Firewell
Well-Known Member
Hello,
My horse does dressage really nicely in a NS full cheek lozenge snaffle. He's not heavy in the hand to school or too light, just right.
Jumping is impossible in the NS. He starts off fine over warm up jumps but he gets excited and will pull after the fence which then makes him rush into the next one. I've watched him with other people riding (he does it with everyone even pros) and he lands and then pokes his nose out, tilts his head, opens his mouth and sets his jaw. If he cant pull you down he might try and throw his head up and do a leap. His ears are always pricked he just gets excited and trys to ignore you. He's very athletic. If he is fresh and does a big jump he is more likely to yee haa afterwards.
A pro who was riding him liked him in a full cheek waterford as he's hard to turn when he goes all stiff and locks his jaw. She would sit up and bring him back to a halt straight away and make him rein back before asking him to move on.
However I dont like riding him in the waterford, I like jumping him in a kimblewick. I find him best when he's challenged and if he gets like this I do tight turns on him into jumps to give him less time to 'plot'. I don't think I am as strong in the seat as the pro and the turns really help me and he loves jumping at angles and things and he locks on and finds his own strides.
The pro thought the kimblewick made him cross and 'humpy' with her but I have always found that I can gain control of his poll really quickly and I can ride him super light and just give a pull when he starts to rush off on landing and he comes right back.
However I do think it's a bit strong for regular jumping at home and hacking (he's the same hacking, if he gets excited in the NS he feels horrid like I may as well have a bit made of fluff for all the good it does. Its Ok for walking round the lanes but not so good for gallops
). I don't want to use my kimblewick all the time except schooling.
What happy medium is there that offers security for him (I think he likes security, he has never gone well in a loose ring) and a bit of poll pressure but isn't something he can lean on....
I was thinking of a universal or a maybe a myler?!
I tried a straight bar pelham before and that's awful, he goes really heavy in the hand and leans even more in that. I haven't tried a jointed pelham.. I could try a happy mouth jointed pelham I suppose.
Thoughts?
Oh he's 10, established and very much his own person!
My horse does dressage really nicely in a NS full cheek lozenge snaffle. He's not heavy in the hand to school or too light, just right.
Jumping is impossible in the NS. He starts off fine over warm up jumps but he gets excited and will pull after the fence which then makes him rush into the next one. I've watched him with other people riding (he does it with everyone even pros) and he lands and then pokes his nose out, tilts his head, opens his mouth and sets his jaw. If he cant pull you down he might try and throw his head up and do a leap. His ears are always pricked he just gets excited and trys to ignore you. He's very athletic. If he is fresh and does a big jump he is more likely to yee haa afterwards.
A pro who was riding him liked him in a full cheek waterford as he's hard to turn when he goes all stiff and locks his jaw. She would sit up and bring him back to a halt straight away and make him rein back before asking him to move on.
However I dont like riding him in the waterford, I like jumping him in a kimblewick. I find him best when he's challenged and if he gets like this I do tight turns on him into jumps to give him less time to 'plot'. I don't think I am as strong in the seat as the pro and the turns really help me and he loves jumping at angles and things and he locks on and finds his own strides.
The pro thought the kimblewick made him cross and 'humpy' with her but I have always found that I can gain control of his poll really quickly and I can ride him super light and just give a pull when he starts to rush off on landing and he comes right back.
However I do think it's a bit strong for regular jumping at home and hacking (he's the same hacking, if he gets excited in the NS he feels horrid like I may as well have a bit made of fluff for all the good it does. Its Ok for walking round the lanes but not so good for gallops
). I don't want to use my kimblewick all the time except schooling. What happy medium is there that offers security for him (I think he likes security, he has never gone well in a loose ring) and a bit of poll pressure but isn't something he can lean on....
I was thinking of a universal or a maybe a myler?!
I tried a straight bar pelham before and that's awful, he goes really heavy in the hand and leans even more in that. I haven't tried a jointed pelham.. I could try a happy mouth jointed pelham I suppose.
Thoughts?
Oh he's 10, established and very much his own person!