XC bitting advice...

S

StormyJ

Guest
I have kind of a difficult horse to bit so I could do with some help!
He's very strong when he doesn't want to stop and the main problem I have is that he won't wait and look at his fences so things like hanging logs and jumps into water take him by surprise. He doesn't go flat out at them, he just runs onto his forehand, sticks his head down and then can't get his shoulders up. He's not actually bothered with ditches/water etc. but like today he's just not always expecting them.
The other problem is that he can be quite sharp in the mouth and if it's too much he loses confidence and won't go; he's normally fab over big fences but can be funny if he feels overwhelmed although I've only tried him SJing in anything sharper so he might not be the same XC.
Normally I XC him in a snaffle. I used to SJ him in a dutch gag on the middle ring but he found that too much, he SJs fine in a snaffle now. Today I used it on the big ring for XC and couldn't steer - he kept hanging left and was very unresponsive.
I hunt him in the gag on two reins; big ring and bottom ring, but when he's tired he sticks his head between his knees which is a bit disconcerting galloping downhill!
So basically I need something to help me stop and steer but that he's not going to find too much. I'm quite happy riding in two reins if necessary. His normal snaffle has a lozenge, and I don't think he likes the nutcracker of the gag. Needs to be something that can get his head up and get him to sit back on his hocks and wait for the more technical fences. He's fine over skinnies and everything like that, but galloping across a field on course today I literally had to use just the right rein to stay in a vaguely straight line! I'm leaning towards a Cheltenham gag with two reins so I can mostly ride of the snaffle and then just get him to sit and wait when I want to.
Any ideas appreciated! It's not a schooling thing as he is lovely in the dressage and fine in the SJ where I need him to feel stong in the hand so that he pings rather than flattens.
The other problem is I have to be able to get it in a 6.5" inch mouth - beast of a horse! :p
 
Well firstly if its the nutcracker of the dutch gag he isn't happy with - why not try it with a lozenge if thats what he's happy with? You can get this and it would make the effect much gentler...I'd stick to using it with 2 reins as you do hunting - or if you want a less effective second rein, the first on the big ring and the second on the middle.

There is also the cheltenham gag as you say, which again I'd be avoiding a single joint in fromt he sound of it.

A milder solution which acts similarly, you could try a loop ring/wilkie 'snaffle' - it's not often seen but this can also be used with 2 reins, one on the main part of the snaffle ring acting as your snaffle rein, and the second rein on the loop part, which is a bit milder than the small ring just below the snaffle ring on the dutch gag, but slightly stronger then the snaffle ring. Usually this is just used with a single rein on the loop part but if he's sensitive as he sounds, you'd be better with 2 for as subtle as possible.

I had exactly this issue with Lance - he was very sensitive in his mouth, but went on the forehand and went with his head down sometimes when xc and sj. I also had major steering issues. I went through various bits and ended up trying a dr cooks bitless bridle. Trying bitless with him is the best thing I could of done for him (although it's not for every horse) and it really gave me a chance to train him to maintain 'uphill', and slow and look. Different horse =]

HTH some... x
 
Well....YO's ex eventer was V V fussy in his mouth, and the best thing she found for him was the myler combi with a mild mouthpiece. Gave her some control without him getting stressed about it.

Another option could be (which has been recommended for me - similar issue, but more of a 'seeing the jump and charging at it') is a thin sweet iron with a lozenge with the hope that it would encourage a bit of softening rather than head raising.
 
Cheltenham gag off 2 reins works well for me & Mrs P :) She is quite unpredictable xc, last 2 times she's been very well mannered & would have been fine in a snaffle but 2 time before she was a bit of a loon & was trying to nap for home, so I needed the control of the stonger rein. If she's polite I ride off the snaffle rein so she isn't overbitted, if she has a 'moment' I can respond to it ;) I managed to find a Chelt Gag with a French link mouthpiece, they are quite hard to find but do exist. The other thing that could work is a Waterford or Dr Bristol, I used a Dr Bristol on my old cob with good results but I've decided to stick to kind, dressage legal mouthpeices with P - I don't want to deaden her mouth and I'm hoping that once she's got more miles on the clock xc we won't need the gag :)
 
Have just been looking at a Neue Schule Elevator and wondering if this might work? Is said to aid "control, lifting and steering" which are my 3 problems in a nut shell! It is exactly the same mouthpiece he has in his snaffle as well so I know he is happy in that. Trouble with them is they are so expensive :rolleyes: and no bit banks have them in his size even though they are the only company to do bits in his size.
Would be the bottom one on this page:
http://www.horsebitbank.com/neue-schule-jumpers-7.dhtml?manufacturer_id=1
(not the Waterford)
If you click on the page about bits and their actions it goes into it and says it gets them on their hocks and would obviously give me a bit more steering with those cheeks!
I'm hesitant to go for a Cheltenham because I have to get bits specially made unless they are Neue Schule and they don't make one.
Somebody please shrink Gabe's mouth! :p
Not sure a Waterford would do it as he doesn't really lean forwards, more sideways, and then when I tell him to wait he just tucks his head in. He's not one of those who takes his jumps flat out with his head in the air; he just goes a bit like a bull and doesn't use his brain! He's not sensitive in a fussy way, just if I ride him on a strong mouthpiece all the time he gets a bit backward. He doesn't really throw his head about unless we have real argument about stopping!
 
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I have a 6 inch Dr Bristol if he might fit into it...............;) It's an eggbut so shouldn't pinch if it's a touch narrow! :eek:
 
Nope, has to be 6.5", tried him in a 6 when I bought him and it barely fit in his mouth! Silly pony! :rolleyes:
 
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