Lack of brakes!

[jules&oscar]

Hi, I'm new(ish) to this site, and thought i'd seek some advice! (bit long though this, sorry..)
basically, i have no brakes!!

I have a 13.2 15 y/o pony who is incredibly fast/forward going/strong!! I've managed for years riding him in a 3 ring gag, and kind of just let him get on with stuff
However, i've come to the point where i can't cope with this anymore(it kills my arms), and want to try and do something about it! (better late than never, surely?)
He leans on me real bad all the time, and i can't seem to stop him doing this, because as soon as i release the reins slightly he shoots off. because He's always worked from the front, and he's always leaning on me, i find it really hard to stop!
So, i've changed his bit, now got him in a d-ring copper roller, and tightened his flash. to begin with he went lovely, (rode with hardly any contact) but now i can't seem to stop him at all, and i'm finding him harder to stop than before! He's sussing out that if he pokes his nose right out he can evade the bit without having to open his mouth as he used to. Apart from popping a martingale on him, does anyone have any suggestions as to what i could try? i don't really want to have to resort to adding extras, but would a drop noseband work better than the flash? Or does anyone have any other bit suggestions?
Thanks

 

[Fizz]

i had this problem with my id x tb, we where fine till we cantered then we had zero brakes.

rather than haul his mouth all the time i put him in a pelham with double reins & he is now fab out hacking, i let other horses canter off & he still stays happily at the speed i want

doesn't work for all horses but he goes very well in it & i swap back to his french link for schooling

 

[coss]

i would say schooling is the only option. i agree that you don't want too add gadgets. i would maybe try a different bit but i think that would result in the same situation of it working for a while and then he'll find a way out.

i would do a lot of circle work so that the back end has to work harder and the front end won't be able to poke the nose. when you say you end up going incredibly fast/forward going etc what happens with NO contact? with SOME horses (my horses are not generally included so i know it doesn't always work) but with horses that try to lean sometime dropping the contact i have seen work. i used to ride a horse who would do what you describe, drop the contact and she would put her head down and gradually slow down. it might be worth trying i you are in an enclosed area.

 

[jules&oscar]

If i release the reins or have a gentle contact he's off! I think that's why i'm finding it so frustrating. I'm trying to work him on a loose rein to encourage him to stop leaning on me, which is resulting in me doing constant half halts, but practically always ending up with a fight and him leaning again!
Because of the loose reins, i am literally always working him on circles to try and keep the pace as steady as i can. i am trying to persevere patiently, but just finding it really bloomin' hard!!

 

[Fizz]

schooling does not always work, jay is 100% when schooled be it in a field or a school, but when hacking he can be very very forward & unless in his pelham you have to yank at his mouth.

he hunted & x/c with a man would could not stop him unless in a pelham,but they schooled him in a french link like me & had no problems.

most horses are different out hacking ect to schooling

 

[coss]

i would do lots of spirals in walk, with lots of changes of rein. do lots of flexing but not side to side see-sawing but just to keep asking for softness. it will take time. i used to ride a horse that leaned a lot but he was really lazy, a kimblewick sorted that out and he really worked well but i'm not so sure that would suit your pony...

have you ever done things like shoulder and haunches in? this would engage the back end and your pony would have to concentrate, turn about the forehand may also be good as you then are half halting in preparation of doing something else rather than half halting just to slow down. my mare always used to be in a rush everywhere and simple half halts frustrated her, lateral work relaxed her so she wasn't busy (i know busyness isn't your problem) and softened her to the contact so that normal half halts weren't a battle.

 

[Tuff_up]

no more bits no more any thing. You need to reschool. If this horse takes off on you ask him/her to back up and use his rear end make him work as a punishment. Making him back up is more work then going forward back him up alot aswell like right back to were he took off. Then after he is backed up to were he made the taking off turn him around and ask him to go forward and retry what ever you were trying before just in the other direction. If you don't understand what i am trying to tell you please pm me. Also i would put him into a simple snaffle but its depend on how bad he is. Also circles work well for awhile but some horses then just get barrel racing type. I do know what your having to deal with right now as i am retraining a horse that loves to go fast. But i can't do circles with her because for some of her years she was used as a barrel horse. good luck

 

[Bobbin]

I'm another one who says schooling.

I bought a pony who was ridden in a kimblewick and I've now schooled her into a happy mouth straight bar loose ring snaffle. I still use my Kimblewick for fast hacks although I am thinking of ditching it all together if she continues to be as good.

Its taken a year of trying ever snaffle under the sun untill I figured out she hated links. She responds to her kimblewick alot more now I ride her normally in a snaffle, so I have the power when I actually need it.