Bits / nosebands for giraffe horses? Also in CR

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Jericho

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My new mare is lovely and am over the moon with her but am feeling she is not happy in her current bit, a jointed hanging cheek . She walks on a free rein beautifully and will trot / canter quite happily on a loose rein but the minute the contact is picked up her head goes up and she crosses her jaw to evade and becomes very strong.

I feel she has been pulled into the contact and worked in a false outline rather than ridden forward into it but obviously this is going to take time to change her way of going. It is taking about 40 mins to work her in to settle and every transaction or slight hiccup means another 10 mins settling so we are both getting quite tired before any really good work happens where she is working from behind and balanced and settled in her mouth. I know she can do it and she does it beautifully but it seems to take ages for her to trust the bit and riders hands.

Her old owner said she hates flash nosebands and also jointed bits (although this is what she came in). She also sent me a straight bar happy mouth pelham with roundings but again it doesnt feel right. UP goes the head, crossing jaw when she isnt happy PLUS very heavy in the hand when she gets going i.e the brakes go.

So what would recommend put her in which is much gentler to stop her trying to evade and encourage the softness earlier but wont let her lean?
 
Teeth and saddle checked recently?

Have you considered a Myler or a NS/Sprenger starter bit with lozenge?

A lot of this is to do with her trusting the rider and she will need time, patience and schooling.

The alternative is to ride her in a hackamore and with a bit and gradually increase the contact with the bit over time.
 
You have described my mare .I bought her last sept she came with happy mouth and was biting chunks out of it loaner said she couldnt use flash on her.I used loose ring french link snaffle and she is now in hanging cheek fl snaffle.Took me months to get her to work long and low as she evaded and still does if highly stressed. She also works well in flash .
40 mins of crazy scary attitude and being unsettled all sounds familiar as well .Mine wouldnt walk only jogged.Took several months but she is really improving .Still hates firm contact on left rein but ok onright.
 
I'd try something with a port, i find that they usually evade like this when they're unhappy with the tongue pressure, the kk correction bits are good or there are plenty of ported mylers around to try, if it gets to the point where you really have to 'encourage' her to close her mouth then go with a drop rather than a flash, so she can at least relax her jaw.
 
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