Bit for horse heavy in hand - dressage legal

[i_should_be_working]

My 17h horse is currently in a nule schele loose ring snaffle (one with lozenge (SP!)). He isn't the most forward horse although has a good active hock. He also naturally has a low head carriage.

The one thing I have failed totally with him is to get him off my hand, he is quite happy to lean slightly on my hand in walk and trot but is much better in canter. I don't want to use gadgets if I don't need to (but I am rather small for him), and as I want to do dressage I would prefer to school and hack him in a bit that is dressage legal.

I xc and sj him in a pelham.

Can anyone suggest a better bit or exercises. I do lots and lots of transitions and half-halts and lots of bending and flexing exercises which all seem to work until I go in a straight line!

Thank you

 

[ester]

myler comfort snaffle, I use one and horse also goes well in a pelham, and better when not in a straight line.

I also school in a waterford occasionally just to back him off a bit more, he is then better the next time a ride him in the myler.

Several sites will let you borrow one before buying it (the myler) so you can give it a try first. I also have one with a low port in it which seems to act between the plain comfort snaffle one and the waterford but is not DL

 

[K27]

A french link hanging cheek snaffle to get him up in front or you could try something like a Sprenger KK loose ring bradoon with Lozenge with very thin mouthpiece.

One of my horses is a big chap too 17.3, and to get him off the hand if he does feel inclined to take a bit of a lean , is to use loads and loads of leg to push him up to the contact and then allow when he is nice and soft. I try with my boy never to use hand and leg at the same time. Also i slow him down to get him soft and thru and when he is, I can speed him up if that makes sense and work on his rhythm and contact.

And yes we do loads of transitions and exercises like you have been doing, also when he's warming I don't ride him on the track but do nothing but straight lines a few metres away from the track .

 

[happy_talk]

when i read the title I was going to suggested NS starter bit or verbindend (still am)- the ones with the angles arms as well as a lozenge (see NS bitting guide for pics from the side).
I was "happily" riding mine in a myler comfort baucher (MB02) for the best part fo year (riding nov/elem), thinking things were going slow but that was just it. Swapped to a NS starter bit (9014) and I've got myself a different horse- much more happy in herself, up in front, taking the contact.

 

[only_me]

you should consider warming up in a bridle that has a waterford bit (to stop the leaning) and then before you go in swap the bridle to your normal bridle, so that he remains not leaning.