17h ex-hunter rides like a whizy pony club pony: advice & bitting pls?

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mutley1987

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Hi, I've got a 13 year old 17h chunky hannoverian mare we bought as a broodmare in foal nearly 2 years ago. She gave us a lovely filly who we love to bits but we couldn't get her back into foal and decided to bring her back into ridden work.
We were told when we bought her that she had hunted, done x-country and hacked out but not done much of 'that fancy dressage stuff!'. The lady we bought her from was selling up and going through a messy divorce had stuck all her mares in foal and is now un-contactable. I have no reason to disbelieve anything she told us but I'm trying to bring my mare back into work and she is quite a fizz bomb and I don't feel I know much about her ridden-wise.
I'm much more into dressage and to be honest she rides like a 'stereotypical' pony club pony - she's not keen on a contact (she doesn't seem to understand it or really be too keen on learning!) and prefers to go hollow and quick. I'm currently working her in an egburt snaffle but feel my brakes are pretty limited!! It doesn't encourage me to jump her or take her out of the school but as i know all she has ever really done is bomb round and jump I think I'm winding her up more by sticking to flatwork and softening work and she's likely to eventually explode with boredom. She doesn't make you feel unsafe but I'm just not used to something so hot so any advice would be muchly appreciated. I'm also wondering whether if she was generally hunted etc what bit people think she may have been worked in to give a few more brakes? I'm not one for over-bitting but a 17h chunky monkey who thinks she's a 12.2 speed class jumping pony is not all that helpful....
Sorry for the long post but any thoughts are welcomed. Thanks!!!
 
I have a 15.2 TB who also thinks she's a 13.2 speed demon! Very useful for jump offs lol
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Mine came with a wilkie snaffle which I use for SJ and XC.

I have experimented with SJing in a simple eggbutt snaffle and a loose ring lozenge snaffle but it's a lost cause and the wilkie definitely gives me more brakes without being overly severe.
 
if shes anything like mine, probably a Pelham with 2 reins (better) or roundings (not so good but easier to manage in emergency) ? Pelham good if she is ok with poll pressure as part of the action. If she dislikes poll pressure then something like a true (running) gag (the one where the cheekpiece runs down through slots in the top and bottom of snaffle bit rings and continue into being reins. I use the latter with my boy as he has ear plaques so is very head/poll sensitive and can rear if too much poll action.
 
What feed is she on ? That can sometimes play a part,.
Could you not try lunging/free schooling her 1st, to get rid of the excess energy before work.
Id try a hanging cheek, with a flash (if) needed next, or, try a pelham as suggested fo a short time, you can always go down bits , once you've got her listening,.
Sounds to me a lil bit more than a bitting problem here, have her teeth been done recently ?,.
I have a native who is very sensitive to :- hayledge (Goes hyper), certain feeds, again goes loopy,. Sugar beet, turnip and sweedes send him dangerous, But he is mr chill and 99% bombproof on the feed he is on now, and the most soft horse on the yard, now ive found what feeds he reacts to , . I got told natives could eat anything, well in my years of owning a few i know this isnt the case , lol, good luck, and keep us posted
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jackie
 
thank you both very much for those suggestions. i havent used a wilkie snaffle before but looking at it it seems to work in a similar way to a continental snaffle which I believe I have one of hiding in the tack room that would be her size (can't believe I didnt think of it!) so that should gve me an idea of how she takes to poll pressure and then possibly look at a pelham or kimblewick if I need more brakes. If she doesn't take well to poll pressure I can look at trying to borrow a running gag to see how that goes. thank you again. I think sometimes extra brains on something can really make a difference!!
 
sorry missed the last comment i was very slowly typing my last reply! her teeth were done 2 months ago and the dentist had quite a bit to do but was happy when she came back to check up on her that she ought to be ok and there wasn't anything to cause her a problem from now on but I know there is still the possibility of 'remembered pain' so I've been quite conciously trying to not be too strong with my hand hence as well the hope for bitting advice in the hope that with a stronger bit i can maintain a light contact and not feel its a constant battle when she gets quick which can't be very comfortable for her, remembered pain or not!
 
For what its worth....I had brake problems with my 17hh Han .tb/ Irish and after many bits tried the larger sized Pee Wee as my boy has a WB fleshy mouth ..The bit is great and he is very happy in his mouth with the bit being used on its mildest setting even when we are on the Moor
 
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