Am I using the right bit?

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Jimmy260910

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I am currently schooling my horse in a loose ring snaffle bit, but when I work him on the bit he leans on the bit and can be quite strong, and though I love the muscles its given me, I'm fed up of my arms aching after 10minutes of schooling him. When he's on the bit, and is pulling, I use my leg and seat to drive him forward and this helps but it doesn't stop him from leaning on the bit completely.
I wondered if anyone had any better suggestions for a better bit to use on him ?Or if anyone had any suggestions on how I could encourage him to not lean on the bit?
Many thanks :)
 
My wee cob was like yours. I changed to a waterford and he goes really well in it. It can be quite severe so you need to ride with light hands
 
You need to try and not let him lean, encourage him to soften and flex, plenty of transitions to get him carrying more weight behind, possibly a bit less leg, if you are constantly driving him forward it could be putting him out of balance so he leans even more, changing the bit may help but it is often more about trying a slightly different technique.

The problem with using a stronger bit is that it is only altering the problem not actually improving the education, fine for fast work but not if you want to do dressage.
 
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Let the contact go, refuse to carry him, so that he will have to carry himself. Often single jointed snaffles are uncomfortable for the horse, which makes them lean, so that they don't keep getting a poking sensation in the soft palett.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Let the contact go, refuse to carry him, so that he will have to carry himself. Often single jointed snaffles are uncomfortable for the horse, which makes them lean, so that they don't keep getting a poking sensation in the soft palett.
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As soon as I drop the contact he doesn't carry himself, he keeps his head low but he's not on the bit, and I don't understand how he would know what i'm asking of him if the contact isn't there?
 
be positive said:
You need to try and not let him lean, encourage him to soften and flex, plenty of transitions to get him carrying more weight behind, possibly a bit less leg, if you are constantly driving him forward it could be putting him out of balance so he leans even more, changing the bit may help but it is often more about trying a slightly different technique.

The problem with using a stronger bit is that it is only altering the problem not actually improving the education, fine for fast work but not if you want to do dressage.
Click to expand...
Dressage is my aim, he is good in the walk and doesn't lean, and with the canter he just lacks impulsion, but within the trot he leans heavily, he eases off when I'm doing sitting trot, and he is easier on one rein rather than the other.
He seems to just set his jaw against the contact.
 
Jimmy260910 said:
Dressage is my aim, he is good in the walk and doesn't lean, and with the canter he just lacks impulsion, but within the trot he leans heavily, he eases off when I'm doing sitting trot, and he is easier on one rein rather than the other.
He seems to just set his jaw against the contact.
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You can play around with different types of snaffle and may find he prefers a different mouthpiece to whatever you are currently using or possibly a change of noseband but it really comes down to schooling and takes time to achieve a truly soft responsive horse that works correctly in all paces, most go through stages of leaning while they find their balance .

When you start working him get him flexing well in walk, really softening left and right before moving into trot, keep asking him to soften and rather than dropping the rein completely sometimes give away the inside one for a few strides, this is now a required move in some dressage tests so worth trying at an early stage. If he starts to lean do something, ideally before he gets too heavy, it can be a transition, a turn, giving one rein, asking for extra flexion so he does not get a chance to set against you and starts to sit up and listen.
 
He can only lean if he's got something to lean against!

Soften your hands and don't get into a pulling match. Let him have his head low and use half halts and transitions to lift him up. If he's leaning heavily he's NOT working correctly from behind and through his back so letting him go isn't going to be detrimental.

Also look into changing his bit to something he finds comfortable. NOT stronger, just different. I've use Neue Schule bits to great effect.
 
He's still very unbalanced - do be sure that you have him correctly in an outline! Just having his head verticle doesn't mean that he is balanced and working correctly.

To stop him leaning you need to get his hocks further under him so that he keeps his balance better.

Millions of transitions, between and within paces. They must be sharp and crisp transitions too.

Along with plenty of circles, loops and serpentines he will gradually rebalance himself and stop leaning.
 
Ime cobs do far better in French link snaffle than single joint due to their fleshy nouths. I popped b1 in a Waterford for a month when we had this problem and back to French link. A flash also stands her back up off my hands nicely
 
It's strange I've never had a problem with any horse in a single joint - my Clydesdale goes well in a single jointed sweetiron snaffle.

What I often find though that it is the riders hands and schooling methods that cause the problem - not the bit.

Shall duck and run now!
 
be positive said:
You can play around with different types of snaffle and may find he prefers a different mouthpiece to whatever you are currently using or possibly a change of noseband but it really comes down to schooling and takes time to achieve a truly soft responsive horse that works correctly in all paces, most go through stages of leaning while they find their balance .

When you start working him get him flexing well in walk, really softening left and right before moving into trot, keep asking him to soften and rather than dropping the rein completely sometimes give away the inside one for a few strides, this is now a required move in some dressage tests so worth trying at an early stage. If he starts to lean do something, ideally before he gets too heavy, it can be a transition, a turn, giving one rein, asking for extra flexion so he does not get a chance to set against you and starts to sit up and listen.
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We seem to go through stages of him working really well and not leaning at all to him then putting all his weight onto the bit, it gets frustrating.
Thank you for your advice, I will try it the next time I ride him :)
 
http://www.thehorsebitshop.co.uk/product.php?xProd=110&xSec=16

This is the bit that I am using and have been riding him in for the last 2years.
When riding him recently, he carries himself nicely in the trot for a good 5 minutes but then stops and starts to lean heavily, also before I get him to carry himself it takes a good 15 minutes to work him in and encourage him to not lean on the bit.
I just wondered if maybe there was a bit which was more comfortable or would encourage him to carry himself better.


To be honest I'm just looking to get all the advice I can , I'm young and somewhat new to this and need help from others to help me find answers
 
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