Bit help!! :(

[Bombaybuddy]

Had my sec c 13.2 ex cart pony nearly a year and has been in a French link snaffle for the year who owned him previously, ( he has been passed from pillar to post) so I decided to keep him in this as it's what he's used to, I was told he's strong but he's never been ridden with many horses in his life, and he has no brakes none at all I've decided to stick with him for year and keep with snaffle but I've came to dead end, he took over the warmblood show jumper other weekend and I failed to stop him. Some control would be nice, I've also tried the fulmer bit to abit when turning while dressage and schooling etc as he has a very hard mouth, when he is front of pack he is good as gold but i can't always go in front, I have been patient and schooled him for year I've had him he's perfect to school he jumps and does dressage but his hacking is lacking and I want some bits that is best to try. Have had a gag on him no difference, plus I'm not to joyed with gags. So many women up my yard are mrs know it alls tell me It's my riding etc, which I've also had lessons receltnly to help my gain more control with him. so im so close to giving up I'm very stuck on what to do.

 

[Shay]

My first thought as I read your post was "lessons". I'm sorry that suggestion has already been soured for you. The thing is - horses are stronger than we are. No piece of metal you put in their mouths is going to give you brakes. There are bits which put more pressure on different sections of the mouth or head. Horses have preferences just as we do and some respond better to some types of pressure than others. But none of them will stop a horse who does not want to stop.

With driving ponies sometimes they can get quite "dead" in the mouth because that is all the driver has to communicate "slow down". They also tend to bull forward from the shoulder which makes them more on the forehand and so feel stronger. But when we ride we have so many more ways of saying "slow down". The trick with your pony is going to be to find another way to communicate with him - not to stick something else in his mouth and hope that does it for you.

A good instructor is really the best first step. None of us are beyond learning and even when you have your own pony it is best to get lessons from time to time.

Can you teach him to respond to vocal commands? No harm in saying "whoa" (except in a dressage test!). Some riders teach their horses to stop on a whistle - my daughter picked up the trick from an eventing coach a while back and it works very well. Even in full run out hunting - they may not actually stop, but they come back enough to get control. She calls it an emergency brake. But just teaching him to halt and stand on vocal command would give you an extra option.

What about your seat aids? The first point of communication to stop is the seat not the hands - might you be able to work to get him more responsive to your weight aids and alongside the voice?

A stronger bit might be part of the solution - but without seeing how he goes, what his mouth structure is like, how you ride etc it isn't really possible to make suggestions.

It can feel very frustrating dealing with the tough cookies. You work and work and nothing seems to make any difference. But one day it does all fall into place. But - I'm sorry to say - it is a lot easier with an instructor!

 

[Ellietotz]

I've been having the same problem. Good as gold in the school or in front on a hack but the moment someone over takes or she gets left behind, she just turns into a psychopath. So far I had a French Link snaffle, Fulmer, American Gag (which I hated and so did she), Kimblewick which was actually not bad but she has a tendency to grab hold of it and take off and now we are in a full cheek copper Waterford which she can't get hold of. She had a few tantrums at first when she realised she couldn't grab it and be in charge but it's stopped the head pulling, the full cheek has stopped the head swinging and the martingale has stopped her throwing her head up.
Like the other said, it's hard to tell what is right for your horse as everyone is different and it depends on what they do in terms of if you need to bring their head up and in or down etc. But if he's pulling like mine did, the Waterford is good but you can't do side to side motions to stop if that's what you sometimes do to stop!
I'm the same with the getting lessons bit because they listen fine on the way out/in front/in the school. She is voice trained, I have to sit deep, push my legs down, squeeze the bit and ask her to steady and it still takes a good while and if she doesn't want to listen, I will just get side ways rocking horse the whole way home!

 

[Bombaybuddy]

I've been having the same problem. Good as gold in the school or in front on a hack but the moment someone over takes or she gets left behind, she just turns into a psychopath. So far I had a French Link snaffle, Fulmer, American Gag (which I hated and so did she), Kimblewick which was actually not bad but she has a tendency to grab hold of it and take off and now we are in a full cheek copper Waterford which she can't get hold of. She had a few tantrums at first when she realised she couldn't grab it and be in charge but it's stopped the head pulling, the full cheek has stopped the head swinging and the martingale has stopped her throwing her head up.
Like the other said, it's hard to tell what is right for your horse as everyone is different and it depends on what they do in terms of if you need to bring their head up and in or down etc. But if he's pulling like mine did, the Waterford is good but you can't do side to side motions to stop if that's what you sometimes do to stop!
I'm the same with the getting lessons bit because they listen fine on the way out/in front/in the school. She is voice trained, I have to sit deep, push my legs down, squeeze the bit and ask her to steady and it still takes a good while and if she doesn't want to listen, I will just get side ways rocking horse the whole way home!

Thank you both for your help!
I think it's just going to have to be an experiment and see what he prefers! He that's my issue my instructor can't help no more than she already is, he's almost like a donkey in the school so it's hard to show her what he truly is like.
It's a pain I took him hunting and not many horses do have brakes out hunting, but I would like him to be able to listen to me a little more but I will keep persevering and il keep you updated on how it goes!