Biting fo hound exercise?

[Boxers]

On saturday morning daughter is taking her 4 yr old to hound exercise for the first time.

At the mo, and since he's been backed, he's wearing a full cheek snaffle with a double joint. He did have a flash nosebans on for a while but we have taken this off now.

For a while he started holding onto this bit and so we used a waterford for a week but he tossed his head a lot and was uncomfortable and so we have gone back to the full cheek snaffle and again no flash. He works really well like this.

So what to use on saturday? Just keep with the snaffle and hope he won't hold onto it? I wondered whether to use a dutch gag, the one I have only has one ring below the snaffle ring, and I would want her to have two reins on it so she used the bottom gag rein only if necessary.

Daughter is an experienced rider and has hunted for 4 seasons, but this is the first time she will be on a young green horse that has never been before.

I guess really we should have started getting him used to another bit before now, but have only just thought about 'brakes'.

Any suggestions?

 

[simplyhunting]

I'd stick with his usual if he's happy in that. It's only cubbing so won't be fast at all, mostly walk/trot so better to stick to what he's used too.

All the babies find it exciting first time, but they'll often settle after a few times, I've only ever had to change one into a different bit for their second time out, as they've all been 'buzzy' but controllable in their breaking bits. Enjoy!