Bit help

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shhdally

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My cob is rather stroppy. He can school beautifully in a loose ring snaffle with drop noseband, out hacking he is in a 3-ring dutch gag with double reins as he quite often loves bolting. Now at home he happily jumps in a french link hanging cheek snaffle with a grackle. I went to a comp last night with the french-link grackle combo and i had no breaks whatso ever. He just tanked between the jumps and felt like he was fightin (didn't look it though) his owner then rode him in the clear round and he took the mick between the jumps. I was wondering if any of you had an idea on what I could try. He can jump in the dutch gag but tends to back off slightly so dont really wanna go down that route.
 
I'd say don't change your bit but get more competition practice.

Horses tend to rush during jumping if they are nervous or scared which it sounds like your horse could have got competition nerves since he doesn't do this at home.

More comps, more training in competition venues would be my advice
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You seem to have a lot of combinations going on - have you tried jumping in the loose ring drop noseband combination? If so - what is he like in that? Why do you change to the handing cheek with grackle for jumping?
 
Thanks. Whenever we are at one particular show ground (kingswood) he is a complete nightmare yet at any other show he is brill. Trouble I have is getting to different shows as I have to rely on other people for transport. I gave him the benefit of the doubt last night as it was his first jumping comp for 2 months but then we can't get to another one till 19th december so i'm just generally stuck.
 
Hanging cheek french link works well on a cob I ride that is similar.

I'd try and stick with a snaffle type if he is generally ok with one, you could consider a twisted snaffle or cherry roller, or one of those that (name escapes me) they use on children's show ponies that has slots for the reins so you get a mild dutch gag effect (it looks like an ordinary snaffle but has loops inside the main bit ring for the reins and cheekpiece).

Try both the grackle and the drop noseband too, he may prefer one or the other.
 
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You seem to have a lot of combinations going on - have you tried jumping in the loose ring drop noseband combination? If so - what is he like in that? Why do you change to the handing cheek with grackle for jumping?

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Only recently got the loosering and drop so haven't tried that. He's always jumped in the hanging cheek and grackle since his second show. I had jumped him in a straight bar rubber snaffle before and he just paid no attention to it and just galloped round the ring.
 
what about getting him a roller mouthpiece or something that he can concentrate on rather than grabbing and going? or maybe a myler mouth where you can move the sides of the bit independently?!

Or how about a pelham if you need breaks, but dont want the elevating WO effect of a dutch gag?

however I would try the loose ring and drop nose first =and see what happens, go with what he knows first, then contemplate altering bits and bobs
 
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