bit for xc

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wench

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well only very small jumps, but horsey gets very strong in his normal jointed snaffle, and it takes a lot of hauling on his mouth to get him to slow down (tb so he thinks its a race) he also has a tendancy to run out at jumps.

I was thinking about trying one of those dutch gag thingys, but with only the one ring below snaffle ring? Can you use roundings on them? I wouldnt be able to use two reins with it. or I was wondering about the sweet iron wonder bit?

I have tried a tom thumb with him, but they dont fit his mouth, and come up small
 
Does he lean on your hands and put head between knees??, putting nose out and piss off??
IMO i would stay way from dutch gag as very few horse do need them or going well in them. You have lots of choices
If wanting to keep straightness think about a full cheek bit,
If you want to lift head and not lean on hands i would go for waterford bit,
If putting nose out think about poll action bit ie cheltlenham gag.
If you pull a horse, horse will learn to pull harder, and also any bit can be harsh in wrongs hands so don't bit put of by folk say ooooooooo that's a bit harsh???
I also not a fan of rounding but thats me, if your going to use double reins, curb rien is very useful for a horse pee......ing off
And make sure you get correct size bit, fitting can also make a bit different, you'll be surprise with the amount of folk riding with too large a bit in there gg mouths
As for running out at jumps IMO that probably got alot to do with straightness and riding correct approach NOT bit
 
hes an awkward combination, when on xc course, he knows there are other horses in front of him, and goes flat out to get to them.

If there is a jump over the track he is going on ie he has no choice but to jump it to get to the other horses he jumps it.

However, if he doesnt have to go over the jump, he will go round it. If i can slow him up enough, then he does tend to go over them, hence wanting something just a little stronger than the snaffle, so I am not pulling and hauling to get him to slow up.

Btw, I know my riding is not brilliant, but he runs out at jumps with other riders on him to. He runs out right at the last minute, and in flat out gallop its not good. Hes had me through woods before trying not to get knocked off, and another rider fell off him, landed on the jump, and knocked themselves out!
 
It sounds daft but it sounds like he lack confidence and cos you feel you can't stop him so do you (that doesn't mean you can't but by being aware of what could happen this can travel throught to your horse very very quickly, make it worst for you and horse) Also i would strongly suggest that you ask your instructor for advice
I would try a couple of things:
I would defo suggest get a fuller cheek (bits with bars)on sides) as they act as an aid to straighness.
Then have look at a loosgne or Dr bristol plate as the link, then look at a loose rings aswell.
See if you can go into local tack shop and try a few out on loan with instructor, should be very small cost.
Plus i would also suggest that you work on improving your flatwork, cos if you have your horse between leg and hand i will become more controlled and almost go back to reschooling.
As i know from experience how scarey things can become, i've spent nearly a year not jumping gg in sign (on left) cos he was a loon and still can be, BUT now i can channel his energy and i just have to remember to sit there very very quietly and go with flow and just put in lots of little half halts. I ride him in loose ring, waterford.
 
i'm having those kind of problems at the moment! i was riding my baby in a loose ring but she was evading it and as a combination we were both puliing it through her mouth (if that makes sense) now she's in a fulmer snaffle and although seh is still strong, leans on me and charges at jumps (she gets over excited) i can stear her lol! anyway when i bought she was in a dutch gag and sometimes (very occasionaly) revert back to it but only in extrem circumstances (i.e when i took her to her first hunter trials warmed her up in fulmer had noooooo control so had to do a very quick swop but that was the time so far!) erm try and school him as much as you can and bfore you go x-country don't allow him to jump or canter even until he is completely listening to you this is what i have been doing with my baby (i know its a little different) and then once she is listening i will have a canter and then if she is naughty i bring her back to trot and start again! then the same jumping! if i'm half way througha course and she is pulling i take her back to trot reastablish then carry on depending on when the next jump is! this is what me and my instructor have been working on with her! although we do it for show jumping mainly at the moment but hope it helps! probably won't because all horses are dofferent but it works for me!

another thing just check that he hasn't got anything wrong with his teeth! i know it sounds picky but when my horse first started "running away with me" she had some teeth coming through (i'm not saying your horse will have teeth coming through) but it may have a little sore spot!

hope that helps might not be very useful because my horse is only a youngster (unless yours is as well)!!
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ops sorry for the massive essay! i seem to be doing lots of these today!!!
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