Bit for a strong horse?

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neddiehoof

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I have always used a hanging cheek single joint for my cobby welsh. As he has gotten fitter I've found it increasingly more difficult to get his attention in exciting situations! Can anyone recommend a bit that is not harsh but may just get him listening to me a bit more please?

Thanks:)
 
Maybe try a gag as you can use it as a snaffle bit or you can pop it down a hole, or even use roundings on the large and lowest hole if needed. But i would advise more schooling to get him listening to you more aswell. I have had a pony who every now and again would get too excited in certain situations and i used to occasionally have to change his bit, i swithched from mainly snaffle to gag if xc ( and on occasions popped a waterford in just to remind him that he couldn't take hold of the bit all the time). It works well for him and like i say we use a snaffle the majority of the time.
 
nix123 said:
Maybe try a gag as you can use it as a snaffle bit or you can pop it down a hole, or even use roundings on the large and lowest hole if needed. But i would advise more schooling to get him listening to you more aswell. I have had a pony who every now and again would get too excited in certain situations and i used to occasionally have to change his bit, i swithched from mainly snaffle to gag if xc ( and on occasions popped a waterford in just to remind him that he couldn't take hold of the bit all the time). It works well for him and like i say we use a snaffle the majority of the time.
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Thanks for the response, yes 99% of the time he works brilliantly in the snaffle, just for XC and hunting the excitement gets too much and I become just a passenger. Perhaps a different mouthpiece on occasion would be beneficial, such as a Waterford like you've suggested. Thanks again
 
Any bit is only as harsh as the hands on the end of the reins and a single jointed snaffle can be one of the worst bits ever if someone is constantly hanging off it (not saying that you are OP :) )

I tend to go off mouth conformation - eg my girl has a large tongue but only a low roof of mouth, she is also very upright and needs encouragement to bring her head down. I ride her in a kimblewick because the port and straight bar suits her mouth conformation and the poll pressure suits her way of going.

I would be inclined to try different mouth pieces - a plain straight bar might suit, equally he might like something that works through the poll rather than just off the mouth. Does he put his head up or down to evade listening?
 
madlady said:
Any bit is only as harsh as the hands on the end of the reins and a single jointed snaffle can be one of the worst bits ever if someone is constantly hanging off it (not saying that you are OP :) )

I tend to go off mouth conformation - eg my girl has a large tongue but only a low roof of mouth, she is also very upright and needs encouragement to bring her head down. I ride her in a kimblewick because the port and straight bar suits her mouth conformation and the poll pressure suits her way of going.

I would be inclined to try different mouth pieces - a plain straight bar might suit, equally he might like something that works through the poll rather than just off the mouth. Does he put his head up or down to evade listening?
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Thank you for the response. i completely agree, I'd hate to think I was being too harsh when trying to get him to stop, so want something I can use sparingly that he has more respect of. He puts his head up although not a significant amount, but I'd say the problem was more that he completely ignores what is in his mouth rather than fighting it when he decides he wants to go (.... typical welsh!) I have tried a Cheltenham gag before but that had very little effect.
 
Out of curiosity do you wear a flash? (well not you the horse)

We found on a very strong Exmoor we had that a flash helped with control perfectly, stopped the ****** opening his chops and leaning- however strongly agree with the above about a snaffle being harsher if you're having to hang off it. Kimblewick was good on a "hard mouthed" horse I used to ride :)
 
neddiehoof said:
Thank you for the response. i completely agree, I'd hate to think I was being too harsh when trying to get him to stop, so want something I can use sparingly that he has more respect of. He puts his head up although not a significant amount, but I'd say the problem was more that he completely ignores what is in his mouth rather than fighting it when he decides he wants to go (.... typical welsh!) I have tried a Cheltenham gag before but that had very little effect.
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If he is putting his head up and going above I'd be tempted to move to a different mouthpiece and possibly something with poll action. A straight bar or french link might work - certainly none of those would give the nutcracker action of a single joint which tends to encourage them to put their head up.
 
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