Right, thinking ahead a few months now, and we're hoping to get out for a fun ride around Windsor Great Park at the end of May.
When I bought Flash on the photos that his old owners sent me before I viewed him - they sent photos of him jumping out on a cross country, and also hunting, and I was able to look at those pictures and figure out that he was in a Pelham in some of them (with roundings), and a Kimblewick in others.
Now, at our yard he is settled and I have only ever ridden him in a loose ring snaffle (French link). Cross country course at the yard - snaffle is fine. SJ at the yard - again snaffle is fine. When I took him out for the dressage on the lorry the other day he was really REALLY excited, and felt bloody strong at times, though I was able to calm him down a notch or two in the warm up, in honesty I understood why they may have opted for a stronger bit. He was massively off the leg, my riding has come a long way since I had him, and even with my new abs of steel (I'm a gnat's whisker away from having a six pack for heavens' sake, from nothing other than riding!), "guns" for arms and much MUCH stronger leg muscles, I still felt like I was sitting on a volcano that was about to erupt!
He's quite calm standing around (total dope on a rope on the ground) no silliness in terms of his behaviour, just strong, and very excited (he knows his job and knows what a competition day is). I'm much more confident in my ability to ride with soft hands now - so I would like a stronger bit so that if he's as excitable as he was about the dressage last weekend (and he's pretty underwhelmed by flatwork in general if I'm honest) I still have steering and brakes if my seat and core muscles fail to contain his energy!
So, what bit would you go for?
When I bought Flash on the photos that his old owners sent me before I viewed him - they sent photos of him jumping out on a cross country, and also hunting, and I was able to look at those pictures and figure out that he was in a Pelham in some of them (with roundings), and a Kimblewick in others.
Now, at our yard he is settled and I have only ever ridden him in a loose ring snaffle (French link). Cross country course at the yard - snaffle is fine. SJ at the yard - again snaffle is fine. When I took him out for the dressage on the lorry the other day he was really REALLY excited, and felt bloody strong at times, though I was able to calm him down a notch or two in the warm up, in honesty I understood why they may have opted for a stronger bit. He was massively off the leg, my riding has come a long way since I had him, and even with my new abs of steel (I'm a gnat's whisker away from having a six pack for heavens' sake, from nothing other than riding!), "guns" for arms and much MUCH stronger leg muscles, I still felt like I was sitting on a volcano that was about to erupt!
He's quite calm standing around (total dope on a rope on the ground) no silliness in terms of his behaviour, just strong, and very excited (he knows his job and knows what a competition day is). I'm much more confident in my ability to ride with soft hands now - so I would like a stronger bit so that if he's as excitable as he was about the dressage last weekend (and he's pretty underwhelmed by flatwork in general if I'm honest) I still have steering and brakes if my seat and core muscles fail to contain his energy!
So, what bit would you go for?