Bit/tack advice/suggestions please

[Saucisson]

Ok, I'll try to be concise.

OH took his mare in 2 rounds of jumping at the weekend. Normally she is ridden in a straight forward snaffle but he uses a Dutch gag in jumping and x-country comps as she is strong lass when she wants to be. She has a tendancy to stick her head in the air and generally when this happens, she starts to pull (she does this with the snaffle aswell – think it's just when she's being a madam)

For the first round, he tried a running martingale for the first time. She was ok, one down but controlled. After, I suggested that if he was happy with the martingale, perhaps try with the snaffle instead of the dutch gag (I have read that the Dutch gag lifts the head therefore not a good idea with a martingale?). He agreed to try.

She looked lovely in the second round. Always in a good outline, lovely controlled canter, no head in the air shenanagins. However, she flippin knocked down about 5 jumps! I was quite disappointed really because she was obviously happier with this arrangement but just didn't manage the jumping.

Could it be the change in tack? Maybe she was having an off-moment (it was hot)?

Belgian chocs for any suggestions.

 

[Kat]

Ok, I'll try to be concise.

OH took his mare in 2 rounds of jumping at the weekend. Normally she is ridden in a straight forward snaffle but he uses a Dutch gag in jumping and x-country comps as she is strong lass when she wants to be. She has a tendancy to stick her head in the air and generally when this happens, she starts to pull (she does this with the snaffle aswell – think it's just when she's being a madam)

For the first round, he tried a running martingale for the first time. She was ok, one down but controlled. After, I suggested that if he was happy with the martingale, perhaps try with the snaffle instead of the dutch gag (I have read that the Dutch gag lifts the head therefore not a good idea with a martingale?). He agreed to try.

She looked lovely in the second round. Always in a good outline, lovely controlled canter, no head in the air shenanagins. However, she flippin knocked down about 5 jumps! I was quite disappointed really because she was obviously happier with this arrangement but just didn't manage the jumping.

Could it be the change in tack? Maybe she was having an off-moment (it was hot)?

Belgian chocs for any suggestions.

I think that putting the snaffle in was unlikely to make her jumping worse. It would be worth checking that the martingale is long enough though.

I think the most likely cause is that she was going round looking pretty with her head tucked in and lacked some power. So she needs to be ridden more into the contact. If she is getting a little deep in the contact she may not have been looking at the fences either. If that is the case raising the hand hand getting the leg on a few strides out should encourange her to pick up and look at the fence.

Personally I find a lot of horses come up above the contact and run in a dutch gag, and that if you put them back into a snaffle they become more prepared to work into the contact, this can make them feel steadier as they aren't running through the hand, but if your OH isn't used to this he perhaps needs reminding to keep his leg on.

 

[Saucisson]

Hmmmm, good points, thanks. I'll have a look at the martingale (although she was fine with it in the first round?). It did look like it hadn't seen the light of day for a good few years (OH hates them for some reason).

I didn't mention that the second round was a bit higher (only 10cm) but it certainly wasn't a height that she should be worried about.

It was just nice to see her looking more relaxed. We work so hard with her with gridwork/poles to convince her that she doesn't have to gallop to fences to get over them and yesterday it looked like she finally believed us – maybe she's right, she does need to hurl herself at them!