Advice with horse that grabs the bit when on a stubble field

[ticker]

In summer I ride mainly on the stubble fields with my mare round OH's farm so have full permission to do so. Mare is great to canter, trot and walk on a stubble and is very response however the issue is when asking her to gallop. She thinks it's great fun and so do I but when she grabs the bit , sets her jaw and tanks off towards a huge dyke not so much. I can make her stop if I do a strong half halt and practically drop the other rein. Normally if the field is long enough ill just kick her on when she does that and push her harder until she eventually calms and I regain full control. I don't want to change the bit she is in ( fulmer snaffle) as she is happy in this and suits her for everything else. She doesn't tank off with me if I ask for gallop on grass it's just the stubble field. Is there anyway I can stop her grabbing the bit when I first ask for gallop ? on the occasions she doesn't grab it when I first ask I have no issue with my control or brakes. Thanks !

 

[EllenJay]

Next time she grabs the bit - drop your reins so she has nothing to fight against. Very scarey when you are in full flight gallop, but a lot easier than fighting her.

 

[Nikki J]

Next time she grabs the bit - drop your reins so she has nothing to fight against. Very scarey when you are in full flight gallop, but a lot easier than fighting her.

My daughter's Dartmoor pony used to do this. Like you, we didn't want to put a more severe bit on her (the pony, not my daughter!) so we bought a cheltenham gag for her. This worked an absolute treat, she never ever bolted again. My daughter rode her not using the gag rein at all, but just riding her off the snaffle bit as usual. The rein was there knotted on the pony's neck just in case, but she never had to use it. Problem solved and daughter safe.

 

[saddlesore]

Next time she grabs the bit - drop your reins so she has nothing to fight against. Very scarey when you are in full flight gallop, but a lot easier than fighting her.

I would not advise doing this! If she is grabbing the bit and leaning on it then she will be heavily on the forehand and you risk her tripping and both getting injured. Can you ask for gallop quite near the end of the field so that she is only getting a couple of strides and therefore not getting strung out? If she doesn't have the opportunity to lengthen she should be easier to hold and keep practising with slightly longer gallops until she learns to sit back a bit.

 

[ticker]

My daughter's Dartmoor pony used to do this. Like you, we didn't want to put a more severe bit on her (the pony, not my daughter!) so we bought a cheltenham gag for her. This worked an absolute treat, she never ever bolted again. My daughter rode her not using the gag rein at all, but just riding her off the snaffle bit as usual. The rein was there knotted on the pony's neck just in case, but she never had to use it. Problem solved and daughter safe.

Just like to emphasise the mare isn't bolting I do have a level of control, I really do not want to put a gag on her etc as she doesn't need it. Although I am glad it worked for you, I would rather go through methods of schooling before putting some kit on her.

Next time she grabs the bit - drop your reins so she has nothing to fight against. Very scarey when you are in full flight gallop, but a lot easier than fighting her.

See reply to below comment

I would not advise doing this! If she is grabbing the bit and leaning on it then she will be heavily on the forehand and you risk her tripping and both getting injured. Can you ask for gallop quite near the end of the field so that she is only getting a couple of strides and therefore not getting strung out? If she doesn't have the opportunity to lengthen she should be easier to hold and keep practising with slightly longer gallops until she learns to sit back a bit.

Thank you both for the reply, I did think of doing this and a friend pointed out what Saddlesore did she is very heavily on the forehand when bulldozing along and I wouldn't want to risk a trip I might try this towards the end of the gallop and see what effect it has once she has let go of the bit some what. I shall try letting her have a short gallop and building up ideally I wan to be charging about with everyone else so it's going to take some work.


Thanks for taking the time to reply

 

[EllenJay]

I would not advise doing this! If she is grabbing the bit and leaning on it then she will be heavily on the forehand and you risk her tripping and both getting injured. Can you ask for gallop quite near the end of the field so that she is only getting a couple of strides and therefore not getting strung out? If she doesn't have the opportunity to lengthen she should be easier to hold and keep practising with slightly longer gallops until she learns to sit back a bit.

But she only does this on the stubble fields - not anywhere else. i would guess that the OP is expecting her to grab the bit in these places so holds on tighter with the result that the horse grabs the bit. If you don't give the horse something to lean on they will not be i=on their forehand, you will not be fighting for control and everything is a lot calmer.

Works for me

 

[AmyMay]

Rather than 'galloping' her. Just allow the canter to evolve. That way you take all the excitement out of it and should remain in control.

 

[ticker]

But she only does this on the stubble fields - not anywhere else. i would guess that the OP is expecting her to grab the bit in these places so holds on tighter with the result that the horse grabs the bit. If you don't give the horse something to lean on they will not be i=on their forehand, you will not be fighting for control and everything is a lot calmer.

Works for me

Quite possibly, I have been suggest to keep one hand into her neck and one hand slightly higher so the bit isn't as easy for her to grab

Rather than 'galloping' her. Just allow the canter to evolve. That way you take all the excitement out of it and should remain in control.

Thank you, ill let her dribble into next time and see what happens

 

[Nikki J]

To me, if the horse grabs the bit then you have lost contact with her mouth, and if you have lost contact with the mouth you have lost your brakes! If you have lost your brakes and the horse is travelling at speed, then to me that is effectively bolting. A horse that grabs the bit, thus causing loss of brakes, is in my opinion extremely dangerous and I would personally recommend trying something like a Cheltenham gag which is extremely kind on the mouth, but puts pressure on the top of the head, rather than condemning yourself and the horse to months of schooling, with no guarantee that once you go out onto the stubble again, the same thing doesn't happen all over again. A Cheltenham gag to a bit grabber with a soft mouth is extremely effective, because when you exert the pressure on the top of the head via the gag rein, the horse immediately drops her head to get away from the pressure. A horse finds it extremely difficult to bolt with its head down, so the second the head drops you know you're home and dry. My daughter's Dartmoor reacted instantly to the pressure of the gag, so that my daughter never had to use it, but merely have it knotted on the pony's neck just in case. It is a very kind but effective way of stopping a bit grabber right in its tracks. There is no point in trying to out"strength" the horse, once that bit has been grabbed, the horse is in charge, but a gag will bring the head down and the horse back under control with no pain or damage inflicted on the mouth.

 

[Tern]

Simple! Don't gallop on the stubble field practice extending and collecting your canter but if you REALLY want to then a Wonder Gag or Pelham

 

[shannonandtay]

As above, maybe just go to the fields and just walk and trot or maybe a collected canter just so she doesn't always expect to gallop there. Daughters pony grabbed the bit in a lose ring snaffle on a couple of occasions he is now in a copper roller snaffle which he goes well in and the bit is meant to roll if they try to grab it making it hard for them to do so.