Bit advice

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happyhaffie

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My mam has a cob who I just cant figure out, I currently ride him in a kimblewick after trying different strengths of bits from a happy mouth snaffle to the kimblewick, to be perfectly honest this is the only bit I truly feel I can stop him in, he is strong and likes to go everywhere with his head in the air at 90mph, hes 90% better than he was when he arrived but I feel Ive hit a dead end now, in the kimblewick he will work in an outline, after about ten minutes of reassurance that im not going to hang on his mouth, will keep a nice steady balanced pace, I try to keep a loose contact as i can as I know this bit is harsh and most importantly he listens to my voice with me using little contact on his mouth.
With a snaffle(straight bar, happy mouth, eggbutt, fatter ones thinner ones etc), he will work in an outline in walk, but as soon as you ask for anything more he turns into a speed demon and the head goes up and thats its around the arena twenty times.
When he came he was in a dutch gag, with the rubber on only the rubber looked like it had been chewed by a dog, one rein on the bottom ring, a flash and a running martingale with knots tied in it to "keep his head down", with his previous owner we have since learned that basically all he did was gallop everywhere or jump in the arena. Hes obvisouly not had the best home and he used to be such a horrid little pony at first I used to call him Victor Meldrew for the faces he used to pull, now he is 100% to handle mess on with do anything oother than the above.
Has anyone got any ideas of any bits I could try that will still give me the control when I need it, I know hes never going to be a plod, we dont want that we just want some control, I spent a month just working on transisitions and hacking he has improved, and I stay away from jumps poles etc as soon as he sees them its just blows his mind again

sorry thats long for a morning, choclate hobnobs if you get that far
 
If he rushes in paces other than walk, perhaps he is struggling to find his balance and so is rushing on? If his schooling isn't fab, or he is out of practise then it will take a fair while to develop the muscles to carry himself, working from walk up. Cobs can often be heavy and on the forehand, mostly a schooling issue to build up the correct muscles and encorage him to carry himself. The usual questions, but have you had his teeth, back and saddle checked recently? Cobs tend to have rather large fleshy tongues, a shaped bit like a neue shule verbind or cotswold sport tongue saver are fab for those.
 
sounds liek the kimblewick is doign well - i really rate them as the next step up bits if that makes sense? but they are often over looked - but if it works i'd stick with it - is it hooked and do you use a curb?
 
CJ was the same when i got him only he used to put all his weight onto the bit on the forehand to pull you forward and then shoot off round the school in whatever direction and speed he felt....he wanted to be in charge because he was sick of having his head pinned in the wrong position and his mouth sawn off
I currently still have him in a kimblewick - this doesn't stop him mind and may not stop yours either...what it does give me is direction and a say in the matter
I would stick with the bit you have - if you feel its too harsh because he starts to come back to you change onto the top section of the bit for your reins
I lunge in a snaffle, school on the flat in a drop check, showjump/school over jumps in a gag and whenever we go out i use the kimlewick....but more recently he is starting to find the kimblewick bit harsh as his mouth is softer now as unlike some i dont hang off his mouth so i have dropped him into a happy mouth pelham
I would have a try with different bits find what you and your horse feel is best - he will tell you i promise :)
 
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