted to go up a gear into gallop, but she was not stopping, no brakes whatsoever. Finally stopped her after about a hundred yards or so, by assuming the classic 'oh s**te' ski position and generally growling at her.:redface:

I have suspected a few times lately that the bit I have her in (a lovely gentle Myler mullen snaffle) is possibly not quite the thing when she gets rather over enthusiastic, although 90 per cent of the time she goes beautifully in it. Mulling over should I go up to something with just a little more 'oomph' to it, she has never done this before, but I really don't want a repeat performance on the road again. Tis a very narrow lane and had anything been coming...??:frown:

Any suggestions - or perhaps keep the bit and try a running martingale?
Strangely it hasn't dented my confidence one bit, had this happened three years back on JJ I would be throwing in the towel!:bounce:
 
I would just say its autumn, my lass has the patience for one car, two she needs correcting. We get the head toss and stamp if madam has been held up on her must get home desire.

Up until now though your Myler has been OK? Is yours a head up or a shove down? What I would be thinking is you slowed down so what you did plus bit was effective?
 
Glad to hear it hasn't dented your confidence! Nothing useful to add - just that it sounds like the wind and time of year! Lol, even Chloe the cob has been displaying her wonderful fast trot up the field - old love that she is! I am such a wuss I wouldn't hack Storm on my own at the moment - far too windy !!! I don't suppose there would be any harm in you using a slightly stronger bit if you thought it might give you some more control? If you are a good and gentle rider (which I am sure you are) then it won't hurt surely? And it would be nice to know it was there if required? I don't know what the next "one up" would be in that case?
 
Lol Marb did pretty much that exact same thing a few weeks ago,only I wasn't even asking him for trot (in fact had just popped the cob in front because he was having a wibble about going forward at all due to invisible monsters:wink:),randomly took off at canter up the middle of the main road in my very busy village,much to my embarrassment as it was rush hour and every person in the cars and on the bus etc was staring at us making a show of ourselves:redface:

He too only went about 100yds,and I adopted much the same stance as you,but probably with far less grace,and a lot more cussing:tongue:

Grumpy cob just stood looking on and rolling his eyes lol.

Hasn't done it since,and no reason for it apparently,think they just have those 'moments' at times TBH,wouldn't worry too much.Dolly was clearly just having a 'boy racer' day,or girl racer i guess in her case:wink:

Maybe see if you have further problems before worrying about changing her bit,especially if she usually goes well in her current one.
 
Yes she does go very well in the Myler I bought from you NF - but just a few times I have had to 'repeat' my ask several times for a slow down since I have been using it - but usually only when we are flying around the place and we both get rather over excited with ourselves!:giggle:

I was wondering if I might try her in the next one up - same bit but with the hooks to give a little more poll pressure if needed? I had her in a french link hanging cheek before and she had instant brakes, but she really wasn't happy in her mouth.

Trewsers you are so right, I am sure a lot of it is to do with the bitingly cold wind here and the time of year.

Devonlass, I can assure you my style was far from elegant, and the air was blue!:redface: But needs must when the chips are down and all that! I wouldn't be thinking about changing the bit if this was completely a one off. But as I said in my reply to NF - she has been a little rude since being in this one - I expect instant compliance. I know that sounds awful, but I am a very soft handed and kind rider generally with her, so I do expect good manners in return!:redcarded: I got both compliance and manners from her in her previous french link hanging cheek, but she was very unhappy with it generally, constantly fussing etc. I don't want that for her either.

Hmmmm....not sure TBH.......:help:
 
I don't think a different bit would make a difference I think its the late grass flush and colder weather it seems to make them a bit more go forward juice.
 
I don't see any harm in trying the same mouthpiece with the hooks which will give a bit more poll pressure. Bits do make a difference to flighty girls - and boys - and if she doesn't pull, you won't need the additional poll pressure on an average hack, but it will be there if you need it.

I hacked Tobes out in the Verbindend loose ring snaffle which he was happy with but I had ZERO brakes in company. The same mouth piece with the universal sides which gives poll pressure is MUCH safer for us, but I have bought a curb strap for it, as he is still pretty strong when his blood is up and on the fun ride before last I had to bridge my reins to get any recognition from him that I was on top of him!!

Personally I think it is NEVER good for horses to understand that they are bigger and stronger than you whether that be on the ground or on board.
 
Yes you could try the one with hooks and maybe ride with two reins? The second one coming into effect if wanted, its not dressage legal but you won't be in a competition with it.
Glad the mouthpiece works though, my lass didn't like it but previous chap was fine.
 
I don't think a martingale is the answer unless they put there head up high enough for it to take action this does not stop a run away.

A change of bit might make you feel safer and safety is so important. A bit is only as harsh as the hands that control it so you will be fine.

I hack Ginger in a cherry roller as I have no brakes at all but they only come in to play when needed.

Well ridden though.
 
Nice to hear Dolly's exercising a little bit of character:tongue: and that you survived it. Makes for a more interesting hack eh?! Am now trying to imagine what the ski position looks like lol!
 
Is it the Myler mullen barrel eggbutt you've got? That was Rubic's dressage bit, I really liked it but had a few moments when breaks were lacking! I think i've seen the version with hooks or you can get a hanging cheek version. The thing that might be quite good about the hooks is that you've got a bit to play around with. You can try having just the cheek pieces through the hooks or just the reins through the hooks or both through the hooks.

I think the thing is that it is a fairly solid bit and Rubic used to just lean on it if she was in the mood. A friend and I went for a gallop in a field (me forgetting I only had her dressage bit in) and both horses got a bit daft and were jumping clumps of grass, I really had to keep asking with one rein only then asking with the other and it took quite some time to stop!

I'm picturing something like this FM:tongue:
tuckrangeimage.JPG
 
Oh the absolute opposite to your picture Rubic......leaning back with my head almost touching her rump....legs straight out in front of me at a very jaunty angle, and the reins being held tightly up into my chest area. Summons up a pretty picture of skilled horsemanship doesn't it?:bounce:

I think I will go an haunt ebay and see if I can find one in her size. Might try the martingale in the meantime, it has often helped in the past on other horses and her head was rather in my face, hence the leaning backward bit!
 
I was wondering because I thought that would just make a horse go faster but it was the only thing I could picture when you said ski position:giggle:
 
Flipo's Mum said:
Awh. I was thinking more star jump like, when someone loses their balance lol (my only experience of skiing myself!)
:tongue:
Click to expand...

My experience of skiing was falling a lot... I actually rolled down have a huge, steep run once like a giant snowball:redface:
 
I agree with obc! Id rather have soft hands with a slightly harsher bit then be fighting to stop and yanking her mouth with lack of breaks in a mild bit.
 
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