Bit to help accept the contact and round off??

[SecretSquirrell379]

My girl does not round off very consistantly, she does do it with some wiggling (not sawing) of the reins but she does not stay down/rounded. She is a nosey little monkey and given the slightest opportunity she has her head up like a giraffe to have a good look around.

We have started doing dressage tests and several times I have had comments about softening my wrists and using my legs more. Problem is if I do that she trys to shoot off, I end up half halting for England and we don't get anywhere.

I do have lessons and we are improving quite a bit but we need to improve more!!

She is in a french link snaffle at the moment, we are coming down in strength as she can be very strong. I want to try another bit/s to see if I can get her to accept the contact more and round off.

Am I talking total tosh or can a different bit help?

 

[saddlesore]

Probably not a huge help as the bit is not dressagel legal, but the myler mullen triple bar (eggbutt, no hooks) worked wonders with my last horse who could be very inconsistent in the contact. Derby house used to trial them, dont know if they still do, and shop4bits trial them also.

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

thank you, i'll go and have a look. Dressage legal would be better though!

 

[scotsmare]

Personally I'd leave her in the french link or change to a loose ring snaffle and continue with the riding her forward thing - I maybe misunderstanding you but your horse sounds like it has an issue with accepting the leg rather than the bit.

Also you'll get better results in the long run if you ride from her back end to her bit rather than in reverse.

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

That does make sense and yes she does think that leg on means go faster!! We end up having a bit of a battle, I try and keep my hands soft and leg on but she wants to go like billy O and I have to keep slowing her down all the time....she seems to get confused. I don't want to ride her forward and pull on her mouth all the time, when she does go forward and round off I give a bit with the rein so she will hopefully grasp that when she accepts the bit I don't pull her back.....does that make sense??? We just don't seem to be getting anywhere fast

 

[saddlesore]

There are a couple of dressage legal myler mouthpieces that might be worth a shot, i just personally found that bit was brilliant! P.S he didnt need to stay in it forever, eventually went back to a sprenger duo snaffle, the issues seemed to have corrected themselves. Good luck!

 

[stephkoczy]

I agree with saddlesore. The myler bit I use is the level 1 snaffle and its great for my nosey mare. She was very hard to get round being ex-SJ. Myler said to me that its possible to train in the non-dressage legal bit (like the one suggested previously) and use the dressage legal for comp and the horse should go just as well (in theory) It could be worth a try especcially as myler lend the bits to try out too.

Good luck!

 

[Angelbones]

Probably not dressage legal/suitable, but my horse does the giraffe thing and can be strong out hunting but otherwise is a pussycat, and the only bit he will accept, lower his head, go in a nice outline, and that gives me breaks out hunting, is a jointed pelham. He only has a curb for hunting but for some reason we tried him in it (we had literally tried about 15 other bits) and he just said 'yep, this is the one' and we've stayed in it ever since. A little sponging on the reins and a tad more leg right on his girth and he drops like a dream. Good luck!

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

Thanks guys, I will look at loaning one of the Myler bits and ask around and see if anyone has got a jointed pelham to try afterwards.

I've just had a lesson and my instructor can get her to round off a lot better than me

I just can not get the leg on but no faster bit right

we didn't do too badly today, she did lengthen and lower for me a few times nicely but then throws in a massie spook just to keep me on my toes!!

 

[LizzieJ]

What do you mean by 'rounding off'? Do you just mean getting her nose in? If you use a curb bit you may well end up with a horse going almost backwards but with her nose in! She needs to accept the leg and hand and will then become rounder throughout. I would carry on with the lessons and learn how to ride her like your instructor can

There are no shortcuts to getting a horse going correctly.

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

I mean accepting the contact, working from behind, arching her neck and not looking like a giraffe going for a walk!! I know that your right that only my riding improving will help and get the desired results but a nice bit to help us on our way would not go amiss!!!!

 

[LizzieJ]

Ok, tbh there is no point using bits that are not dressage legal so you just need to try a few to see what she likes best. What size mouth is she? I have a few 5 inch bits because I had to go through a lot with my tb to find one she was happy in ( I now use a nathe straight bar on her - she goes best in a bitless but has to have something for dressage.) and you are welcome to try some

My other horses seem to go best in a loose ring lozenge bit with the thickness of the mouthpiece bought according to their mouth.

I have one who doesn't truly accept the leg and hand yet and rushes off throwing her head up when I put my leg on or pulls me out of the saddle sometimes too so I do know how frustrating it is! I had a lesson with a different instructor who gave me some great exercises to do on the flat and she is starting to go a lot better now

 

[lauraanddolly]

I had a similar problem, however my only advice to you would be if you are doing dressage in the bit then I wouldn't bother trying anything that isn't dressage legal - as LizzieJ says. Its a bit of a waste of time! There are a few different mouthpieces that are BD legal some of the mylers are I believe.
There should be a list of legal bits in the BD rule book on their website!

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

Thats really kind of you thank you

She is very handily a 5" bit

My instructor is very good and has helped us SO much, my riding is unrecognisable from before I had lessons so I am still pleased I just can't get this leg and hand thing right, its so hard

My brain does not seem to want to multi task more than 2 things at once!! plus I am not convinced that she is happy in the bit, she does munch a lot but not always in a good way if that makes sense.

I will pay you for postage if you could lend me any bits to try

Thanks again

Tricksy

 

[suzysparkle]

Try a myler MB02 in a hanging cheek (dressage legal). The hanging cheek gives a teeny bit of poll pressure which does help with the outline. Re leg, some need a lot less than others!!!

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

bounce!!