Bit help - poss using a hackamore????

[Baldybear]

Our problem is we have a 15.2hh large build (but not cob) with a thoroughbred brain! He gets confused with too much going on his mouth, so currently ridden in a continental gag on the bottom ring as a short sharp tug on that stops him and makes him think for a second but once he gets going no control, but we think the gag works by the pressure on his poll, hence why we are thinking of trying the hackamore.

We have tried pelham etc before but these are no good as he doesnt like much in his mouth, we assume this as he is getting confused and just cant cope with it all (he is a wuss!

) He is 12 but going on a 3 year old, if he gets scared he goes and hides behind a 13.2 pony who is his safety net!

He loves to go fast, but spooks easily and we just need a little bit more control then the gag can currently provide.

Any ideas/thoughts? Thanks

 

[charlie13]

i had a 3 ring gag and was doing similar to urs just obvilis to rider
so i had the great idear to try a hackamore butthen it all fell to pices and we couldt cope at all it was just to much and we wouldt go forward and stated bunny rearing. we changed him to a neue schule bit and was a diffrent boy but still needed that little bit extra for jumping so in a made gag thing not sure where from as cant remember but from my experiance i didt like but could be worth a go as it may be good for your boy

another option a friend uses is http://www.horsebitbank.com/nathe-9.htm?page=4

 

[charlie13]

or maybe a myler somthing like this maby
http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/P/Myler...0_31-(596).aspx

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Hi, I use a hackamore sometimes. My cob is light in the hand, but we don't do much schooling (and he 18 so that won't change!) so he can 'yaw' on a bit - I use french link hanging snaffle or port mouth pelham. The hackamore is the strongest 'bit' I have ever used, I have to be so careful with my hands as he will stop dead with a snort if I'm too heavy. I think it is an option.

 

[Oberon]

It would be worth trying a hackamore or other bitless bridle such as a cross-under.

My big lad was broken in bitless and was fine. Then an instructer bullied us into a bit and he was fussy, spooky and tense.

I often find riders need bits more than the horse. With hot and fussy horses, it can calm them right down to remove the bit. By removing the irritant, they can listen to you a bit better.

 

[Shysmum]

Hello,

My last horse was a very strong, big cob, and we had "control issues". I tried over the course of two years many bits (while both of us had lessons), but because he had been a trekker, his mouth was ruined. Cue hackamore - luckily I already had an english one, and it really did make things a lot easier. Once the control issues had been improved, I went back to a bit.

Hope that helps.