Bit advice needed for 'STRONG' tb

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whisper09

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My 15 year old tb has got a hard 'dead' mouth and just tanks with my daughter when schooling in the field as a result i wont let her hack him out just in case of brake failure! He's currently in a french link dutch gag. If you know how to press his buttons then he will come in to a nice outline and work quite well but he is always heavy in your hand. For faster hacking he's normally in a pelham but he is even getting strong in this.

Any advice or similar experience will be gratefully received. I was thinking of trying a waterford for schooling.
 
I no my advise but you probably wont like it..

Get him in a french link loose ring snaffle and ride him with less of a contact, you'll be amazed.

Lou x
 
How long have you had him???Most TB's(ex racers though) i know have been reschooled to go in a snaffle,yes x-country/showjumping they have stronger,but in general they have learnt to accept a contact again and go well in a frenchlink max!!most i know love the french link!
Have you had teeth back saddle etc checked???If yes have you tried a hackamore???Your daughter would have to have good hands and they would have to forgo a few lessons to get to grips with it!But as a last resort i would try it,especially at his age!
 
Hi whisper09,

I agree with hadfos.

I'd also tend to go for a kinder bit. It's so difficult to try + help without seeing you + your daughter ride your horse, but sounds like your lad goes well sometimes, but sets against a strong bit? He's TB, thin bars, sensitive, so probably just looking after himself.

My best advice is to not think about bits solving anything, which they won't, but rather address the root of the problem, and get good, regular guidance from a local, good trainer (BHS website gives list of registered instructors in your area, or local horsey folk/RC/PC will know good ones also)

TBs are VERY sensitive, and his 'dead' mouth is probably something that he has learnt - ie, he sets his jaw to prevent pain.

So using strong bits will never help him to work better, while correct, sensitive riding will, hence my recommendation for getting someone good on the ground to help.

Simple snaffles rule ok
cool.gif
! All bests, BS x
 
Thanks for the replys. This is a horse that i previously owned. I got him straight from racing and successfully schooled him. He used to go nicely in a french link for schooling but he has always been strong when out hacking for the faster work, infact he has run off with various competant people if you let him go into 5th gear! I used to hack him in a pelham when doing faster work as he would back off rather than fight. I sold him and have recently got him back on loan. I have found that he has got used to the pelham and is now strong in this.

I know with schooling he will improve (which i am concentrating on) but the problem i face is him being strong when hacking. My daughter is a good little rider and does have soft hands. We also have another 3yrs tb (just out of racing) who is very soft in the mouth and she rides him lovely.

I put him into the dutch gag with the french link to try and give her abit more control when she schools him but it has not worked. I might just add that he is not strong in the school the problem starts when she is schooling in the field.

Another issue is i have joint problems and if he gets too strong i am also going to have a problem. I love this horse to bits and i am really desperate to get him more responsive and comfortable both for him and ourselves.
 
I would get a good sensitive instructor out and initially stick to working in the school rather than the field. If he engages his hind quarters he will lighten his front end and take off the pressure in his mouth. Schooling in a field is always tricky especially if the horses has learned that when he hacks out and gets on grass he can have a canter, also if you are schooling in the field he grazes in its hard work.

I have ex racers and the key in everything is lightness, if they run drop the contact. just let it go, they soon stop. But a stronger bit means stronger contact means stonger hands which in race horse speak means faster paces. So he has in effect now been schooled to tank off.

I would forget the hacking out at the moment - or at least take him only out in walk and a little trot. Do not give him the opportunity to tank. put him in a lozenge snaffle, pref a copper mouth one. And hundreds of transitions, engaging his back end and working him into a soft contact. Lots of lateral work, leg yield, shoulder in, turn on the haunches all to get the back end under him and powering through. Start to introduce canter, but only a few strides, dont give him the chance to take a hold.

When you start to hack out you could introduce a waterford snaffle, he can't hang on that and it seems to work really well for TB's. One of mine SJ likes to grab the bit after the jump, but the waterford stopped that. THe key is not reaching the point where he can tank, so short canters, no gallops, returning to trot when you want not when he says.

Good luck, you should be fine.
 
I have 2 ex racehorses, one is perfect in his mouth and always has been, the other has been a nightmare, we have tried just about everything on him, and the best way to stop him is with nose/poll pressure, he goes nicely enough in a thick eggbut snaffle with a cavesson in the school, but showjumping and fast hacks I use a kineton with the snaffle or ride him in a german hackamore.
Out hunting I do use a double bridle, but thats because I haven't had chance to try the snaffle/kineton combo.
I agree with the others, stronger bit=more pulling=going faster.
 
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