Bit pulling through one side

[Lozturner]

My horse gets strong when jumping so I have bought a Pelham as I need to keep her head down a bit too. This is the bit her last owner used all of the time, but I only want it for shows.

She's usually in a French link dutch gag and she goes well in this, but when jumping she can take off. I also find it hard to turn her to the right when jumping, I have no issue with turning right doing flatwork.

So with the Pelham she goes well and is easier to control jumping, but the bit seem to pull through the right side of her mouth and she sticks her tongue out. I also noticed the cheek pieces seem to stick out when using this bit, but raising it made it too high in the mouth.

Does anyone know why this is happening? The bit is the right size and this doesn't happen with the left side.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Because you are pulling her around by the reins and not steering with your legs.

 

[Lozturner]

Because you are pulling her around by the reins and not steering with your legs.

I ride both reins the same - this only happens on the right rein.

 

[be positive]

Do you use a correctly fitting curb chain and lip strap? if they are too loose they will allow the bit to rotate too much, often people think having them loose will be kinder but they need to be tight enough to stop the bit moving too much in order to have the correct action.

 

[Lozturner]

Do you use a correctly fitting curb chain and lip strap? if they are too loose they will allow the bit to rotate too much, often people think having them loose will be kinder but they need to be tight enough to stop the bit moving too much in order to have the correct action.

I don't use a lip strap.
The chain isn't loose but I didn't want to have it too tight.
I know it's not the size of the bit because it's exactly the same size as the Dutch gag and that bit doesn't do this.

 

[Mike007]

try a waterford universal with curb strap.

 

[Pilib]

What does your trainer say?

 

[Lozturner]

What does your trainer say?

I was just trying the bit out when doing a bit practise and it was late evening so no one has had a look yet.

 

[Pinkvboots]

It sounds like it could be too low if the cheek pieces are gaping, if it's only happening on the right rein it is also a schooling issue she possibly is not as supple through her body so your using too much rein to pull her round, as someone else has said you need to be using your legs to get her to turn correctly, you really need a lip strap to hold the curb chain in place it stops it flapping and moving around I would not use a curb chain without one.

 

[Lozturner]

It sounds like it could be too low if the cheek pieces are gaping, if it's only happening on the right rein it is also a schooling issue she possibly is not as supple through her body so your using too much rein to pull her round, as someone else has said you need to be using your legs to get her to turn correctly, you really need a lip strap to hold the curb chain in place it stops it flapping and moving around I would not use a curb chain without one.

I did raise it when I noticed them sticking out but then it seemed to be bothering her.

So do you think lots of work on the right rein is the way to go? She was fine at first it just started happening after maybe 15 mins.

I'll be going back to the gag until I'm doing any practise for shows anyway but I don't want her to be uncomfortable when I change back to the Pelham.