Bit advice please

[jenbleep]

Evening

I need a bit for Charisma to use when jumping and galloping. For flatwork she is ridden in a loose ring French link, and goes nice enough in it. She is built downhill so I do find it hard to get her soft and working from behind, but she tires hard and after 20 mins or so start to lighten. I'd like to keep the mouth piece double jointed if I can, unless you can think of anything that might be more suitable.

Our problem is that she leans on my hands. I'd like something that will help raise her head slightly and provide more 'lift' if that makes sense. She has a 3 ring french link gag which I have used for xc and hunting, I think it may be a bit too narrow because every now and again she would throw her head up quite violently (for her, she is normally so laid back) but then settle again, which makes me think it might have pinched a bit She has quite a sensitive mouth after another bit caused a rub a couple of years ago, so I wonder if a different material might work for her.

I am just so confused as I have been doing some research online and there is so much to choose from! There's gags, cartwheel bit, butterfly flips, pelhams....then there's happy mouth, stainles steel, copper and sweet iron etc.....french link, single jointed, mullen mouth! AGH!

I was going to call a couple of horsey companies but have had no time, I only et 30 mins for lunch and I like to eat at that time But will give someone a call this week.

Any ideas?!

Thanks

Jenny

 

[coss]

could try a loose ring roller happy mouth - has a roller instead of french link which may give slightly different play in the mouth. is she heavy through the jaw or the whole front end - does she go deep at the poll? is it a submission thing that makes her heavy? or does she go down and round but heavy?

 

[jenbleep]

I'm not sure how to describe her 'heaviness'.....she's just plain heavy! For an example, I too her to the beach on Sunday and we would have a nice canter, I'm constanly half halting then my friend goes off for a canter so we follow, and ends up getting heavier and heavier until I have to take quite a pull to slow her down, which I hate doing! As I mentioned, she is built downhill so while I can school and school it out of her if she gets excited and starts to race that all goes out the window!

I might be searching for perfection but I hate having to tug at her all the time, as her mouth is sensitive as it is! When on the beach I did try to relax and enjoy it which I did, but when it came to stop I was a bit

 

[equinim]

i hate dutch gags they can cause hard corners as they constantly putting pressure on mouth.

work out what horse is doing
ie is head up with hollow neck or just raised.
do they evade bit.
do they open mouth.
u say it is a happy mouth so they ob have a soft mouth.
i like rubber pelhams with roundings or split reins for control without too much mouth pressure. it gives u the extra poll pressure without too much mouth pressure

id try a hanging cheek snaffle with a mouthpiece suitable for the horses mouth conformation.

i have used a happy mouth with a kineton noseband for a horse with sensitive mouth but strong
or with same action a myler combination bit.
they have nose pressure with small amount of mouth pressure rather than total mouth pressure
the headtossing could b a tooth problem r she may not like the action on the mouthpeice