bit!! help! 18.3hh hunter

[tinker88]

A horse i ride at work is becoming extremely strong - ok so hes a 18.3hh 5 year old fully fit n stabled so he wont be a little mouse, but hes a gentle giant whos unfortunatly been used as a hireling at work..... and by big novice men whos been pulling his mouth taking advatage of his sweet nature

hes gone from a snaffle - 3 ring - engluch gag - pelham in a few months and recently been very unhappy in his mouth - who would have guessed that!

so after a few weeks off, and getting him going nicely in the school ive pursauded YO to sell him when hes right .... hes too nice to be a hireling.

currenlty in the school little 5'3 me can get him working well in a d ring snaffle ive hacked him today (in walk) in that n a market harbrough. he dosnt seem to like poll presuure much, but there is no way anyone could hold him in a snaffle jumping/hunting etc.

he has a fat tongue so needs a small mouth piece.

I really wanna get this boy right so i can find him a nice home where he can have people with soft hands riding him.

HELP!!!

what bit can i jump/hack etc in. with him being so big as soon as he lifts his head and he thinks hes off..... most people cant stop him.

any suggestions? (he always wears a martingale)

 

[chancing]

tom thumb? pelham?

 

[hellybelly6]

What noseband do you use and have his teeth been checked?

 

[chancing]

What noseband do you use and have his teeth been checked?

never thought of nose band...you could incorperate a grackle or drop nose band....or cavesson with a flash....

have his teeth been checked recently?

 

[hellybelly6]

As he does not like poll pressure, but puts his head up, I would suggest a Dr Bristol with a grackle noseband/flash.

 

[kickandshout]

well done you for trying to improve this gentle boys future.
I wish you every sucess i hope YO sticks with you and your intentions.
was gonna suggest a grackle but ive been beaten to it.
what about a waterford ???

 

[tinker88]

thanks,

he is normally ridden in a drop ... will have to get them to buy a grackle in his size lol!

i thought about a waterford but the yard manager said he had been in one and didnt like it...... but i wonder who was using it? hes not bad with some poll pressure so i thought maybe a waterford mouth piece on a 3 ring? but just on the 1 st ring so there is a bit of presure but not too much?

or my next one would have been the tom thumb.

id never ever thought about a dr bristol.

whats your thouaghts on a kineton noseband?

 

[tinker88]

p.s at the moment was thinking about keepng him hacking in the market harbrough .... jst to help me keep his head down! lol .... for my saftey

he had his teeth done about 3 weeks ago (obviously everyone was blaming his teeth for why he was bolting etc)

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

If it is not possible to get a grackle, maybe something like just adding a flash to the noseband?!
What breed is he? just out of interest?
Have you though about........ just for a try..... I know its american, but it worked when I rode over there, a tie down? just to ensure his head stays down for a short while? whilst in a snaffle.... then not upsetting his mouth, and saving you from a nice fast journey down the road?!

 

[JessPickle]

GFS grackles come up mahussive if thats any help! my 17.1hh clydie x has one and is on top holes on almost all of it. Even had to punch of holes!

 

[Henbug]

strange suggestion but I know a horse who was getting strong in a snaffle so was put in a gag and was being moved up rapidly. somebody suggested putting him in a bradoon snaffle because as it is thin they notice it alot more. Amazingly they put it in and he's been in it for the last 7 years he does everything in it, schooling, hacking, jumping, xc the lot. Might be worth a try especially as you were saying that he has a big tounge so needs a small mouth piece.

 

[BankEndRescue]

I have a GFS mexican grackle that's no use to me anymore, you can have it to try if you like?

 

[cariad]

I don't normally come on here, but was intrigued by an 18.3 hh horse. Surely you must need oxygen up there! I would love a sit on him, but suspect that at 5 foot nothing, he would think a bird had landed on his back, even though I'm not exactly Kate Moss.

If you have a waterford, you shouldn't need the gag rings as well; give it a go without first. It hangs loosely in the mouth and there's nothing to lean on. I used one for years on my now retired ex-Grade A showjumper (not with me, I hasten to add) who couldn't wait to be at the jumps and got strong in canter. I thought it seemed a severe bit to start off with and tried him in many different things which I thought less severe, but no amount of pulling pressure would stop him, he just set his jaw and clamped down. He definitely went best in the waterford, but you had to have light hands, it doesn't work if you just pull in my experience. Or go mad and try a hackamore. I have known people get some very good results. Never tried one myself, mind. Or an old fashioned pelham? (showing my age now). Best of luck!

 

[tinker88]

ive done it!!!

thanks guys,

well when i say done, ive had him cantering out along side another horse and he will happily listen, slow up etc. at first yeah he has 4 fats paces then i just gooo woohaaa glen, and he slows and listens think he thinks i will rag his mouth once a sit deep, squeeze and realease he comes back to me.

sooo.... im hunting him next wednesday!!! wish me luck.

and the bit of choice was english running gag. i tried it again with lots of gentle schooling, (i ride him in a d ring snaffle in the school and occassionally a market har)

 

[spookypony]

Good luck! Let us know how it went! I want to see a piccy of this HUUGE horse!

 

[pgwynnc99c2]

I know its been said but I would choose a waterford loose ring snaffle. I ride what can be a strong hunter (he's 17hh and I'm 5 foot *lol* and I can mount from the ground ..very proud!) but he took a while of soft hand work to get used to it because he just ignored it to start. His favourite trick now is to go from full speed canter to dead stop as soon as you half halt...what a good boy!!!

 

[Couloir]

We hunt all our eventers in the winter to keep them fresh, and our 18.2hh Hanoverian is a tank that jumps!
She's in a grackle noseband and a tom thumb for hunting, and in an American gag for hacking and schooling - it's gone from the uncontrollable ride of death to a lovely ride, she's now light and responsive, but not bit shy or ploddy.
Good luck!