Advice please!

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ccolouredccob

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Hello, I normally just lurk around and have a nose on the forums but want to start posting a bit more :) so thought I'd start by asking for some advice.
Ive been wondering what bit to use on my mare. She's a 14.3 connemara x, not usually strong just gets a little excited and tends to grab hold of the bit in canter and go away with it (not to the point of loosing control). As soon as the bit goes in her mouth she starts chomping on it and biting at it, the dentist suggesting having her wolf teeth out which have now been done a few months ago, she still chomps at it but no where near as much.
Before she had her teeth out I rode her in a Dutch gag but after I've been riding her in a eggbutt myler which a friend suggested as it gives her more room in the mouth.
I just want something to get her listening to me a bit quicker when schooling rather than nosing at everything else going on.
Any help would be greatly appreciated :)
 
The chomping can be a sign of anxiety she may be a little worried, being ridden in the dutch gag and possibly held back rather than ridden forward has added to this. Try to encourage her to relax over her back, work on going forward, she should have less time to look around, lots of variety in her work, plenty of transitions, never going around the edge of the school without doing several movements along the way.
Once she is thinking forward and more relaxed in walk and trot do the same in canter, transitions back to trot or go onto a circle before she takes hold, repetition and clarity of your aids will all help get her listening.
Pole work is also useful, it helps get their attention on something and is a great way of establishing basic work in a fun way.
 
be positive said:
The chomping can be a sign of anxiety she may be a little worried, being ridden in the dutch gag and possibly held back rather than ridden forward has added to this. Try to encourage her to relax over her back, work on going forward, she should have less time to look around, lots of variety in her work, plenty of transitions, never going around the edge of the school without doing several movements along the way.
Once she is thinking forward and more relaxed in walk and trot do the same in canter, transitions back to trot or go onto a circle before she takes hold, repetition and clarity of your aids will all help get her listening.
Pole work is also useful, it helps get their attention on something and is a great way of establishing basic work in a fun way.
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So do you think possibly keep her in the Dutch gag but concentrate on getting her going forward more and listening to me with all the different exercises?
 
I would stay with the myler, a dutch gag is not going to give you a correct way of going, fine for using if you need extra brakes if doing fast work but not as a bit for getting a horse schooling correctly. A hanging snaffle may be worth a try if you are not happy with the myler.
 
She seems to have taken to the myler well, a lot less chomping when the bit is first put in. To begin with it took a while for her to get used to it but she seems to be happy with it now. Think the main thing is going to be working on her schooling not what bit she has. Thank you :)
 
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