Bit for the sensitive horse

[Bonnie Allie]

I’m at a loss to know how best to deal with my lovely sensitive mare.

She goes like a dream in a stubben lockup snaffle, with a simple cavesson noseband. Stop, go, turn works beautifully. She is soft and light In all paces.

Jumping however...........she will lean on my hands if she feels like it. It’s so annoying. We have ridden circles in front of fences to get her off my hands, ridden canter shoulder in down the long side to get her off my hands, done lots of transitions to get her light again, done pole work infinitum to ensure she is balanced. All works but 6 strides out she will lean and then we head into a fence pulling one another.

Instructor wants her in a stronger bit. She is a sensitive mare who we have spent so long getting confident and happy through quality training and being very aware of how she is ridden.

She is not a fan of any nose bands either. We had net in a micklem but she hated the nose and on it and leaned even in her flat work.

Any ideas?

 

[Squeak]

I've also got a sensitive mare and she was very strong jumping. A stronger bit wasn't the answer for her, she got upset by it and she also wouldn't make a proper shape over a fence.

A fairfax bridle made a significant difference to her but what made the biggest difference was changing instructor to one who really understood mares. I'd had a good trainer initially but we just weren't getting it right with that horse, new trainer was a complete game changer and I wish I'd swapped sooner.

It might not be the answer for you but it sounds like you're not sure that your trainer is giving you the right advice at this stage and that it's potentially going in to clutching at straws territory rather than the trainer knowing exactly what they're dealing with. New trainer took one look at our jumping and knew exactly how to fix it.

 

[LegOn]

My instructor recommended this site for bits which does a fab 'bit quiz' to help you find a suitable bit for your horse - I've ordered 2 and they are both exactly what I wanted!

https://fagerbits.com/

 

[Fluffypiglet]

We have changed bit and bridle and also instructor. We are now progressing. If your mare likes the bit and bridle then definitely worth considering if you can find someone with different training ideas before starting the nightmare of new bits/ bridles which can be neverending! I do like a grackle for additional brakes as it applies pressure to whole head rather than just tight around the muzzle but worth seeing if someone on the ground can establish what's happening to cause the behaviour first? Mine had to be taught to slow by letting him wreck a line of trotting poles without assistance from me as he needed to learn to think for himself for example. Very scary sitting quietly with poles clonking in all directions! It worked though! (And was carefully managed by my instructor, not something I would recommend without help!) We just had to take him right back to basics to stop the "charge at the fence" approach so was quite a long process but well worth it.

Eta - what squeak said!

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I say it every time someone has a bit question on here - get a bit fitter! They can watch you ride/jump, show you the horses mouth conformation and you can try loads of bits on the day.

But also agree about maybe a different trainer. There will be some exercise/trick you can do which will help. For me it's bringing my mare back into trot if she starts to plough on between fences. Originally I had to bring her to halt as soon as I could after as she got so strong but she is improving now. Only other thing is how is her flat schooling? Could she be finding it hard and is not quite supple enough for what you are asking and is reverting to leaning on the forehand as an evasion? I had the same with my mare, her inability to alter the length of her canter and lack of suppleness to change direction/bend meant out courses were a little hairy. She's much better now we've really cracked the flatwork.

Grids are also good for getting them to back off a bit.

 

[be positive]

As a trainer/ instructor I often find this type of thread puzzling because part of my job is to advise on suitable tack/ bits/ exercises to help with various issues, usually I provide a few options we can use in a lesson rather than leave a client to find the solution alone using trial and error without the help on the ground at the time, my bit selection is fairly limited but I can usually find something suitable to try even if it is not a perfect fit it can get us started with changing although I rarely use anything other than a snaffle in one form or other.

If she is only leaning for the last 6 strides it may be less about leaning and more about her needing the security, I actually like to see a horse take the hand forward a little on the approach to a fence, to some it may be a bit heavier than ideal but once the horse has locked on it is usually easier to open the fingers slightly, as long as they don't rush or fall onto their forehand, so they take the rider forward in a confident way, it may be your mare needs a slightly different approach than the one you and your trainer are asking for, all horses are different it is so important to be flexible with their training even if at times it is a bit unconventional.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

As a trainer/ instructor I often find this type of thread puzzling because part of my job is to advise on suitable tack/ bits/ exercises to help with various issues, usually I provide a few options we can use in a lesson rather than leave a client to find the solution alone using trial and error without the help on the ground at the time, my bit selection is fairly limited but I can usually find something suitable to try even if it is not a perfect fit it can get us started with changing although I rarely use anything other than a snaffle in one form or other.

If she is only leaning for the last 6 strides it may be less about leaning and more about her needing the security, I actually like to see a horse take the hand forward a little on the approach to a fence, to some it may be a bit heavier than ideal but once the horse has locked on it is usually easier to open the fingers slightly, as long as they don't rush or fall onto their forehand, so they take the rider forward in a confident way, it may be your mare needs a slightly different approach than the one you and your trainer are asking for, all horses are different it is so important to be flexible with their training even if at times it is a bit unconventional.

Thank you all for your great input.

BePositive - you nailed it. My mare is extending her neck as she approaches the jump and rather than opening my fingers I am doing the opposite and holding. She is not leaning, I am holding.

I lunged her over the fences this evening to check your great theory and that’s exactly what is happening.

For your additional amusement, my husband is a trainer. He can’t teach me as we end up in arguments (apparently I dont listen). So I had engaged and pay for another trainer to come.

The one thing my husband said is “don’t mess with that mares tack, it’s taken too long to get it right for her”. So when I came inside and said “instructor said put her in a stronger bit”, he lost his s***.”

I showed him your advice and got a “told you so”.

Really appreciate the solid advice team.

 

[be positive]

I hope it works ridden as well, it was a guess but something I have seen a lot with horses that genuinely want to jump they go forward into the fence which means they have to extend their necks, they are the type that tend to bascule well also so it does need to have a sympathetic trainer as well as a balanced rider, maybe a session with your husband will be useful if you just work on one aspect you are already agreeing on