Bit advice

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Pixie911

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I have a 6yr warmblood stallion. Mainly used for showjumping. He’s well schooled but I am struggling keeping a consistent contact coming into a fence. Training regularly with a professional trainer. A couple of strides out he puts his head up in the air and then runs himself into trouble. If I take a pull coming round the corner, he then completely dies on me and comes back too much. I’m looking for something that if I take an accidental pull he’s not going to be too angry at me. He’s not strong but can lean/pull me down round a course. He’s also getting a bit of rubbing in the corners of his mouth. I have tried a couple of NS bits and currently he’s in a D ring single jointed copper snaffle but none of what I have tried I really feel are right. He’s also in a drop noseband as he does open his mouth and wave his tongue around if in a cavesson.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

His back/ teeth/ saddle have all been recently checked.
 
Anything less complicated, so to speak?

Maybe something narrow to help with downward pull, but double jointed and flat across tongue.

Nothing fancy, just a plain double jointed/flat lozenge.

Otherwise a back to basics attitude programme towards jumping might be worthwhile? Help break old habits and encourage a fresh approach maybe.
 
Trust equestrian are a make I only recently discovered but have been incredibly helpful for my mare - their flexi soft range is very soft on the corners of the mouth and sits nicely in the mouth too. It’s stopped my one getting mouth cuts and also got her more relaxed in the contact. They say they don’t recommend it for strong horses but actually I’ve found she’s much softer in it, despite being a naturally hot, strong horse. Pricey of course, but actually made a much bigger difference to her than Sprenger and the like.
Is the rushing a green thing, do you think? Is he still the same over very small fences?
 
Illusion100 said:
Anything less complicated, so to speak?

Maybe something narrow to help with downward pull, but double jointed and flat across tongue.

Nothing fancy, just a plain double jointed/flat lozenge.

Otherwise a back to basics attitude programme towards jumping might be worthwhile? Help break old habits and encourage a fresh approach maybe.
Click to expand...
Thankyou. I will give it a try
 
Lillian_paddington said:
Trust equestrian are a make I only recently discovered but have been incredibly helpful for my mare - their flexi soft range is very soft on the corners of the mouth and sits nicely in the mouth too. It’s stopped my one getting mouth cuts and also got her more relaxed in the contact. They say they don’t recommend it for strong horses but actually I’ve found she’s much softer in it, despite being a naturally hot, strong horse. Pricey of course, but actually made a much bigger difference to her than Sprenger and the like.
Is the rushing a green thing, do you think? Is he still the same over very small fences?
Click to expand...
Thankyou. I emailed Trust last week but haven’t had a reply yet. Are they quite chunky in the mouth?
 
I think if you have tried a few bits with little success, I would get a bit expert out (I used Horse Bit Fit). It will save you money in the long run and will give you a horse that is happier in their mouth.
 
Pixie911 said:
Thankyou. I emailed Trust last week but haven’t had a reply yet. Are they quite chunky in the mouth?
Click to expand...
I thought they would be but no not at all - they are wider at the corners but sit very nicely in my mare with a really tiny mouth.
ETA - she’d previously objected to a larger mouthpiece on a snaffle, but seems to prefer these.
 
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