Any bit suggestions please?

[lauraandjack]

I'm having a bit of a dilemma with bitting my ginger beast at the moment. 15.2 Welsh D, takes a 5 1/2 bit and doesn't seem to have a massively fleshy cob gob!

At home he is working happily in a hanging cheek french link snaffle, which is also fine for hacking and stuff. However for jumping (which he loves, and is v keen) and other exciting occasions like hunting he is too strong and I tend to put him in a mullen mouth pelham either with roundings or 2 reins.

My problem is that I would like to show him and do some working hunter with him this summer, but he does not go nicely in the pelham on the flat, it's too strong for him. But I think a show would be too much for the snaffle and I don't want to be hauling on his mouth to stop him.

So, any suggestions for a showing-acceptable bit that would give me enough brakes for jumping but he would also go more happily on the flat in? Obviously for workers I have to do jumping and showing in the same tack, so I need to find a happy medium!

I have tried the much hated Dutch gag and he detested it and it didn't really give me any more control than the snaffle. I was vaguely thinking of trying a french link pelham, I know this cancels out the curb chain, but part of me suspects it's the curb chain he doesn't like.

Any suggestions please?

 

[CrazyMare]

If you suspect he doesn't like the curb chain, what about replacing it with a leather or elastic curb.

For showing a dutch gag wouldn't be suitable, but what about trying him in a proper double, so when he is fine you can just ride off the bradoon, but you have a bit more there when he gets stronger.

 

[lauraandjack]

I had thought of a double, but my instructor seemed to think that 2 bits would be a bit much for him at this stage. But maybe it might be worth a try. Although he's 12, he'd never done any schooling until I bought him 18 months ago, so educationally he's still quite green really (but has a lot of potential when he puts his mind to it).