Bit recommendation for fast rides?

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AmberThePony

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I'm thinking that I need to try a different bit for fun rides, fast hacks etc. Currently ridden in a full cheek snaffle with copper roller for schooling and hacking from home but she can get pretty strong/excitable when going faster so I use a happy mouth Pelham with roundings. The issue I find with this is she can get really on the forehand and lean in it, and we can also have the opposite issue where she ends up rearing very occasionally (usually when I say we can't go galloping off with those other horses). For this reason I think we need something she can't lean on but not too much lifting action and must be strong enough to stay in control when galloping etc. So if anyone has any suggestions I'd be very grateful!
 
rifruffian said:
That reads like you are planning to mechanically control the horse via some kind of uncomfortable bit........
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Umm no? Actually I ride my horse as the individual animal she is through a balance of seat and leg, hence why I am perfectly fine in a snaffle majority of the time. Sorry if it came across that way but that is vey much not my intention so I'm not sure where you got that from? All I am looking for is a bit that can help prevent an accident in case of running off with a random group of horses because she gets a little bit hyper
ETA in case it wasn't clear enough in the original post- I'm not looking for some super strong harsh bit to yank about on, simply something a step up from a snaffle that will be more suited/comfortable for her than the Pelham.
 
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uh huh....the unwanted behaviour that has made you write here.......could not be corrected by changing the bit.......that is how I see it.
 
rifruffian said:
uh huh....the unwanted behaviour that has made you write here.......could not be corrected by changing the bit.......that is how I see it.
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Haha, unwanted behaviour? A horse who behaves very well for the vast majority of the time except when in a fun ride situation with lots of other horses and open spaces when she would like to go a little speedier than is safe to do so. She schools beautifully, hacks well, just in this certain situation she can get a little keen, saying that, once we have ridden for a while and she's gotten used to the atmosphere she will usually have calmed down enough to pootle along normally.
 
Ooh drama....
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Have people not heard the term, 'horses for courses'? :rolleyes: lol

Also just so I'm not hijacking the thread with my weird sense of humour...
OP do you have an instructor who could help with offering advice as they will have seen the horse from the ground? Mine is invaluable, love her, super useful :) but it's hard on a forum as no one here knows you or your horse.
 
Often, bitting up has the very opposite result to that intended. I would be tempted to go for a double bridle, or at least a pelham or gag with a second rein, so that you're not introducing more tension than necessary from the get-go, but have something extra when you need it.

If horse is as well schooled as you say, then it will thank you for giving it the option of keeping things light.
 
A second rein is a good option. You can ride on the snaffle ring - or upper ring of the pelham - most of the time and only pick up the lower rein if you need it. Another good option alongside that is to train an "emergency break". Either to a physical signal like a pull on a neck strap, or to a sound. My daughter does this will her hunters / eventers and it works well. In training simply use the cue alongside the downward transition until they will stop of the cue alone. When you are out on a fast right it won;t bring them to a complete halt - but it will get them back enough for you to regain control.

Most horses will go up eventually if they want to go forward and are stopped. All that energy has to go somewhere. Try turning her rather than just holding so she has somewhere for that energy to go.
 
Thank you for the helpful replies I'm glad some people have understood what I'm looking for here, as I highly doubt everyone rides there horses in French link snaffles in every scenario. I will consider an extra rein as I would quite like the option of being softer then just using the lower rein when really necessary. It's quite difficult instructor wise as I don't see her really often and the horse is very different in the school compared to on fun rides when she wants to go. I think she did once suggest a Dutch gag for jumping so I have considered that but wasn't sure about the poll pressure? I'm not particularly looking at bitting up, because we are fine brakes wise in the Pelham, it's just the leaning on it that I would quite like to prevent so I was thinking there might be something with similar strength but a different mouthpiece rather than the straight bar? I will consider everything that has been said so thank you.
 
We have a horse who schools perfectly, in a loose ring snaffle with a lozenge. He also hacks on slower/ roadwork hacks nicely in one. However you couldn't pay me to take him on a funride in it, or for that matter a fast hack in company. So i understand where your coming from and what you mean op! Our's doesnt lean he just gets so bloody strong and excited.
We use a dutch gag/3 ring snaffle. It helps, its better than anything else we have tried on him. Would looking at a change of noseband help?
 
I had one that was great to do stressage and sj in a snaffle.... but xc.... I needed a kimblewick with two reins. That small amount of poll pressure I could apply at will was enough to get us round at a safe pace. He got too excited to be able to listen to the subtle lifts of the snaffle - he was inclined to ignore my aids but awesome at jumping and I am a big big fan of horses that can snaffle everything because I believe in teaching snaffle aids.

In hindsight, I might have got there if I persevered and got to enough xc course practices but in reality, I didn't do enough xc schooling so whenever we got to that stage it was just too exciting... my fault. I don't blame him.
 
AmberThePony said:
Thank you for the helpful replies I'm glad some people have understood what I'm looking for here, as I highly doubt everyone rides there horses in French link snaffles in every scenario. I will consider an extra rein as I would quite like the option of being softer then just using the lower rein when really necessary. It's quite difficult instructor wise as I don't see her really often and the horse is very different in the school compared to on fun rides when she wants to go. I think she did once suggest a Dutch gag for jumping so I have considered that but wasn't sure about the poll pressure? I'm not particularly looking at bitting up, because we are fine brakes wise in the Pelham, it's just the leaning on it that I would quite like to prevent so I was thinking there might be something with similar strength but a different mouthpiece rather than the straight bar? I will consider everything that has been said so thank you.
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It might be worth trying a jointed Pelham with 2 reins.
The purists might turn in their grave at the thought of a Pelham with a joint but I’ve used this very successfully with one horse that would really bog off on the gallops and also a different eventer.
 
ihatework said:
It might be worth trying a jointed Pelham with 2 reins.
The purists might turn in their grave at the thought of a Pelham with a joint but I’ve used this very successfully with one horse that would really bog off on the gallops and also a different eventer.
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*tallyho turns in grave*
 
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