katiehatie
Active Member
Our new pony has got into a bad habit of leaning on the bit and I'd like some advice on possible new bits to try.
He is a bit of a work in progress at the moment as he has been mainly used as a happy hacker without much schooling in his previous life and was then left to get very unfit and overweight as barely worked for a year or so.
We have managed to kick his leaning habit in walk now he is beginning to get fitter but as soon as you ask for trot he starts leaning. I know he needs to work better from behind as he is on the forehand and we are working on this through lunging with a training system but when ridden he just leans so hard in trot that he completely destroys your position and balance. My daughter (17, not a little kid!) is a good rider with nice light hands so she isn't giving him something to lean on but he still does it. I've tried as well and no matter what you do he just won't trot without leaning (not actually doing anything faster than trot under saddle at the moment as he is so unfit and fat).
He is currently ridden in an eggbutt snaffle. I thought something a little more flexible such as a french link loose ring snaffle might help but if anything he leaned more! Have also tried him in a french link fulmer as he also has some steering/lack of bend issues due to lack of schooling in his formative years. Don't want to over bit him (hence trying the french link) but feel there's got to be a better bit for him.Yard owner suggested a drop noseband might help as well. Does anyone have any advice on bits/noseband/any other advice to get him working from behind and his nose off the bloody floor?!
He is a bit of a work in progress at the moment as he has been mainly used as a happy hacker without much schooling in his previous life and was then left to get very unfit and overweight as barely worked for a year or so.
We have managed to kick his leaning habit in walk now he is beginning to get fitter but as soon as you ask for trot he starts leaning. I know he needs to work better from behind as he is on the forehand and we are working on this through lunging with a training system but when ridden he just leans so hard in trot that he completely destroys your position and balance. My daughter (17, not a little kid!) is a good rider with nice light hands so she isn't giving him something to lean on but he still does it. I've tried as well and no matter what you do he just won't trot without leaning (not actually doing anything faster than trot under saddle at the moment as he is so unfit and fat).
He is currently ridden in an eggbutt snaffle. I thought something a little more flexible such as a french link loose ring snaffle might help but if anything he leaned more! Have also tried him in a french link fulmer as he also has some steering/lack of bend issues due to lack of schooling in his formative years. Don't want to over bit him (hence trying the french link) but feel there's got to be a better bit for him.Yard owner suggested a drop noseband might help as well. Does anyone have any advice on bits/noseband/any other advice to get him working from behind and his nose off the bloody floor?!
