Bit ideas....anyone please.

[Cupcakes and Horses]

I have a six year old 15.2 Connemara, I've had him just over a year and have been battling with him being hollow, tense and resisting contact with the bit, after many trials of different bits I have turned to a loose ring Hippus bit which is fab and we are finally making progress he is now becoming rounder, softer and accepting contact my problem is that while I can hack alone, school, lunge and jump at home in it without any problems if I take him out in company or go out show jumping I have nothing....no control at all. I have put him back in his Neue Schule team up and grackle for these situations but while I have more control he is hollowing out and resisting it most of the time with only moments of connection which says to me he's not as comfortable with it so does anyone have any ideas what bit will give him a similar feel to Hippus but give me more control when I need it.
I have been looking at Myler Low Port Comfort Snaffle with hooks but not sure any ideas greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Tammytoo]

Have a look at the Rockin "S" snaffles - they can be bought in this country from Western Saddler. If you've heard of Mark Rashid, he recommends them highly.

 

[FourBurrowHunt]

I ride mine in a Gag x

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Myler comfort snaffles are the only bits that two of my horses like. You will need to get a size down (by 1/4 inch) compared to normal jointed snaffles. Try to borrow or hire one before you buy as they are v expensive.

Have you tried a pelham or kimblewick?

ETA. An unjointed pelham or kimblewick with a port.

 

[Cupcakes and Horses]

Thanks I will have a look at the Rockin "S" snaffles. I haven't tried a pelham or anything like because when I tried him in a hung cheek it made my rearing issue worse so was thinking he couldn't cope with the poll pressure, his rearing has settled down a lot in the last few months but he is still prone when his blood is up and as that is when I'm lacking control I'm thinking he might throw a bit of a wobbly! He can be a bit over sensitive. Didn't know you had to size down for the Myler so thanks for that...have just ordered a Myler combination to try for my daughters pony may have to change it.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Hanging cheek snaffles/bauchers don't put pressure on the poll. If you look at the cheekpieces when you take up a contack, they bulge out. As they aren't tight, they can't pull down on the poll.

Well done for improving his rearing, it can be a difficult problem to fix.

 

[Cupcakes and Horses]

Hanging cheeks do give a light poll action as well as the more direct tongue action that's what is meant to help lower the head

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Hanging cheeks do give a light poll action as well as the more direct tongue action that's what is meant to help lower the head

Sorry, that's wrong but a common mistake.


RE Baucher or hanging cheek bits.

This bit is usually falsley described as creating poll pressure.

http://www.sustainabledressage.net/tack/bridle.php

 

[Annagain]

Have you tried a Waterford? My horse was very similar but he's fine in the waterford. He dislikes anything jointed and the fluid movement of a Waterford seems to suit him. Although people think it's a very harsh bit, since putting my boy in one I've found out that many of my friends' horses who have similar issues go well in a Waterford and they're as harsh as the hands that use them. He has a hanging cheek for everyday and a gag for exciting stuff, both with Waterford mouthpieces, and a hanging cheek mullen mouth for dressage.

 

[Cupcakes and Horses]

http://www.sustainabledressage.net/tack/bridle.php

A very interesting website thanks for that, not quite sure what extra action it gives then having read that because I can see what they mean about the bit being fixed but it must do something because he was in a eggbutt Neue Schule and kept the same mouth piece and just changed the cheeks to baucher and it made him a lot quicker to go up.

I hadn't thought of a waterford, I used to ride my old boy in one before I went bitless who I could never stop and hated snaffles might still have it around somewhere.