Bit advise needed

[molly04]

I need of some bitting advise. 6yo 17hh Irish Sport horse mare. Currently ridden in a hanging cheek snaffle.

Really struggling at the moment to hold her. She tends to lean a lot especially in canter and is getting very hard to stop. Worse when jumping, head goes down and just tanks off to the jump. I literally can't do anything even when she decides to bounce one stride doubles and take strides out of related distances. She just charges at the jumps! She's the same out hacking too leaps into canter, head down and tanks off. She's not dangerous and I can eventually stop but I'd just like a bit more control especially when attempting to take her around a class.

I've tired a Pelham and a two ring gag as they are the only bits I currently have so thought it was worth a try. But she hated both, we went backwards more than forwards and I felt like I had no contact at all.

TIA

 

[molly04]

I have been recommended to try a Tom Thumb and cherry roller, so opinions on them would be great too!

 

[ester]

If leaning/head going down a waterford or a proper running gag.

 

[Tobiano]

This may be an annoying thing to say but I'd be tempted to suggest some more work on the flat to get her listening to you and carrying herself better to cut out the leaning. She is only 6 and at 17hh she is very possibly not strong enough to carry herself properly which could be why she is leaning. Has she seen the physio lately? Id also be asking my physio for her views.

Sorry to be a wet blanket! Good luck together

 

[molly04]

Having regular flat work lessons in which she is always well behaved and I don't tend to have the issues. On the flat it's only normally in canter I have the issues but it's nothing major. It's just when she's tanking off when jumping and out hacking I'm having the issues.

She has physio every 6 months, she was done about 2 months ago and everything was fine

 

[be positive]

Before going for something really strong consider a loose ring with the same mouthpiece, some horses seem to lean on hanging cheeks and because they are still there is little the rider can do to stop it, a loose ring will give you a bit more movement and discourage the leaning.
I agree with Tobiano she is a big young horse that is probably not yet physically able to fully carry herself, this will show up more when jumping and doing fast work as she will naturally fall more onto her forehand until she is stronger behind, it is something your instructor should be able to help with giving you exercises to get her back to you without resorting to stronger bits that may mean you have different issues to contend with.