Bit/tack suggestions wanted

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Templebar

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Ok so i have a 14.2hh Irish cob, built exactly as she probably sounds.

I went hunting before christmas for the first time with us, i am pretty sure she had been before as she seemed to know what the horn and things were all about. She was asleep at the meet but once we got going she was pretty hard to stop. She had her head in the air mouth wide open.

At the moment i have a breastplate/girth combo, so will put the martingale bit on.
I have tried a flash on before and she didn't seem that keen on it, do you think i try again or something else? Grackle possibly?
She is currently in a hollow mouth thick mouthpiece eggbutt snaffle. I have a vulcanite pelham i am thinking of trying but are there any other suggestions, she seems to like larger mouthpieces to thin ones.

Also how do i work out if any of these things are going to work, at home and out at events she is fine no issues at all, so how will i know these might work next time i take her out.
 
You won't know til you take her back hunting! Trial and error til you find what works. How about a standing martingale and either a drop or a grackle noseband? Personally I wouldn't change everything at once. If the noseband change doesn't work then a pelham or cheltenham gag could be worth a try.
 
the thicker the mouth piece the kinder they are and for her throwing a hissy with thinner mouth piece - that's because it's stronger and she doesn't like it - go with a drop or a grackle and then if that helps keep her mouth shut but she's still strong then put the pelham in :)
 
I would try a grackle, then a grackle with pelham.I'd be tempted to add a martingale.

I wouldn't try a Cheltenham gag, as they raise the head.
 
Thanks for the replies.
I know about the thicker and thinner mouth pieces, when we tried her she was in an average sized mouthpiece and was fine but didn't come with tack and i only had a thin or a thick one, i realised why she wouldn't like the thin one and she hasn't needed it so the thicker was better. I think she will also be strong even if i can keep her mouth closed, she is the type that could set against me and really go if she wanted, so i think i will try another bit first. I am going to try hacking out round home tomorrow with the pelham in to see how she takes to it, i think if she likes it then i will try putting a grackle on too to stop her evading. I'm just thankful i have quite a bit of stuff about to try and haven't got to go buying any, yet.

I have a cheltenham too for my other mare who rides with her nose on her chest and have already said i would never use this as i think it would drive her mad.

I think once she gets used to going regularly again then she will settle and enjoy herself but its going to be a lot nicer for the both of us if we can find ourselves with a little more control for when she gets excited.
 
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I use a kineton noseband for my hunter, it seems to work really well for him. You need to make sure you fit it properly though for it to work but there are probably photos on the internet. It is really good at keeping horses heads down, I think it would be worth you trying it. It puts pressure on their nose rather than their mouth so it is really effective and most horses don't fight it.
 
Thanks.

So i rode in my field today, with my pelham in, when i put it on she took some time to mouth it but she started salivating which is something she has not done before so i think was ok, then when i rode i had two reins to test her reaction to the poll/chain pressure. She reacted to it which is good but not stupidly so. I also tried a grackle and she took ok to that too.

When i blasted her up the field all it took was a touch on the curb and she came back into an in hand canter straight away. So i think were going to try that next time we go which is saturday hopefully as long as it doesn't get weathered off.
 
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