Bit advice for 12hh Welsh pony

[Pony1256]

I wondered if anyone could offer their opinion...we have a lovely new 14 year old 12hh Welsh pony who came in a Tom thumb bit. He has aways been ridden and schooled by children. He apparently used to be in a hanging cheek snaffle but his old owners found him tricky to steer in that so put him in the Tom Thumb. I worry it is quite a strong bit in the hands of children (mine are 6 & 8).
We have so far found that he is on the whole fine but can be strong hacking on the way home when trotting or cantering and does sometimes have opinions about which way he would like to go...he is fine in the school and when they have their weekly lessons.
My question is, I feel the Tom thumb is quite a strong bit but is there anything else we could try that is in between the Tom Thumb and hanging cheek? I don't want to put him in something and then find they can't stop him or turn him..any advice? Thank you.

 

[maya2008]

Our Shetland went in a Tom Thumb when she was younger, as it was literally the only thing that would make her respect her tiny riders. It is strong but in the hands of a 4 year old with loose ish reins it was just enough to stop her doing her own thing. We tried her in a Dutch gag but she might as well have been in a headcollar.

Two years ago my son schooled a pony who needed to go into a Tom Thumb to stop his dangerous running off habit (full pelt gallop into gates etc). He came back out of it after a couple of months and went back into a hanging cheek as was no longer trying to run off. We deliberately schooled him out of the habit though - placing him in situations where he wanted to go and teaching him not to.

So… if you have an obedient little pony who is not trying to leave with small child attached, you can either pop reins on snaffle ring to see how it goes and then drop back, or just try a Dutch gag. Do that in the school first though! If pony is still strong in a Tom Thumb I would get lessons for children to improve their hands (that’s what I did with the Shetland) rather than dropping back on the bit. Those lessons may mean you can eventually move out of it as the children’s riding improves and the pony’s schooling does also.

Equally, if pony is lovely in the school and strong out hacking you could use a snaffle in the school and the stronger bit for hacking.

 

[Pony1256]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. They are having lessons but he is good in the school so the instructor suggested a normal snaffle but she hasn't seen him on a hack so that's why I keep going round in circles with what to do! Does a Dutch gag work in a similar way to a Tom Thumb but is less harsh, but stronger than a hanging cheek? Sorry for the questions, I've always had ponies with just a basic snaffle so know very little about what is best and what the options are. Thank you.

 

[WelshD]

My first port of call would be a full cheek snaffle, this helps tremendously with the steering and all of my young ponies have had one

A stage on would be a Wilkie/bevel type bit, not everyone agrees with these for ponies but I've found the majority of mine have been happy in one

The one pony who didn't like a wilkie ended up in a myler kimblewick, its an ugly as sin looking bit but he is so happy in it. Back in the day the kimblewick would be a go to bit for an wayward/opinionated pony but I do find that a Wilkie/bevel is a modern useful middle ground

Try Diddy bits on Facebook for bits that are neatly scaled down for small ponies and not expensive

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I wondered if anyone could offer their opinion...we have a lovely new 14 year old 12hh Welsh pony who came in a Tom thumb bit. He has aways been ridden and schooled by children. He apparently used to be in a hanging cheek snaffle but his old owners found him tricky to steer in that so put him in the Tom Thumb. I worry it is quite a strong bit in the hands of children (mine are 6 & 8).
We have so far found that he is on the whole fine but can be strong hacking on the way home when trotting or cantering and does sometimes have opinions about which way he would like to go...he is fine in the school and when they have their weekly lessons.
My question is, I feel the Tom thumb is quite a strong bit but is there anything else we could try that is in between the Tom Thumb and hanging cheek? I don't want to put him in something and then find they can't stop him or turn him..any advice? Thank you.

Mine is just in a plain snaffle

she does have a pelham too for hacking but hasn't hacked for ages.

 

[maya2008]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. They are having lessons but he is good in the school so the instructor suggested a normal snaffle but she hasn't seen him on a hack so that's why I keep going round in circles with what to do! Does a Dutch gag work in a similar way to a Tom Thumb but is less harsh, but stronger than a hanging cheek? Sorry for the questions, I've always had ponies with just a basic snaffle so know very little about what is best and what the options are. Thank you.

I sincerely doubt it is a steering problem, you put a pony in a Tom Thumb if it doesn’t respect the bit - which can lead to them twisting their heads, dropping a shoulder and going wherever they want - but isn’t them not understanding steering.

If he is good in the school, pop him in a snaffle in the school - on the lunge at first to be sure, then with the older rider, then younger one. You will at that point find out if he bogs off to the gate at speed in a snaffle, or runs off, or…

If your children struggle to hold him out hacking, I would not downgrade the bit for that activity. You’ll just end up with an out of control pony, carting your child off who knows where (been there, done that - although ours came to us in a snaffle so it was more of a surprise to us than it would be to you!).

It’s quite easy to switch bits over for different activities.

A Dutch gag helps a little with the aforementioned ignoring bit and twisting to do own thing, as it has cheeks so can help turn and a little leverage to help with control. It’s also handy because you can pop the reins on the snaffle ring for schooling then just move them down for hacking. It is not as strong as the Tom Thumb though, so does not help as much with control.

 

[rara007]

Kimblewick? Or Wilkie?

 

[dottylottie]

my first pony was a 12hh shetland x section a who was good as gold 99% of the time but a bit strong when she felt like it - we upgraded from a plain snaffle to a single jointed rubber bevel and it was perfect for her. could be a good choice if the issue is indeed the pony being a bit strong at times or difficult to steer, and not something more serious that’s been played down.

as others have said, you could always stick with what he’s in for hacking and use a snaffle in the school, and with time and the children learning eventually be downgraded to a snaffle permanently.

if you’re still unsure you could always have a bitting expert out, they’ll look at how the pony goes as well as their mouth conformation to suggest something that works but of course the trial and error method is cheaper!

 

[Pony1256]

Thanks so much for all your advice. I thought it would be a faff to keep changing the bit since we school a couple of times a week at the moment and then hack the same amount but maybe I will do as you suggest and try a snaffle in the school or the Dutch gag and go from there...
He does sound like your Shetland where he can be fine or he can on the way home just decide he will stop when he wants rather than when they want! I did find a bitting expert but wasn't sure how much that would cost!