Bit for jumping strong pony

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equi2012

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Hi!

I’m going to be starting more jumping with
my dressage pony as our new years resolution! This is v exciting to him, and he can get really strong and tense before the jump!

As a dressage rider I want his head and neck lower, but I’ve been told by my jumping instructor he needs to be able to see the jump (lol) so his head has to come up!! This makes complete sense but I need to have some control over our spreed and direction!

At the moment he is ridden in a drop noseband and Neue Schule loose ring snaffle, which works perfectly for when dressaging but doesn’t give me much control when jumping-or even going over poles!!!!

He’s jumped in a running martingale and jumping saddle. I don’t really want to change his noseband as he doesn’t open his mouth or cross his jaw so not sure a crackle or snaffle with flash would make any difference??

Anyone got any experience of Neue Schule universal bit? or any suggestions please?!
 
You can trial NS bits from the bit bank - which really helps as they can be expensive! My daughter jumped several of her BS Junior ponies in the NS Elevator - you can choose the mouthpeice to suit but we found that raised the head enough whilst still giving control for jump offs etc.
 
If he is finding jumping too exciting, so much so that he won’t do ground poles calmly, I think you need to take a step back and go back to lots and lots of pole work in different configurations, so that he can move confidently and carefully through exercises with ground poles and cavaletti before going back to jumping.
 
Casey76 said:
If he is finding jumping too exciting, so much so that he won’t do ground poles calmly, I think you need to take a step back and go back to lots and lots of pole work in different configurations, so that he can move confidently and carefully through exercises with ground poles and cavaletti before going back to jumping.
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I think I agree with this really. If it's all new to you both then maybe this is why he finds it so exciting. And perhaps you're a bit tense too which may be transmitting to him. It could be that if you take it slowly and steadily then as times goes on the pony will get used to it and stop finding it so exciting. So I think I'd be inclined to stick with what you're using for now and just take it all slowly. If after a while he's still getting very excited then maybe that would be the time to have a look at something else.
 
That’s what I would have thought, but even poles are too exciting at the mo. I need to be safe when doing them, it’s not because I’m going to be jumping huge heights! He is very balanced and successfully competes up to medium level, but I can’t have him launching me over four basic trot poles and not being able to get his attention whatsoever! Think I need to try out a few so I’ll try the bit bank thank u!
 
bitting him up would be a bad move at this stage as the problem isn't a bitting issue, its a mix of nerves, excitement, maybe lack or balance, and worry.

Until he is calm over a pole then there's no point moving him up to jumping. Think of it as dressage over poles - you need to be able to extend and shorten his stride and keep him balance. It's a communication issue between you and thee horse, he needs to learn not to rush and to wait and listen to you. if he rushes circle, use pole work exercises that make him wait, and be clever with your schooling. The excitement has to go out of the poles, until he is relaxed over them. then gradually raise them, but keep the control.
 
As i said, it’s not safe. If i circle he will buck out of excitement. I’m not talking about using something really strong, I just want some control until it’s safe for us. Pls no suggestions about “just doing poles first” as this is what I’ve already started with. i need something to get his attention in the beginning
 
equi2012 said:
That’s what I would have thought, but even poles are too exciting at the mo. I need to be safe when doing them, it’s not because I’m going to be jumping huge heights! He is very balanced and successfully competes up to medium level, but I can’t have him launching me over four basic trot poles and not being able to get his attention whatsoever! Think I need to try out a few so I’ll try the bit bank thank u!
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honestly, don't go to bit bank. the strongest bit in the world isn't going to stop a horse being excited about poles, in fact it will probably make your issue worse as the horse will naturally fight against the bit and risks being caught in the mouth if he leaps over a pole.

Every horse in the world can be made walk over a pole until they are bored with them. All green horses launch over them, but they settle after a bit. If you aren't confident doing it, then send him to someone who can school him over them and get him used to them. I've the greenest little baby here now who leapt about 3 ft over a pole when I got her. She walked them until she relaxed, then a few weeks later we did trot, if she rushed she was circled, she launched the first few sessions of them, but then settled. It's just a case of being patient and waiting for the horse to process it and relax.

Honestly think of it like dressage - demand the same attention you would in the test, treat the canter the same, the speed the same. If you are worried for your safety riding, then send the horse off to someone who can fix the problem for you. A bad start jumping with a nervous rider can really destroy a horses confidence, give him the best start you can.

I would also query why your trainer is having issues fixing this problem and why they would have you going over any jumps if the horse cannot calmly walk a pole? the issue you have is a very very common one, and easily fixed with correct schooling exercises. In a horse that has medium level dressage then it should be even easier, as you have more balance and hock engagement there.
 
I've over 35 years of experience of working with green and unbroken ponies and horses, and I have dressage horses myself, so I think I can grasp fairly well what the issue would be, as it the most common jumping problem with green strong horses.

My own dressage horse is a big powerful yoke who knows his strength and is pig headed. He is also fiery jumping, and at the start would happily plunge and buck with joy at the sight of a pole. And either you are a strong enough rider and have a system to command his respect and attention, or you get a stronger rider who make him listen. in my case my trainer helped me out a huge amount, as I wasn't winning that battle at times. You need to honestly assess your own limits as a rider and a trainer of a big strong horses. Bitting would be 100% the wrong solution to this problem and will cause you trouble down the line. If you can't get your horses attention its not a bitting issue, its a schooling and communication one.
 
Maybe it's a pony thing as I have know a fair few for whom circling over a pole would appear to escalate the issue, or for whom walking over a pole made no difference to their reaction to them in trot and canter. Different ponies, with different riders, different main jobs and different regimes. I don't think I can think of a horse I have seen like that.
 
just playing devils advocate. I've had some horses that I literally circled over a pole for weeks. A lot DO escalate and test the boundaries, but its like young horses bucking when they are started, they test boundaries and see how you respond. There is no horse/pony in the world that will not settle walking and trotting over a pole. And I say that as someone who has spent 3 hours walking a particular rescue horse over a pole until it settled at times. Same process with circling and schooling them in trot. That pony now is ridden by a kid and goes around lovely and relaxed.

if a horse has a strong reaction to poles you have to analyse what the issue is and the most common ones are

- oh my god poles are exciting (solution: well lets walk over millions every day and see how exciting they stay)
-oh my god poles are exciting and I wanna buck to get to them (solution: is the rider strong enough to work through that phase and get the horse back on track
- rushing - is the horse balanced, or is it worried that rider is unbalanced?
- does the horse actually understand the speed that rider wants, is rider consistent in not allowing horse over poles until it is calm
- is the horse bored with the exercise, does it need more complex schooling pole exercises
- does the horse just actually love jumping - then grids grids and placing poles between and after jumps to regulate it

it doesn't matter what the horses main job is, we have has sulky racers, show jumpers, dressage horses, racehorses, little cheeky ponies with the same issue. and for everyone you just need to analyse why the horse is thinking the way it is, and work out the best schooling solution. and for green horses starting their jumping career it is NEVER a bit from what I have seen
 
I personally think that trying a universal wouldn't be the worst idea, with one rein on the top ring its pretty much a hanging cheek snaffle anyway and might just make him sit up and listen a bit more.
I totally understand where you are coming from with saying its not safe to have hin carting you about. You seem to have a very good concept of schooling and are taking things slowly and sensibly, if he needs a subtle reminder of the breaking system along side the schooling, why not put something slightly stronger, or as I prefer to think of it as simply having a different action, in.
If you work to the theory that you never need a stronger bit then we would all be riding in rubber snaffles, having to anchor against a snaffle will do more damage than a squeeze with a universal or similar in the long run.
But that's just my theory!
 
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