help with getting the right bit

wibble

wibble

Active Member
Feb 8, 2006
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Herts/Essex border
help with getting the right bit updated

I feel a bit silly now, been riding 23 years and feel I don't know anything. My loan horse is a cob and as the owner couldn't find her bridle I have been borrowing a bit from the Yard owner. I kept mentioning that it felt like she was leaning quite heavily on my hands.

Last night for the first time since I got her 3 weeks ago a friend rode her and said she's not leaning shes just bl**dy strong, no-one should have to put up with that you'll have massive arm muscles get a decent bit in her mouth.

Firstly, despite this being my first cob as apposed to warmbloods, I feel stupid that I didn't realise she was being strong.

Secondly any suggestions for bits for a hardened cob's mouth! The owner is sending down her waterford but my friend seemed to think she might need a pelham or gag.


I know in an ideal world I would re-train her in a snaffle but until we move yards I can't afford lessons to help so if anyone has any suggestions I would be grateful.

:)

Waterford arrived and it made no difference at all. Tried the exercise where you walk and trot for a few steps of each, unfortunately she got so overexcited after one circuit of the school she took off with me flat out round the school with her nose stuck out, I just had to sit there until she stopped as I couldn't slow her down or get her to turn. Feel an utter failure at mo. Tell me it gets better.
 
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Have to agree with nookster. I've an irish cob who had a tendancy to be strong and lean on my hands. We schooled him out of this. when we tried to put in a stronger bit (a pelham) he began to back off a contact and was very unhappy. he's now in a hanging cheek snaffle for everything, even hacking.

You cannot fight with the horse, the horse is stronger and will always win. You really do just need to educate them and i think this is where a lot of cob owners go wrong. Cobs (depsite what some might like to say) are not dumb and stupid, they are actually highly intelligent. And they will play games and ignore you!!

If you feel the cob is leaning on your hands, i'd work on lots of transitions to try and get her off your hands. what bit is she ridden in just now?
 
she is in a snaffle. My friend is rather experienced and also has a cob. She says that hers leans on her hands but is not strong where as mine is just plain strong and not leaning if that makes any sense. I am hoping the waterford will help as that is what she has always been ridden in.
 
I think you need to re-evaluate this situation personally.

Why is it that shes wanting to be strong? has she had a very heavy contact in the past that shes just counter acting this? Drop all contact and see what she does...... If you have been riding in a snaffle so far I would carry on

As for the friend being experienced. In my eyes i would say no - anyone whose experienced in my opinion wouldn't just opt for biting them up but would look at the reasoning behind it.
 
Oh, how I sympathise! I have a very heavy on the hand cob too....

I am just reading Kelly Marks' Perfect Manners and the comments about horses resisting pressure is making me realise that the reason my mare "leans" on the bit is because she is used to being reined in (for many years before I got her too) so I am going back to basics. Of course, it doesn't help that her muscles are all developed in the wrong places either! Cobs are generally on the forehand anyway as conformationally they seem to be designed for pulling so they need lots of schooling.... She is currently in a french-link snaffle, we have a full-cheek version coming for steering assistance at this stage. I am fortunate as I can ride in the confines of a school and at the moment we are just practising walking and trotting on a loose rein. I had some brilliant advice on NR the other week about rising to the trot at MY speed and not matching as my mare gets faster and faster and I have to say I tried it and it works an absolute treat... I couldn't believe when she slowed down with no rein contact!! Try it, it's brilliant!!

I have built up a fine set of muscles in my neck, shoulders and upper arms so I forget just how strong she is, until someone else rides her unfortunately. I do have a pelham which I tried and she just overbent in it which is a harsh case of avoidance in my eye.

I am stills struggling to find the right exercises and riding style to suit Cherry BUT, although I get disheartened at times, I WILL persevere and try to get her sorted....
 
Use you seat to slow her also try voice.

I personally advise reading the site i put in my first post. If you are restricting her forward movement by the reins then as domane has stated shes resisting this.

In the website it will so you diagrams of your horses muscles how they react to pressure and how and what they do to avoid it.

No poitn retraining until you have all the facts.
 
carrotcrunching.jpg

Got one of these ? This lad could pull a steam train, but I ride him in a snaffle. You don't have to be a brilliant rider to soften strong cobs (I'm certainly not). I'd go along with the advice already given, lots of transitions ( walk for a few paces-5 or 6, then trot for the same number and keep repeating it) He may not understand what you are asking. Use your voice, find what words he is used to, like , And Waaalk.. or Steady.. and try a neck strap, use it to slow him down instead of pulling on his mouth.
With Malachy, I find if he has no rein contact, he snatches trying to find it, if the contact is too strong and unforgiving he snatches and throws his head up and leans on the bit. with a soft, but constant , elastic contact he seems happy.Keep your wrists soft going with the movement, but constant so he can feel you there.Slow him with your seat, shoulders back and slow your own movement.
 
Agree with everything. We have a strong cob and ride him in a happy mouth straight bit. The more we pull the more he pulls. a light contact, still hands and he is happy. Pull him and he pulls too., He wins

Em
 
You won't get results in a day i'm afraid

It will take months of working and training her to start to see the difference so don't give up

Its taken years of whoever rode her to be like that and habits can't be changed over night so to say

Give her time and just understand its not her fault. She just needs the correct guidance
 
I have a big strong cob who i ride in a kimblewick without a chain.When his pace increases i tweek the left then right reins independently until he comes down and relaxes onto the bit.I drive him in a straight bar liverpool bit and he is happy with that.
Cob have fatter tongues so a straight bar bit will probably suit better.
 
I think this is a problem that will be sorted by schooling and that will take time. i'd definately try to get some lessons booked. don't be disheartened, just be aware it will take time to get her out of this way of going.

My cob works better if i keep a very light contact but use my legs and seat to do the majority of the work.
 
I have to disagree with everyone here and go along with your friend and say put it in a rubber pelham.
I have learnt from bitter experience what these cob are like in snaffles, when I had Phoebe she used to tank me at a trot wherever she wanted to go, we tried her in a Waterford gag and she hated it, her owner said a rubber pelham, and she was awesome, she turned me from hating her into loving her with all my heart, I trusted her with my life, and still would. I would go out for up to 8 hours with her, and never had a problem again.
Livvy was too strong in a snaffle, and you couldn't get her to back a step, when we bought her we put her in a pelham and now she backs beautifully, and just two weeks ago won the 2ft jumping class in a pelham. She still tried to take me on during the class, but with the pelham, I (a very, very light rider) can use light hands and still maintain complete control. ;)

Good luck with your horse whatever you decide to do :)
 
a pelham could be used as a stop gap, but it's not the long term solution. i used to ride my cob in a pelham for everything but as his schooling progressed he really did not need the pelham at all because he'd stopped leaning and pulling on my hands and it was then he started backing off and getting very uncomfortable in the bit as i mentioned before. it's also no good if you want to do any dressage.

theres no harm in trying one out, but don't view it as the end to the problem
 
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